The export version of the F-16A jet-fighter designed for Japan Air Self-Defense Force comes as the first 4th gen aircraft in the Japanese tech tree.

Features:

• Superior flight characteristics
  
• AIM-7F Sparrow air-to-air missiles
  
• Multirole capabilities

In the “Sky Guardians” War Thunder update, Japan is getting a new top-tier 4th generation jet fighter, an export version of the magnificent F-16A, one of the best aircraft in the game. In service with the Japanese tech tree, the F-16AJ is capable of equipping the Sparrow missiles, which the Block 10 versions do not have, as well as air-to-surface armament , which is not available on the F-16A ADF interceptor modification.

First of all, we would like to be clear on the reasons for adding the F-16AJ to the game, whilst there are massive suggestions from players to add the Mitsubishi F-2 fighter-bomber to the Japanese tech tree. Indeed, the F-2, which is a 4++ generation aircraft, will appear in the game along with comparable aircraft from other nations. However, at the moment, adding the F-2 to the game is not possible due to its significant superiority in the quality of radar equipment and far more advanced air-to-air missiles. At the same time, to date, Japan remained the only gaming nation lacking a 4th generation aircraft. Therefore, when choosing between forcing Japanese aviation enthusiasts to wait for the Viper Zero a few major updates, or giving Japan a 4th generation aircraft now, we chose the second option. We hope you support our decision!




So, the F-16AJ is the cover-boy of the promo brochures, an elegant modern fighter with its own unique camouflage. The aircraft merges the advantages of all modifications of the F-16A series in War Thunder. In addition to late modifications of short-range Sidewinder missiles, the Japanese F-16AJ is capable of carrying AIM-7F Sparrow medium-range air-to-air missiles into battle. At the same time, the F-16AJ is ready for any fire mission on the ground - from 4 x 2,000 bombs for wiping bases in air battles, to rocket pods and AGM-65B Maverick missiles for crack-opening any type of armored vehicles in mixed battles.




The F-16AJ is undoubtedly one of the best aircraft in War Thunder. The new Japanese bird of prey will be waiting for her pilots in the next major game update. Stay tuned for the news to be the first to know about other news! See you soon!

A detailed description of the current task as well as your overall progress can be found by clicking on your nickname → Achievements → Pages of History

A British aircraft designer that created 24 aircraft, including the fastest seaplanes of the era: for his work on them he was awarded the CBE. When he was only 38, he led the development of the Supermarine Spitfire, which became a legend and a symbol of the Royal Air Force during World War II.

You can immediately purchase the profile icon for Golden Eagles until April 3rd, 11:30 GMT without completing tasks. Click Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History (March).

Completion of each individual task will bring you a trophy with one of the following rewards:

• 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 3-5 universal backup vehicles;
  
• 1 day of premium account;
  
• A random camouflage for ground vehicles (out of the selection of camouflages currently obtainable in game for completing tasks, or purchasing with Golden Eagles).

• Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.
  
• Tasks can be completed in random battles, except for “Assault” mode.

In early March of 1943 Japan undertook a risky operation to relocate some of its troops from Rabaul to Lae in Papua New Guinea. The Allies have decrypted the Japanese messages and created a plan to intercept the convoy. On March 2nd through to the 4th, the combined air forces of the USA and Australia bombed the Japanese ships, destroying most of them.

On March 5th, 1936, the Supermarine Spitfire took its maiden flight. It was one of the most iconic aircraft of WWII. During the Battle for Britain Spitfires weren't as numerous as Hurricanes, but were evenly matched against the German Bf 109. Afterwards Spitfires were widely used in the European, Mediterranean, and Pacific theatres.

On March 9th, 1944, the Red Army began an offensive to encircle the Wehrmacht's forces under Pskov and liberate the city. They were met with fierce resistance, and only managed to push the front line back 13 km; Pskov wasn't retaken until late July.

In mid March of 1945, the American and French forces were storming well-defended fortifications in West Germany. In 16 days of the Operation the Allies managed to get from Saarbrücken to Karlsruhe, capturing the entire west bank of the Rhine.

On March 16th, 1945, the strategic offensive to capture the capital of Austria by Soviet and Bulgarian forces began. It took three weeks to get to Vienna and another week of urban warfare: the offensive ended with Soviet victory, and over 100,000 German soldiers were captured.

After the Six Days War of 1967, the Palestine Liberation Organization led by Yasser Arafat retreated from the West Bank to the East Bank of the Jordan river into the Jordanian town of Karameh, and continued attacks on Israel from there. On March 21st, 1968, the Israeli Army retaliated, destroying the town and pushing PLO forces further back into Jordan. The Israeli took heavier than expected losses due to the involvement of Jordanian Army that took PLO's side in the conflict. As a result, both sides claimed victory.

On March 23rd, 1943 a battle began near the town of El Guettar, Tunisia. After beating the Americans at the Kasserine Pass, the Axis forces expected another easy victory over inexperienced enemies. But, whilst German tanks were halted by a minefield, they were showered with fire from artillery and tank destroyers, suffering major losses. Still, as the Allies went into counteroffensive mode, they were met with the same countermeasures. The battle ended in a stalemate.

On March 27th to 29th, 1941, Italian and British navies battled near Cape Matapan in Southern Greece. The British, having deciphered the Italian naval code, knew beforehand of the enemy's numbers, trained in advance for night combat, and took the foes by surprise. As a result the Italian navy suffered a crushing defeat, having not recovered from it until the end of the war.

The Pantsir-1S surface-to-air missile and artillery system capable of tracking and killing several air targets comes as a new top-tier SPAAG for the Soviets.

Features:

• Missiles and automatic cannons
  
• Able to attack up to 4 targets simultaneously
  
• Huge munition load
  
• Very high profile
  
• Poor protection

The 96K6 Pantsir-S1 will appear in War Thunder with the release of the upcoming major update and will become the new top Soviet anti-aircraft vehicle. Being unique in its combat capabilities, the Pantsir combines a mid-range detection radar, 12 effective surface-to-air missiles and rapid-fire 30-mm cannons with HE and AP belts. The real “Sky Guardian” is reporting for service!

Not so long ago, the Tor-M1 air defense system was added to the game, which is capable of attacking two targets at once in a small sector. Pantsir-S1 (Russian for “carapace”) is capable of acquiring targets at distances up to 20 km, as well as simultaneously tracking and firing in the 45x45 degree sector up to four targets at the same time! Let's be honest, the scenario of the appearance of four air targets at once in one sight is unlikely for mixed battles in War Thunder, but if such a scenario comes true, you will be prepared! Jokes aside, a well-positioned Pantsir under ideal conditions alone is able to protect the team from, in general, all enemy aircraft approaching from airfields and at almost any altitude. If the pilot slips the launch and does not maneuver, he will meet with the Pantsir missile. The radar very quickly determines the distance to an air target, and missiles can also be guided by the half-lead method, which is handy against aircraft at extreme attack angles.




In addition to missiles, the system includes a pair of twin-barreled 30-mm cannons with an overall rate of fire of up to 5,000 rounds per minute and a huge ammo capacity. The cannons literally tear apart low-flying air targets and are able to hit light armored vehicles and even some tanks.

The Pantsir-1S system is built on a KamAZ 8x8 army heavy truck chassis. The truck moves confidently on paved roads, but off-road causes problems due to the heavy weight of the Pantsir unit and a very long chassis. The vehicle has poor armor of up to 6 mm, and with the radar antenna unfolded, it becomes one of the tallest vehicles in War Thunder. Pantsir-1S can be seen from afar and dies easily from any enemy fire including ordinary machine guns.




Pantsir-1S is undoubtedly one of the most advanced anti-aircraft systems in the game. It will appear in War Thunder with the release of the Sky Guardians major update, which is almost completed by the dev team. The update is coming soon, and the new devblogs will come sooner!

Your screenshots from last week showing the clear, beautiful skies were excellent! We enjoyed seeing the action shots, as well as the serene landscapes! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!


Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen56. You have time until 03.03.2023 to submit your screenshot.

After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.

Important addition: Screenshot theme - Back to the Basics!

• This week, we would love to see screenshots of your vehicles from Rank 1!
  
• You must add the #WTscreen56 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).

[/b]

Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.

You need to be the author of the screenshot.

Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.

We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).

You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.

You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.

Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.

[/list]




https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2935898645
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2935928373
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2936578159

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2936193118
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2935463544
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=2936520092

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!

The Aigle destroyer sporting deadly cannons and great torpedoes comes as the first French ship to be added to the game in a special early access pack!

Features:

• High-caliber cannons
  
• Good mobility
  
• Punchy torpedoes
  
• Light protection

In War Thunder, Aigle will be among the first French warships arriving in naval battles as part of the next major update. Sporting excellent firepower and mobility, Aigle will not only bring with it another distinct ship design philosophy to naval battles but will also herald the arrival of the remainder of the French naval forces in a future update!




We are pleased to announce an open beta-testing of the French navy scheduled for one of the following updates. Right now you’re able to purchase a special early access pack containing the Aigle destroyer, Premium days, Golden Eagles and guaranteed access to the testing immediately after it starts. Until then you’ll be able to master your French crews in battles. Each early access ship has 3 respawns in Arcade and Realistic modes. So, let’s take a closer look at the Aigle, shall we?

Contrary to destroyers of most other nations, Aigle (French for “Eagle”) features a rather heavy primary arsenal. In fact, being armed with five 138 mm guns forming its main battery brings the Aigle almost on par with some of the earliest cruisers present in the game. However, while the guns will certainly have a good punch to them and offer favorable ballistics, their larger caliber will also result in a slower rate of fire.




On the other hand, captains won’t have to charge into battle relying solely on the ship’s main guns. Further augmenting the arsenal are four single and a pair of twin 37 mm and two twin 13.2 mm turrets. Apart from the direct fire weapons, the ship is also fitted with two triple 550 mm torpedo launchers, each torpedo contains 310 kg of TNT explosives. Overall, Aigle can certainly be considered as a well equipped destroyer, capable of becoming a serious threat even to larger vessel types if given the chance to do so.



Aigle is rather nimble and mobile, but lacks any noticeable protection. As for other destroyers in the game, movement means life for this ship, and a sudden stop or damage to the rudder usually ends in a quick return to the hangar. Move, maneuver and strike enemies with the powerful main battery and torpedoes - that's Aigle's tactics in naval battles.

The Aigle will be your lucky ticket to start exploring the interesting navy of France. Place your order for the Early Access Packs and be among the first captains of France in War Thunder!

The launch of the French Navy OBT is scheduled in one of the next major updates after the release of the “Sky Guardians” update.

A special forces helicopter originating from the commercial model offers mind-blowing agility and a lethal arsenal of weapons!

Features:

• Perfect handling and speed
  
• Thermal vision
  
• Hellfire II missiles
  
• Very vulnerable

AH-6M is a new attack helicopter that will land in the US hangars with the release of the upcoming major update. The mean Little Bird with its perfect handling and excellent armament will definitely become the new favorite of the most skilled War Thunder pilots!

The AH-6M will be one of the lightest and most compact helicopters in the game. With a take-off weight of just over 2 tons, the machine has a very powerful Allison T63-A series engine with a 650 hp thrust. The helicopter smoothly and quickly accelerates to the speed of over 240 km/h, maneuvers perfectly and is able to instantly hide behind trees and buildings or duck in the terrains.




Right out of the box, the pilot will have at their disposal, rifle-caliber “miniguns” and Hydra unguided rockets in 2x19 pods. This weapon is enough to start mastering close-range combat in mixed battles and hone any piloting skill. After several battles, pilots will be able to improve the engine and rotor, research thermal vision devices, high-caliber machine gun pods and small APKWS II missiles that can be used against light targets from distances up to 5 km. The pinnacle of the AH-6M arsenal will be the excellent Hellfire II ATGMs with a tandem warhead, capable of wiping out any tank in the battlefield. Hellfires will allow pilots to try new tactics with flanking an enemy group, hunting for enemy helicopters, and so on. All in all, Little Bird offers a really good variety of combat tactics poured with liters of adrenaline!




The disadvantages of the helicopter are obvious from its design - huge windshield and light weight with no any armor either for the pilots or for the engine and tanks. Researchable body armor might protect the brave crew only from a pair of rifle-caliber bullets. Any burst towards the helicopter from a heavy machine gun or autocannon almost always means a quick return to the hangar.

The AH-6M Little Bird and other amazing new vehicles are waiting for you in the first War Thunder major update of 2023. Follow the news and be the first to know about the most interesting content from the update! Stay tuned!

Prepare yourself for the Sky Guardians!

The new Defender tournament series with a total prize pool of 184,300 Golden Eagles will take place from February 25th until March 2nd. You can participate in any of 16 tournaments or in several if you like. Winners will receive Starter Packs of their choice, “Protector of Sparta” decals, titles, Golden Eagles, and other valuable prizes.

You may find the complete list of tournaments here, and join the ones you wish to participate in.

From February 22nd (14:00 GMT) until February 27th (7:00 GMT)

Win 5 battles using USSR vehicles (rank III or higher, with an activity of not less than 70%) to receive the “Pelta Shield” decoration.

“Pelta Shield” decoration.


From February 22nd until February 27th “Shields” trophy containing 3D decorations “Shield”, “Round Shield”, “Round Shield (Lion)”, “Gallic Shield”, “Pavise Shield”, and “Pelta Shield” will be available for purchase for Golden Eagles in the item shop.

Each purchase of the trophy will get you a decoration you don’t yet have.

Collect all six “Shields” decorations and receive the seventh decoration “Heraldic Shield”.
Read more about the Collections on the wiki.

“Heraldic Shield” decoration.


From February 22nd until February 27th premium vehicles from the USSR research tree will be available for purchase for Golden Eagles:

• KV-1E
  
• T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.)
  
• Pe-2 205 “Peshka”
  
• IL-2M “Avenger”

USS Nevada is the lead ship of her class of two battleships built for the U.S. Navy in the years prior to the outbreak of WWI. Featuring a plethora of naval innovations and setting a standard for coming U.S. battleships, captains in War Thunder will have the chance to take command of the iconic USS Nevada as it arrives in the game as part of the next major update!

Briefly: An innovative American dreadnought battleship design packing heavy firepower coupled with a highly effective armor scheme.

Features:

• Superior firepower
  
• Excellent anti-air protection
  
• Strong protection
  
• Low mobility
  
• Scout plane

In War Thunder, USS Nevada will be a new battleship arriving to the top rank of the American bluewater fleet as part of the next major update. Joining the U.S. Navy in her late war configuration, USS Nevada offers her aspiring captains not only extremely potent firepower and excellent protection, but also a highly effective anti-air arsenal - a feature which most other top capital American warships were missing up until now.



USS Nevada represents the first American battleship to be equipped with triple turrets, which seasoned captains in War Thunder may recognize from USS Arizona - the direct successor to USS Nevada. While not as heavily armed as the familiar USS Arizona, USS Nevada still features an impressive primary armament of ten 14’’ (356 mm) cannons, capable of posing a significant threat to even heavily protected hostile ships. Main armament aside however, USS Nevada manages to completely overshadow its successor when it comes to its secondary and anti-air weapons! Namely, the ship is outfitted with eight 5’’/38 cal twin turrets complemented by eight quadruple 40 mm Bofors cannons as well as up to 40 20 mm cannons in single turret configuration. Because of such a versatile arsenal, USS Nevada is a true floating fortress, capable of inflicting heavy damage both to enemy surface units as well as incoming aircraft.

Fun Fact: USS Nevada’s design was so innovative at the time that it set a new construction standard for all subsequent American battleships.

However, it’s not just firepower which makes USS Nevada such a formidable opponent. Being a battleship inherently results in the warship being equipped with some serious protection in order to be able to withstand tremendous damage during intense gunnery duels. So let’s take a look at her armor scheme, shall we? Being the first American warship to adopt the so-called ‘all or nothing’ armor layout means that USS Nevada features extremely thick armor plating around her most vital components, such as her machinery, magazines and command centers, while the remaining sections feature virtually no protection at all. As a result, USS Nevada boasts an up to 13.5’’ (343 mm) thick armored belt while her turrets are protected by up to 18’’ (457 mm) of armor. As a result of its heavy protection and firepower, USS Nevada will become a true brawler in naval battles.



On the other hand though, USS Nevada’s excellent characteristics also come at the cost of heavily impacting the ship’s displacement. This means that the warship can’t boast about excellent mobility, being only able to attain a top speed of slightly over 20 kts (37 km/h), thus leading to cumbersome maneuvering during combat.

USS Nevada has set course for War Thunder naval battles and is due to dock in player ports with the release of the next major update. In the meantime, keep your binoculars at hand and keep scanning the news section as we continue to release new info on the upcoming update. Until then, calm seas, captains!

A fast-firing Premium heavy cruiser, the USS Des Moines is available for pre-order as a special pack with Golden Eagles, Premium days and unique customization options!

USS CA-134 Des Moines is a heavy cruiser, developed in the USA in the mid 1940s. At that time, the Des Moines type embodied all the world experience gained during the war years. Its armament, armoring, air defense and electronic weaponry were far superior to all ships within its class. The key element of the project was the new rapid-fire main battery guns with automated reload - the fire performance of the Des Moines-class cruisers significantly exceeded all previous analogues. The maximum speed of the ship is 33 knots (61 km/h). It is armed with nine 203 mm guns in three triple mounts, twelve 127 mm guns in six twin mounts, twelve twin 76 mm automatic gun mounts and twelve twin 20 mm Oerlikon AA guns. In addition, the cruiser is equipped with aft smoke equipment for setting smoke screens.

USS CA-134 Des Moines will be added to the game in the upcoming major update of War Thunder. All pre-order customers will also get special customization options: “The last all-gun" title, unique profile icon, as well as Des Moines insignia decal.

• USS CA-134 Des Moines 1948 (Rank IV, USA)
  
• 2,000 Golden Eagles
  
• 30 days Premium
  
• Pre-order bonus: “The last all-gun" title
  
• Pre-order bonus: Des Moines insignia decal
  
  
• Pre-order bonus: US cruiser captain profile icon