The new ‘Apex Predators’ will conquer the War Thunder skies
Gaijin Entertainment announces that the next big update for the military online action game War Thunder will be called Apex Predators and is planned for the end of December. It will bring three of the most famous fourth-generation jets ever, the F-16, MiG-29 and Panavia Tornado.
All three are a part of the Air Force from many nations having performed combat missions in multiple conflicts. In addition, dozens of other new models of vehicles will appear in the game - for example, the Soviet 9A35M2 Strela-10M2 anti-aircraft system, the Israeli Magach 7 tank and the Japanese SUB-I-II armored personnel carrier prototype will be added to the game that will significantly expand the tactical options for players.
The F-16 Fighting Falcon is the most widely produced fourth-generation fighter and the most widely used combat aircraft in the world right now. Several versions of the F-16A modification used by the Air Forces of different nations will debut in War Thunder. The capabilities of F-16A have also been repeatedly tested in combat operations: for example, the Israeli Air Force used the F-16A over the territory of Lebanon in the early 80s, and the US Air Force did that during Operation Desert Storm in Iraq. The aircraft is in service with three dozen countries, and it is still being produced and modernized.
The F-16A has an excellent rate of climb and can climb almost vertically immediately after launch. The aircraft easily breaks the sound barrier while maintaining excellent handling and roll speed, allowing you to perform all basic combat maneuvers. Depending on the version and the chosen weaponry, the fighter can be used as a pure interceptor with guided missiles of the Sidewinder line, or as a multi-role aircraft equipped with adjustable or unguided bombs for ground attacks.
The MiG-29 is a Soviet fighter that was created in the same years as the F-16. Compared to the F-16A, the Soviet fighter is significantly heavier, but has slightly better rates of climb and top speed thanks to a more powerful power plant. As a result, the MiG-29 goes beyond the sound barrier a little longer, but it is able to maneuver almost freely at speeds of about Mach 1 without losing much energy. According to its concept, the MiG-29 was conceived primarily as an interceptor, but the design still provides for the installation of unguided weapons to work on ground targets - for example, heavy S-24B missiles, blocks with S-8KO missiles, bombs in calibers of up to 500 kg and incendiary tanks.
Panavia Tornado is a multi-purpose aircraft with variable-swept, developed by a consortium of European countries in the late seventies, and is still in service, similarly to the F-16 and MiG-29. During their service with the Royal Air Force of Great Britain and other countries, the Tornadoes took part in numerous NATO combat operations - for example, in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is most often used as an attack aircraft, destroying ground targets with adjustable and free-falling bombs, but Sidewinder missiles allow it to counter air enemies as well.
With the release of the F-16, MiG-29, Tornado and other comparable combat aircraft in War Thunder, a new, eighth rank appears in the aircraft development trees. The rest of the aerial vehicles that will be assigned to it, as well as other new content of the Apex Predators update, will be announced in the coming weeks on the official website of the game.