What’s in the update? Air Superiority is the name of the latest update to War Thunder, and it’s all about superiority. If you want to stay at the top, you have to challenge yourself again and again and prove your superiority anew. That’s why the update offers a slew of powerful aircraft, ships and tanks, all of which stand out for their perfection and superiority.
In addition to the new vehicles, there are of course other goodies in the update, including a new map called “Vulkantal”. This map for air battles was inspired by the landscape of Kamchatka, a peninsula at the very edge of Russia. This corner of previously untouched nature has now become a battlefield where you fight for the eponymous air supremacy
The F-15 Eagle – air superiority in perfection
What kind of plane is this? The F-15 Eagle is a dedicated American air superiority fighter, developed after the Vietnam War and based on the experience gained from it.
The aircraft entered service in the mid-1970s and proved to be an export hit for the USA. Several allied countries, including Japan and Israel, incorporated the “Eagle” into their air forces. This is why you can find the Eagle in a total of three research trees at rank 8. In the late 1970s in particular, the Eagle proved itself time and again in air battles against Syrian jets.
What are the aircraft’s strengths? As the eponymous air superiority fighter, the Eagle offers an unmatched combination of maneuverability, speed and deadly firepower.
Thanks to its extremely powerful engines, the F-15 has an outstanding thrust-to-weight ratio that allows it to rapidly gain altitude and quickly return to action after dogfights.
Speaking of dogfights: Although this aircraft is a real hulk, it has very good maneuverability thanks to its unique design. This comes in handy in dogfights, where you can easily outmaneuver enemy aircraft
So the Eagle can fly, but can it also win? One look at the armament clearly says: Yes! As an air superiority fighter, the Eagle is optimized for air combat. It carries up to 4 short-range and 4 long-range missiles. So you can choose from a range of AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles
To win dogfights without missiles, there is a thick 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon in the aircraft. And if you like annoying tanks on the ground, you can also add a few bombs
This truly makes the F-15 Eagle a majestic eagle, towering over all other aircraft in the game. A true example of superiority
The USS Roanoke – The floating no-fly zone
What kind of ship is this: When the superiority of airplanes over conventional ships became apparent during World War II, the US Navy wanted a cruiser that was particularly good at cleaning up enemy planes.
The realization of this idea was the Worcester-class light cruisers, the second ship of which was the USS Roanoke. These ships were particularly well armored for light cruisers, but still very fast and effectively armed. However, the ship was only completed after the war and decommissioned in 1958.
These are the strengths of the ship: As a light cruiser, the USS Roanoke is responsible for shielding the fleet and is designed to effectively engage both water and air targets. To this end, she has six turrets, each with 2x 152 mm 6″/47-caliber Mark 16 multi-purpose guns, a total of twelve main guns.
These guns have a larger aiming angle and a higher rate of fire than conventional models. What’s more, the guns can also effectively engage air targets. In addition to the main guns, the Roanoke has 24 76-mm guns in twin and single mounts in its arsenal to defend against aircraft and speedboats even more effectively.
All this turns the light cruiser into a veritable “no-fly zone” that easily keeps even large numbers of enemy aircraft at bay. Should the Roanoke itself come under fire, it is well protected by its thick armor belt with a thickness of 127 mm. But the light ship has a special surprise in store for bombers, as it has an armored deck with a thickness of 25 mm and an additional internal armored deck with a thickness of 88 mm.
So if you’re looking for a fast, maneuverable, tough and well-armed ship, get the USS Roanoke at rank 5 in the US Navy.
The Leopard 2A7V – Heavier and better
What kind of tank is this? The Leopard 2A7V is one of the latest variants of the Bundeswehr’s well-known Leopard 2 tank series. This version has been enhanced with improved armor and further upgrades in combat value.
The tank is state of the art and has only been in service since 2021. Compared to the previous models, the armour has been improved, the latest optical systems installed and the transmission optimized for the higher weight.
This means that the tank also meets current requirements on the battlefield, even if the improvements come at the expense of speed. But the advantages certainly make up for this setback
This is what the new Leo can do: At first glance, the new A7V version is hardly any different from any other Leo 2. However, the improvements may be inconspicuous, but they are powerful. Firstly, there is the new modular additional armor package, which reinforces the front hull.
This was a particularly vulnerable part of the vehicle, which is now better protected against kinetic ammunition and shaped charges. In addition, there is mine protection on the underside, which also arms the tank against nasty explosive charges from below.
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These combined upgrades come at the expense of weight, however. In contrast to its direct predecessor, the weight of the Leopard 2A7V increases to an impressive 66.5 tons, which in turn reduces the top speed from the previous 68 to just 61 km/h
However, if you keep this fact in mind, it is not a significant weakness. Because this ultra-modern battle tank has virtually no weaknesses. It is well armored all round, detects targets with 3rd generation thermal imaging cameras and blasts every opponent into oblivion from a great distance with the highly accurate L/55 A1 smoothbore cannon.
If you are looking for a powerful German main battle tank that excels in any combat situation and in any style of play, then get the Leopard 2A7V at rank 8 of the German research tree.
All these cool new vehicles and much more are available in the new “Air Superiority” update. Get War Thunder for free here and jump into the fray!
