War Thunder

The new update features dozens of new military vehicles, overhauled maps and more!

Gaijin Entertainment is pleased to announce the new major update “Spearhead” for the online military action game War Thunder is now available to players! It includes visual remakes of the maps “Stalingrad” and “Carpathians”, along with dozens of new ground, air, and naval vehicles. Some standout examples include the Italian MB-326K attack aircraft, the Israeli M113 HVMS IFV, the American F-15C Golden Eagle fighter jet and the Venezuelan Su-30MK2 AMV fighter jet.

Watch the “Spearhead” Release Trailer HERE.

The MB-326K is a strike modification of the Italian MB-326, a fully armed and agile trainer aircraft! Pilots can equip a wide range of weaponry, from various free-fall bombs of calibers between 250 and 500 lb, napalm bombs and several unguided rockets. The aircraft also features powerful internal 30 mm DEFA guns, and can bolster this firepower further with 7.62 mm miniguns and an additional pair of 30 mm cannon pods.

The Venezuelan Su-30MK2 AMV is a modern heavy fighter with 12 weapon hardpoints. It is able to equip a total payload of over 8000 kg, all while maintaining high maneuverability and reaching speeds exceeding mach 2 with a full combat load. It can equip a large range of weaponry, from the familiar air-to-air missiles, TV-guided bombs and Kh-29L and Kh-29TD air-to-surface missiles. This special Su-30 modification can also equip the Kh-59M – a giant missile new to War Thunder, designed to engage ground and naval targets.

The legendary Stalingrad map, which debuted in the game 10 years ago, has been completely visually overhauled as well. This upgrade has not functionally changed the map, focusing instead on graphical improvements – this way this much loved map will stay familiar to players, while also being much more visually appealing. Another original map, Carpathians, has been upgraded in a similar way too. All objects and foliage have been remodeled from scratch, giving it a much more realistic and fresh appearance.

The full list of changes in the “Spearhead” update is available on the official War Thunder website.

“Spearhead” content update is coming this November

Gaijin Entertainment is pleased to announce that the major content update “Spearhead” for the military action online game War Thunder will be releasing this November. There’s dozens of new ground, air and naval vehicles for players to look forward to, including the British Hawk 200 strike aircraft, and the modern French Jaguar EBRC and the Chinese CM-34 recon vehicles. The colossal battleship Musashi will also be arriving, the sistership of the legendary Yamato.

‘Spearhead’ Update Trailer

The British Hawk project was originally conceived as a jet trainer, but also proved to be a popular light fighter and strike aircraft, subsonic and highly maneuverable. The Hawk 200 modification first flew in 1986 and was exported to Indonesia, Malaysia, and Oman, while the entire Hawk family is used by more than a dozen countries. For air-to-air combat, the aircraft is armed with four AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles and 30mm cannons, but the Hawk 200′s primary role is to strike ground and surface targets. Its expansive arsenal also includes powerful Sea Eagle anti-ship missiles, a new weapon in War Thunder.

The Jaguar EBRC was developed as part of a large-scale modernization program for the French Army, with the first batch of vehicles entering service in 2021. It is a fast, wheeled reconnaissance vehicle equipped with cutting edge weaponry and equipment. Its 40mm CTC autocannon fires APFSDS and AHEAD rounds to effectively combat both ground and air targets. Its large turret is equipped with a launcher for a pair of Akeron MP anti-tank missiles with a tandem warhead, which can penetrate over 1,000 mm of armor. The Jaguar EBRC also features a modern fire control system, including a panoramic commander sight, a laser warning receiver, and thermal imaging for both the gunner and commander sights. On roads, the Jaguar can comfortably reach speeds up to 90 km/h.

The CM-34 Yunbao is a Chinese wheeled reconnaissance vehicle with high speed, excellent electronics, spall liners and a powerful 30mm Bushmaster cannon. It can achieve staggering speeds of up to 100 km/h on roads and can reach 40 km/h in reverse as well. In the game, the CM-34 fits perfectly into Rank VI vehicle lineups and will be a key vehicle on fast-paced maps, ideal for capturing locations or flanking enemies.

You can find more information on all the new vehicles coming to War Thunder in the Spearhead major update on the official website.

Gaijin Entertainment is thrilled to announce that the “Tusk Force” major content update for the online military action game War Thunder has been released to players. The update name is inspired by the new subtree of Thai ground vehicles, and the update itself features dozens of new military vehicles for different nations and eras. Some great examples include the American M55 self-propelled howitzer and the sleek B-66B jet bomber, the Chinese Qing-6 flying boat, the Thai F-5TH Super Tigris and the USS Charles F. Adams destroyer.

Watch the Tusk Force Release Trailer HERE.

The F-5TH Super Tigris is an extensively modernized variant of the F-5E/F Tiger II developed and operated by the Royal Thai Air Force in the late 2010s. This considerable upgrade brings modern avionics, radar, new cockpit elements and most importantly — compatibility with highly advanced air-to-air and precision-guided weapons, bringing the capabilities of the aircraft up to a modern standard.

The M55 is a huge 203mm self-propelled howitzer produced in the USA, and later exported to many allied nations, including Belgium, Germany, Spain, Italy, and Turkey. In War Thunder, it relies on teamwork to operate effectively, helping the team behind the frontline by supplying devastating supporting fire from a safer position. The benefit of a cannon this size is that accuracy doesn’t need to be perfect, as long as the shell connects it will more than likely be game over for your target.

Douglas B-66B Destroyer is a light bomber developed for the U.S. Air Force in the early 1950s as part of America’s shift toward jet-powered tactical aircraft at the beginning of the Cold War. Originally derived from a naval twin-engine jet bomber, the B-66B features sleek swept wings, optimized for transonic speeds. Powered by a pair of Allison J71 turbojet engines, the B-66B can reach top speeds of around 1,000 km/h at medium altitudes, complete with a sizable bomb load.

Charles F. Adams-class destroyers became iconic during the Cold War, combining traditional gunfire with cutting-edge missile technology. The lead ship of the class entered service in 1960 and immediately found itself at the epicenter of history, participating in the Mercury 8 mission and later the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. She is armed with the RIM-24 Tartar anti-aircraft missile system, which can also be used against enemy ships.

More information on the update is available on the official website.

New update features the first Ukrainian-made tank in the game

Gaijin Entertainment announces that “Tusk Force”, the next major content update for the online military action game War Thunder, will be released in mid-September. Alongside dozens of other ground, air and naval vehicles, Tusk Force adds a brand-new subtree of Thai ground vehicles (within the Japanese tech tree), the American battleship USS Maryland, the British Sky Sabre SAM system, the Russian Buk-M3 SAM system, and the Canadian CF-188A fighter jet.

Watch the “Tusk Force” Update Trailer HERE.

The Oplot-T tank is War Thunder’s first Ukrainian-made tank. A modification of the T-80UD main battle tank built for the Royal Thai army, these vehicles saw combat during the brief 2025 border clash with Cambodia. The Oplot-T sports reactive armor, a Laser Warning Receiver (LWR), and an optronic countermeasures system. Thanks to its upgraded transmission, it can reverse at up to 30 km/h, allowing it to quickly fall back to cover. In addition to ammunition typical for the USSR tech tree, the Oplot is armed with Chinese-made ammo like the GP125 ATGMs and the new top-end BTA4 APFSDS round – capable of penetrating over half a meter of armor.

The USS Maryland is the third of the Colorado-class battleships. In World War II she delivered naval gunfire support for the landings on Tarawa, Kwajalein and Saipan, where she was damaged by a torpedo, and later endured kamikaze attacks during the battles for Leyte Gulf and Okinawa. In combat, she relies on eight powerful 406 -mm main guns, rapid-fire secondary batteries, and a battery of automatic anti-aircraft artillery.

Britain’s Sky Sabre system entered service in December 2021 and now protects the skies over the British mainland and the Falkland Islands. In War Thunder, players deploy a radar vehicle to detect targets and two launchers – each armed with 8 new-to-the-game CAMM or extended-range CAMM-ER missiles with ranges of 25 and 45 km, respectively – to keep enemy aircraft at bay.

The Buk-M3 is a modern Russian anti-aircraft missile system, adopted in 2016. Its 9M317MA missiles feature thrust- vector control and can endure an overload of 30G, allowing them to engage agile targets even at close range. Even if the primary radar vehicle is lost, the player can continue the battle using the launchers alone, which are equipped with their own sights, a thermal imager, and a built-in radar capable of detecting and tracking targets in a narrow sector.

For full details on the “Tusk Force” update, visit the official War Thunder website.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the major content update “Leviathans” for the military online action War Thunder is already available to the players. While battleships like Yamato are literally the largest part of it, the update also introduces a completely new type of military vehicle: multi-vehicle SAM systems. The Swiss aviation subtree and the legendary Comanche helicopter will also fire many players up.

Watch the “Leviathans” Update Trailer HERE.

As War Thunder is gradually adding more and more sophisticated modern weapon systems to the virtual battlefield, the time has come for the advanced SAM systems that consist of multiple vehicles that work together, including one with a radar for surveillance and fire control, and one or more launchers. War Thunder players will be able to field those two machines at same time, cycling between them and driving them around independently.

A good example of a multi-vehicle SAM system is the German IRIS-T SLM that consists of one radar vehicle and two launchers. All vehicles have no armor and are truly large in size, so they can be easily spotted and destroyed if an enemy comes close enough. On the other hand, this SAM fires IRIS-T SL medium-range missiles that feature an all-aspect thermal imaging homing head with an inertial guidance system, offer improved noise and IR countermeasure immunity and are capable of totally clearing up the sky at distances of up to 40 km.

Other multi-vehicle SAM systems in War Thunder include Japanese Tan-SAM kai and American CLAWS based on the famous Humvee chassis.

The Swiss aviation subtree is added to the German aircraft tree, offering more tactical options to the players. It includes the Mirage IIIS C.70 export modification, a new variant of the Hawker Hunter F.58, as well as two variants of the formidable F/A-18 Hornet. The highlight of this subtree is the C-3604 piston-engine strike aircraft, fully designed by Swiss engineers. Equipped with a total of three 20 mm cannons and backed up by a pair of 7.5 mm machine guns, it can also be fitted with suspended ordnance up to a maximum payload of 600 kg.

RAH-66 Comanche is a stealthy reconnaissance and attack helicopter developed during the late Cold War to counter high-tech threats, but ultimately abandoned due to cost overruns. Thanks to the specific geometry, the Comanche is capable of alluding radar detection until it closes in much more to its target compared to conventional helicopters with the same size. The sleek design and use of lightweight composite materials allows it to attain top speeds of over 324 km/h, earning its place among War Thunder’s most nimble helicopters. The Comanche has a selection of most proven American ordnance options, ranging from Hellfire and Stinger missiles to Hydra rocket pods, as well a nose-mounted 20 mm rotary cannon.

More information on the “Leviathans” update is available at the War Thunder official website.

The new update brings the most powerful and famous battleships ever built and more

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Leviathans” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder will be released in early June. It will feature the most powerful battleships ever built including the legendary Bismarck, Yamato and Vanguard, as well as dozens of other interesting military vehicles for all nations.

IJN Yamato is arguably the most powerful battleship ever created. It is equipped with nine 460 mm guns in three turrets, the largest caliber ever fitted to a warship.·It had some of the thickest armor, a sophisticated fire control system, and over 150 anti-aircraft guns. Yamato was built as an apex battleship killer, and it took literally hundreds of US aircraft to overwhelm the air defenses and sink her at the very end of WW2.

German Bismarck became a legend during her very first operations when she sank the battlecruiser HMS Hood after only five salvos and damaged the Prince of Wales battleship. It took the entire Royal Navy Home Fleet to pursue, damage, surround and make a wreck of the lone Bismarck. Bismarck is equipped with eight 380 mm guns, known for their high power, accuracy and extremely good reload speed.

HMS Vanguard was the last battleship ever built, and was commissioned shortly after WW2 ended. Featuring 15 inch guns, decent speed and armor, it has fantastic air defenses and an air recon radar. It was also the British warship with Remote Power Control for her many guns, which meant that the aim of the guns could be controlled from within the armored fire control center.

Badger is the new, modern IFV developed to replace the ageing Ratel IFV in the South African army. The Badger’s turret features a 30 mm GI-30 automatic cannon that is capable of firing sabot, APFSDS and HEI rounds. This is all backed up by a laser rangefinder and thermal imagers, making precision shots at longer ranges easier. Badger is capable of reaching 100 km/h on roads and rough ground, allowing the crew to reach strong positions fast.

The Japanese F-2A fighter jet is an aircraft derived from the American F-16 and designed for the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. While maintaining basic aerodynamics, the aircraft received an enlarged wing utilizing composite materials, a reinforced fuselage and locally developed avionics, including an AESA radar and an integrated fire control system. The F-2A will receive ASM-1 and ASM-2 anti-ship missiles that are new to the game, as well as locally designed short-range AAM-3 anti-air missiles and medium-range AAM-4.

Watch the official ‘Leviathans’ Update Trailer HERE.

More information on the “Leviathans” update is available on the official website.

Modern Russian, Chinese and American jets join the battle

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Hornet’s Sting” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder is available to the players. Aside from the signature F/A-18 “Hornet” jet the update was named after, it also features Su-30SM, an advanced twin-engine Russian fighter, as well as J-11B, the backbone of the PLA Air Force. Dozens of other iconic military vehicles joined the fight, including 2S19 “Msta-S” howitzer, the Tracked Rapier SAM and the USS Colorado super-dreadnought featuring 16 inch guns.

Watch the “Hornet’s Sting” Trailer HERE.

Su-30SM is an advanced twin-engine fighter that can accelerate to a maximum speed of about Mach 2, all while maintaining amazing maneuverability for its size. AL-31F engines have rotating nozzles, allowing the pilot to change the direction of thrust — a feature known as thrust vectoring — along all axes during maneuvers, improving controllability at extreme angles. Su-30SM is equipped with a modern radar with a passive electronically scanned array (PESA radar), providing fast target coordinate updates in TWS mode, an RWR and a modern cockpit with multiple multi-function displays (MFD).

J-11B is a Chinese modernization of Su-27 fighters imported from Russia, featuring a new radar, RWR, digital cockpit with a new heads-up display, new MFDs and domestically produced WS-10A engines, generating over 12,500 kgf of available thrust in afterburner mode. This upgrade significantly improved the aircraft’s rate of climb to around 235 m/s, while also improving its maximum speed and acceleration in level flight. J-11B is equipped with a mix of Russian and domestic high precision missiles and guided bombs.

The 2S19 Msta-S is a self-propelled 152 mm howitzer with an automatic loader and a good selection of shells, including two HE shells with up to 11.7 kg in TNT equivalent, a HE-VT shell, a HEAT shell and an APHEBC shell. It’s huge in size and lightly armored, so using it usually requires finding a good position for sniper fire or going behind your teammates when attacking as a support vehicle. With a careful, yet aggressive playstyle, the 2S19 (M1 and M2 variants are available in the game) will show its best side thanks to immense firepower and good reload speed.

More information in the content of the update is available at the official website.

Dozens of new vehicles and visual improvements for the maps are a part of the new update

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Hornet’s Sting” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder will be released in mid-March. Three iconic maps will receive massive visual updates, and dozens of new military vehicles will join the fight. Some of the most interesting additions are the F/A-18 fighter jet, Hopkins Mk.I light tank, and HMS Warspite battleship.

The F/A-18 Hornet carrier-based fighter jet that has been used in most military conflicts where the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps have been involved in, including Libya, the Gulf War and Operation Desert Storm, the Balkans and Afghanistan. In addition to the United States, other countries have operated the F/A-18 Hornet, including Canada, Finland, Australia, Kuwait and some more. It was also widely featured in popular culture, including blockbuster movies.

The Hornet’s Sting update will bring American F/A-18A and F/A-18C variants, as well as Finnish F/A-18C, all of them featuring a bit different set of available weapons and combat systems. One of those is the Walleye II ER/DL guided bomb equipped with a thermal imaging homing head.

The Mk VIII Light Tank, the Harry Hopkins, was designed in late 1941 in order to replace the Mk VII Tetrarch, with the primary goal of increasing the overall armor protection. It features 38 mm of armor on the turret and hull, with the latter having some decent sloping, enough to stop hits from some of the weaker shells, which is more than most light tanks can boast. AP shells of its fast-firing 40 mm cannon can get through a max of 89 mm of armor, and the APHE can be similarly destructive.

Advance to the Rhine, Sinai and Jungle have all undergone major visual overhauls. Artists have replaced the models with better looking and more authentic ones, updated the textures, added more vegetation and decorative elements, while preserving the overall layout and design. For example, a railway and telegraph line have been added between the main combat areas and the water channel in Sinai. The Jungle map also received gameplay improvements, offering more balanced terrain traversal options.

Watch the ‘Hornet’s Sting’ Update Trailer HERE.

More information on Hornet’s Sting update is available on the official website of the game.

The new update brings Rafale and Typhoon modern jet fighters and dozens of other iconic military vehicles

Gaijin Entertainment announces the release of the “Storm Warning” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder. The game now features the Thai air force subtree, top-of-the-line 4.5-generation fighters Typhoon and Rafale (“gust of wind”), the modern German self-propelled gun Panzerhaubitze 2000, the French light cruiser La Galissonnière, dozens of other military vehicles, as well as a new map “Attica”, inspired by the landscapes of Greece.

The Eurofighter Typhoon is a modern 4.5-generation fighter, which was created jointly by Germany, UK and Italy, and is currently also in service with Austria, Spain, Kuwait, Oman, Saudi Arabia and Qatar. It can carry up to 10 air-to-air missiles, including the AIM-9 Sidewinder and AIM-120 AMRAAM. This arsenal, supplemented by a helmet-mounted targeting system and an advanced CAPTOR radar, make the Eurofighter one of the best aircraft in the game for both close and long-range air combat.

Rafale is the most modern French-produced fighter jet in the game. The Rafale F3-R version that debuts in War Thunder was accepted into service in 2018. In addition to the French Air Force, it is also used by Greece and Croatia. The aircraft is especially effective in long-range combat thanks to its MICA-EM ARH missiles. To destroy ground targets, the Rafale has a high-precision weapons system AASM HAMMER, new to War Thunder, with an extensive arsenal of guided bombs.

The Thai sub-tree has been added to the Japanese aviation line and will expand the tactical options for players leveling this branch. For example, they will now have access to the F-5T SCU “Tigris” light jet fighter, which can be equipped with Python 3 air-to-air missiles.

The Panzerhaubitze 2000 is one of the most modern and advanced self-propelled howitzers in the world. The shells of its 155 mm L52 gun, about 8 meters long, can hit targets at distances of tens of kilometers, and the reload speed can get as low as 6 seconds with a good crew. Despite its weight of almost 58 tons, the Panzerhaubitze 2000 is capable of reaching speeds of up to 60 km/h on a good road, thanks to which it can quickly change position.

Watch the ‘Storm Warning’ Update Trailer HERE.

Detailed information about the new content in the “Storm Warning” update is available on the official website of the game.

Gaijin Entertainment announces that the “Firebirds” major content update for the military online shooter War Thunder is already available to the players. The graphics in the game have been significantly improved, and the game got dozens of new vehicles ranging from American F-117A stealth bombers to South African Super Hind helicopters and the British battlecruiser HMS Repulse.

Watch the War Thunder “Firebirds” Trailer HERE.

The most significant graphic improvements are the ones that utilise the ray tracing technology. The game now features physically correct and pixel-precise shadows from the sun, and owners of the more powerful video cards will also see realistic shadows from all dynamic lights, like explosions, muzzle flashes and the like. War Thunder also now supports ray traced ambient occlusion and ray traced reflections (including those on water and translucent glass surfaces), which makes the game visuals even closer to reality. All of these effects are available on NVIDIA video cards and can be enabled or disabled individually at the player’s discretion. Ray tracing effects are especially visible at locations with lots of mirror surfaces, such as on the Alaska and Sun City maps.

Many other graphic effects have been redesigned in the game: for example, the mud from under the wheels flies more realistically, the moment of afterburner activation on jet aircraft and the afterburner exhaust itself now look more physically correct, the effects of missile explosions in the air have been reworked, the effect of burning fuel spilling from a destroyed tank has been improved, and abandoned cars are now beautifully crumpled when they are crushed by armored vehicles. Finally, War Thunder now supports the motion blur effect, which is also optional.

Watch the Visual Update Trailer HERE.

Super Hind is a South African modernization of the Mi-24 family of helicopters. Engineers have completely redesigned the front part of the hull, where the sighting system and 20-mm autocannon with boxes for belts are located. In addition, the Super Hind was armed with INGWE tandem ATGMs. Super Hind helicopters are in service with the air forces of Algeria, Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. You can learn about other new military vehicles from the Firebirds update by checking the devblogs on the official website of the game.

You can learn more about the new content and other features of the “Firebirds” update from the devblogs on the official website of the game, or on its Steam page.