🔫Anti-Radiation Missiles and Electronic Support Measures!

You’ve asked for them, you’ve waited for them, and here they are! In the Heavy Cavalry major update, you’ll have new tools at your disposal for countering anti-aircraft systems: anti-radiation missiles (ARMs) and electronic support measures (ESM) capabilities. As the game continues to add new threats, this type of weaponry is becoming increasingly relevant. New SAM systems have been added, and taking them out requires new tools for the job. Plus, you simply can’t do without anti-radiation missiles in Nuclear Escalation! Let’s dive into what they are and how they work.

🚀Anti-Radiation Missiles (ARMs)

Right, first off let’s start with the Anti-Radiation Missiles (ARMs). These missiles are equipped with a passive radar homing head. This means the enemy radar sends signals, your missile detects that radar signal, and goes to chase the source of it. The source of the radio waves can be either the radar of an SPAA or a ship, or the airborne radar of another aircraft, but this is more of an exception.

Speaking of exceptions, during Operation Desert Storm, an AGM-88 HARM missile struck a low-flying allied B-52G bomber that had its tail radar (used to guide the gun turret) turned on. The aircraft successfully returned to base and was later named “In HARM’s Way”.

🔫Using ARMs

What do you need to know about the specifics of using these missiles? First and foremost, it’s important to remember that their seekers are tuned to detect specific radar bands, designated by letters in the game. The missile simply won’t see a target if it emits radiation of a different wavelength (band). Therefore, you need to “know your enemy” and select missiles based on the range of potential opponents. To help you, the missile stat cards list the wavelengths (radar bands), and on cursor hover, a list of vehicles emitting signals in that range is displayed.

❗️In the “Heavy Cavalry” update, ARM aircraft from all nations will receive new missiles. Among the new additions are:

▪️The US AGM-88 HARM (versions A and C), the AGM-122 (based on the AIM-9C)
▪️The Anglo-French AS-37 ARMAT
▪️The British ALARM
▪️The Chinese YJ-91, CM-102, and LD-10
▪️The Soviet Kh-27PS, several versions of the Kh-58, and the Kh-31 family — the first missiles in the game to feature a ramjet engine.

➡️LEARN MORE

🔫ESM

So we’ve covered the missiles themselves, but how do you launch them? You can simply turn on the seeker and fire a missile at the first target you see, but that’s not always effective. This is where the electronic support measures functionality comes in handy.

➡️LEARN MORE

❓What’s next?

To begin with, we’ve decided to only add more advanced missiles that can be guided by electronic support sensors and, if possible, those with wide-range seekers. However, we don’t rule out the possibility of adding older missiles, such as the AGM-45 Shrike, in the future. Everything depends on how the anti-radiation missiles introduced in this update perform in-game.
Please note that some of the missiles shown here actually have a lock-on-after-launch mode, but due to the fact that in-game, especially in combined battles, both allied and enemy radio sources are often concentrated in a small area, we will limit the missiles to launching at a known signal.
That’s it for this one, the Heavy Cavalry update is coming very soon. See you soon in the next dev blogs!

Please note that missile features and mechanics may be subject to refinement and change before being added to the game.

🏰IA 58A Pucará — Argentina’s Fortress

Today we’re taking a look at the IA 58A Pucará, quite a special plane as it’s the first domestically designed and produced Argentine aircraft coming to the game!

🇦🇷🇩🇪IA 58A Pucará: A Premium Ground Attack Aircraft for Germany at Rank IV

At a glance:

▪️20 mm cannons and machine guns
▪️Various bombs and rockets. And a torpedo!
▪️Small, nimble but slow

👋Introducing the IA 58A Pucará!
Meet the IA 58A Pucará, Argentina’s first aircraft coming to War Thunder as a pack premium in the Heavy Cavalry major update! Being powered by two Turbomeca Astazou turboprop engines (similar to the ones found on the Alouette helicopter) and having a plethora of weapon options, including 20 mm cannons, 7.62 mm machine guns and bombs and rockets, the Pucará is sure to be a fun nimble ground attack aircraft. Let’s take a closer look!

❗️Interesting: “Pucará” comes from the Quechua language found in Argentina, meaning “Fortress” in English.

🔮F-101C Voodoo: The Charm of Speed

Today we’re diving into the details of an iconic American jet fighter from the Cold War era!

🇺🇸F-101C Voodoo: A Jet Fighter for the USA at Rank VI

At a glance:

▪️High speed and rate of climb
▪️Radar and RWR
▪️20 mm cannons
▪️No air-to-air missiles

👋Introducing the F-101C Voodoo!
In the Heavy Cavalry major update, we’ll be adding the F-101C Voodoo to the American interceptor line! We hinted at this aircraft in the Community Update No.11 post, and we’re glad so many of you guessed it. Great job! Enough of that for now, let’s take a look at how the Voodoo will perform in the game, and our reasoning for adding it.

❗️Interesting: A modified version of the F-101A with experimental engines set an absolute world speed record in 1957, reaching 1,943.5 km/h!

🔼You can greatly speed up the research of the F-101C Voodoo with these packs

🔹F-5C Pack
🔹F-4S Phantom II Pack

▶️Hummel: A Bumblebee with a Sledgehammer

We continue exploring the summer additions. Today it’s time for a long-awaited World War II SPG: the German Hummel, which means “bumblebee.” Let’s see how hard this one can sting.

▶️The Battle of 73 Easting: The Moment Tank Warfare Changed

The Battle of 73 Easting, fought on the 26th of February, 1991, during the Gulf War, is often called the last great tank battle of the 20th century. It was there that next-generation technology collided with outdated ideas about warfare, and in conditions that seemed almost unsuitable for modern combat.

🌴Leopard 2RI: In the Indonesian Jungle

Japan is getting an Indonesian Leopard 2RI with additional armor and a high-end round!

🇮🇩🇯🇵Leopard 2RI: An MBT for Japan at Rank VIII

At a glance:

▪️Add-on armor package
▪️DM53 APFSDS
▪️High mobility

👋Introducing the Leopard 2RI!
Today we’re taking a look at a main new addition to the Japanese Ground Forces tree in the Heavy Cavalry major update. Meet the Leopard 2RI, featuring additional armor and high-end ammunition, all while retaining good mobility and a modern fire control system. Let’s see what it’s all about!

🔼You can greatly speed up the research of the Leopard 2RI with these packs:

🔹Type 90B "Fuji" Pack
🔹Senrai Maidens: Usagi