F-20A Tigershark — BVR Loadout and Balance Concerns at 12.3
The F-20A in War Thunder currently features a very limited Beyond Visual Range (BVR) capability compared to other aircraft at similar Battle Ratings.
While the aircraft is correctly modeled with 2× AIM-7F/M Sparrow missiles, historical documentation confirms that the F-20A was designed and tested as a BVR-capable platform, including successful AIM-7 Sparrow integration and live firing trials during its evaluation program.
Source:
F-20A test program (China Lake AIM-7 Sparrow firing, 1985)
The 7F is better than the R27R, except maybe in seeker performance (and maneuverability).
The 27R has very poor range and takes forever to hit a target, even at the abysmal ranges its useful at (sub 7km shots). Its not worth it in arb as you have to basically get within IR slinging ranges and have a lobotomised enemy to make it useful. You have to baby the missile alot for it to work.
As bad as the sparrow might be, its very versatile. It has alot of range compared to the 27R and is very useful in both WVR and BVR shots. As long as the launch is good, the 7F will definitely work.
Plus the 27R is on a Mig21 platform which the F20 moggs in both speed and flight performance, meaning your shots are already better than his just because of the launch platform.
The 27R is only superior in the funny IOG radar off gimmick, but unlike the ER its speed doesnt allow for it to be broken.
The AIM-7F/M has more range, and it’s faster and more maneuverable at longer ranges because it holds more speed after some range. Despite that, the R-27R is still better.
Shoots at long range are very easy to evade against either one, and since the R-27R works better at closer ranges because it’s far more maneuverable off the rail, it’s more meta. And has datalink, which is a BIG deal, plus it tracks far better in all aspects.
not really, not on a (relatively) short range missile, the bigger deal is the IOG that can still manage hits if the enemy manages a last second notch or after you die and they assume the missile will go dead like a sparrow.
And lets not lose sight of the original post which is complaining about BVR, where the M/F Sparrow is better.
And the Bison is still a Mig-21 airframe, which is getting pretty long in the tooth at 12.3, F-20 has the advantage at long range, Bison has advantage from sub ~10km until merge then the F-20 kicks it’s teeth in post merge.
Both planes have their pros and cons and it’s not unreasonable to have then at the same BR, the issue is the compression that puts stuff like the F-15s at 12.7 with 4x the missiles and far superior flight performance.
Totally forgot to mention IOG, which is another big plus. Still, datalink is still very useful on the 27R. Sometimes, the target leaves the notch too early and you get to re-lock for a hit. And the unlock-relock strat is still useful with the R-27R, especially at look down situations. But yeah, overall the IOG is a bigger deal than DL.
Also I never said anything about the F-20 or the bison. I think the bison should go up but not with current BR compression, the F-20 is fine as is I think. The F-15s are clearly undertiered and should not be used as a 12.7 standard, it was just a completely retarded gaijin decision.
Enter War Thunder Forum
→ Sees American Premium plane discussion
→ almost always asking about strange buffs such as ‘giving AIM-120’, or buffing them down further, no matter how other counterparts act
→ Let them have AIM-120, which they wanted. let them face prem Su-30 not only uptier but even in downtier /s
