First of all, the recent addition of SEAD capabilities to several aircraft, including the Italian A-200C Ret.8, is a very welcome improvement and a significant step forward for modern strike aviation gameplay.
Following this direction, it could also be the right moment to review anti-ship capabilities, especially for aircraft designed around strike missions such as the Tornado IDS family and the AMX.
1. Tornado IDS / A-200 anti-ship capability
The Italian Tornado IDS variants still lack any proper anti-ship missile capability.
This is increasingly difficult to justify now that modern anti-ship weapons are being expanded across several aircraft, while the Kormoran remains effectively limited to the German event Marineflieger Tornado.
The Italian Tornado IDS belongs to the same aircraft family and operated in the same general strike role. If the Kormoran is already available in game on a Tornado platform, its availability should be reviewed consistently for the Italian IDS variants as well, especially the standard IDS and IDS (1995).
I am not referring to the Ret.8 here, since by the time that standard entered service the Kormoran was no longer part of the relevant inventory. The point is specifically about the earlier Italian Tornado IDS variants. in the photos you can find Italian tornado after 1995 still armed with Kormorans.
This would not be a fantasy addition or an excessive balance request, but a way to give the Italian Tornado line a coherent anti-ship role, in line with the direction of the current update.
2. AMX / A-11A alternative anti-ship option
If the Kormoran cannot be extended to the Italian Tornado for technical or balancing reasons, Italy should at least receive an alternative anti-ship capability on another suitable strike platform, such as the AMX / A-11A.
The AMX has historically been associated with light strike and maritime attack roles, and it would be a reasonable platform for a lighter anti-ship option, if properly documented and balanced. Also Brazil has it’s antiship configuration for AMX A-1A.
This would give Italy a credible naval strike capability without requiring the addition of a heavy stand-off missile on every aircraft.
The request is therefore simple:
- review Kormoran or an equivalent anti-ship missile capability for the Italian Tornado IDS / IDS (1995) variants;
- if this is not possible, consider a historically supported anti-ship alternative for the AMX / A-11A/ AMX A-1A
At this point Italy is receiving proper SEAD capability, which is very welcome. The remaining gap is anti-ship strike capability, and it should be addressed with the same consistency applied to other nations in this update.
some photos.
