north vietnam captured an F-5 and sent it to soveit, that F-5 can be added to russia team and i think that is a good reason, but adding a vehcile only because that nation have tested it, is not a great reason.
Only if that nation is suffering and need a good vehicle
Mechanical radar XF-2A should take its place. I would accept no less.
I’d love to see it, but it would face the same fate as the lowest possible Thai F-16 in that it’s still better than the F-16AJ.
The XF-2A even more so considering that compared to the AJ it will be more agile, slightly faster, have more countermeasures, have two more Sparrows (though arguably fixed AJ would also have 4) and still have a better radar in the AN/APG-68 compared to the AJs AN/APG-66. It would also lose the 6 Mavericks (instead not carrying any), which was the reason Gaijin added the AJ in the first place.
It’d probably see it at 13.3 instead, so in addition to it another proper replacement F-16 would be needed for 12.7 with Mavericks.
And that’s where Singapores F-16 comes in, which is at leas somewhat unique in being a Block 15 spec aircraft using the reinforced but slightly heavier F-16C Block 30 airframe and a brake chute.
There’s also the option of giving it AGM-65D if they want to offset the heavier airframe and loss of Sparrows compared to the AJ.
Not entirely related but the Thai F-16 being better than the AJ? I mean sure it gets AIM 120s and Pythons as well as a targeting pod (without thermals though) with 65Ds but the lack of a HMD and only 45 CMs at 13.7 is practically unplayable, BR for BR I mean I say the AJ is better.
I was referring to the actual Thai F-16, not Gaijins inaccurate implementation.
This would mean there’s three (four if you count Singaporean OCU) flavors of F-16A:
F-16A Block 15 OCU
- Block 15 airframe / Block 30 airframe for those bought from Singapore
- Brake chute (only those bought from Singapore)
- AN/APG-66(V)1 radar
- 120 countermeasures (2× AN/ALE-40/47 in the tail, 2× AN/ALE-40 behind the left wing, 30 each)
- Air to air arsenal of AIM-9P-3 / P-4 / M Sidewinder
- Air to ground arsenal of AGM-65D / G / G-2 Maverick, GBU-10 / 12 Paveway II, unguided bombs
- ATLIS II targeting pod
F-16A Block 15 ADF
- Block 15 airframe
- AN/APG-66A radar
- 120 countermeasures (2× AN/ALE-40/47 in the tail, 2× AN/ALE-40 behind the left wing, 30 each)
- Air to air arsenal of AIM-9P-3 / P-4 / M Sidewinder, AIM-120C-5 / C-7 AMRAAM
- No air to ground armament
F-16AM eMLU
- Block 15 airframe
- AN/APG-68(V)9 radar
- JHMCS
- 120 countermeasures (4× AN/ALE-47 in the tail and behind the left wing, 30 each)
- Air to air arsenal of AIM-9P-4 / M Sidewinder, IRIS-T, AIM-120C-5 / C-7 AMRAAM
- Air to ground arsenal of AGM-65D / G / G-2 Maverick, GBU-10 / 12 / 16 Paveway II, KGGB glide bomb, unguided bombs
- AN/AAQ-33 Sniper XR targeting pod
F-16Bs are pretty interesting too, with the two seat Thai F-16 OCU and ADF variants having Israeli DASH HMD and Python 4.
That being said the OCU in the in game state is just miserable, and fixes can’t come soon enough, especially for their weird treatment of its countermeasures…
That would be really awesome, it feels good having decent CAS options now instead of the AJ
F-16AJ is better than the F-16A OCU, OCU only leads ahead by its Maverick D’s Paveways and 120’s
F-16AJ does not exsist though, would rather the F-16A OCU replace it
Historically speaking you are correct, however gameplay wise in WT already the AJ is superior
It’s only superior because of how bad the OCU is implemented now.
A properly working OCU would be very comparable to the first Belgian F-16 in game, being a 13.0 F-16 with IRCCM missiles and much superior air to ground armament to the AJ.
I am aware, however you can see in its current state it doesn’t have as you included
however player choice has to be considered
-1 but sundowners skin goes hard