It’s not an entirely new airframe. It has some similarities and performs similarly. F-15 is the entirely new airframe (unless that is what you meant originally). Regardless, the only thing holding the XF-2 back was he F-16C not being in the game and since that’s solved, with the last update, any update is ready for the XF-2.
I don’t understand why you’re so sure the F-15 is coming at all. The next thing for Japan that’s closest to existing aircraft in the game is the F-2 airframe.
Regardless, we can skip 12.3 if 12.3 is too low. Nothing says all BR has to be filled. For example EJ is 11.0 and EJ Kai is 11.7, skipping 11.3 completely. So F-16AJ is 12.0, skip 12.3 and put XF-2 at 12.7, that assumes it’s worthy of 12.7 and not just 12.3 like the F-16C and if a supposed F-15J would even be 12.3 and not 12.7 itself.
I confused vietnam af and chinese af markings but anyway… It should only go for Russia since MiG-21-93 has literally 0 connections to other countries other than India.
XF-2A with APG-68, 4x 9Ls and 4x 7F/Ms is easily 12.3-12.7 candidate. Game is ready for it as soon as the F-16C showed up. The closest analogue to the C is the F-2 airframe, not the F-15.
You ask for the F-15 and even assume it’s guarenteed this year. I’m admittedly biased towards the F-2 but I try to temper my expectations. However you’re also clearly biased towards the F-15 but are very confident it will be in this year despite no evidence. At least be skeptical yourself and consider the possibility that we might either see the X/F-2 or F-15J or neither this year.
No, I’m far more biased toward the F-2, more than any heavier aircraft. My biases are in the light fighters, every single one. I love all machinery tho.
I just know F-15J was put in development sooner than all the options people are speculating instead. Passed to devs long ago as well.
Aircraft in War Thunder aren’t added to be analogues of other aircraft, they’re added to be within the BR range.
Mig-29SMT has no analogue in War Thunder currently. It’s a heavy multi-role aircraft. Its closest analogue would be something like F-14D, also a heavy multi-role aircraft, but it’s not in War Thunder.
I just know F-15J was put in development sooner than all the options people are speculating instead. Passed to devs long ago as well.
Unless you have some close ties with developers or access to internal dev info, it’s impossible for anyone to know what will be added next. What you said here is claim which I will take with grain of salt.
Aircraft in War Thunder aren’t added to be analogues of other aircraft, they’re added to be within the BR range.
Mig-29SMT has no analogue in War Thunder currently. It’s a heavy multi-role aircraft. Its closest analogue would be something like F-14D, also a heavy multi-role aircraft, but it’s not in War Thunder.
MiG-29SMTs analogue would be F-16I Sufa (which could be added to game for Israel) or UAE F-16E/F Desert Falcon (which wouldn’t fit anywhere). It’s not heavy multirole.
If you think 29SMT is heavy multirole, what is Flanker then?
Dev: “F-2 is far too advanced for the game at this time.”
F-15s were passed to dev a long time ago.
And the fact not a single top end production fighter in War Thunder started out with its prototype. We didn’t get YF-16 with Aim-9Js for 11.3.
SMT’s added weight without engine improvement causes it to no longer have analogues.
Technically if F-16s before Block 60 were capable of conformal fuel tanks those could be potentially analogues.
By that logic nothing really is (MiG-29 - 2 engines, F-16 - 1 engine. Simple as that). And why would CFTs be the deciding factor in analogy of said jet anyway.
I might expect gaijin consider external fuel tank of drop tank on another aircraft rank 5-8, and add drop tank on another fighter piston engine rank 2-4 this quarter (Q4)
F-16C Block 30 Barak armed infrared homing short-range AAM AIM-9P, AIM-9L & Python 3 only, carry LANTIRN AN/AAQ-14 Sharpshooter Targeting Pod, AGM-142 Popeye, AGM-65B & AGM-65D Maverick and fitted AN/APG-68 radar but equipped General Electric F110-GE-100 engine like F-16C/D Block 40 and never access Python 4 & Python 5