Unfortunately, it’s definitely not as good as a meteor. I mean it is only a 2011 missile, it was very ahead for it’s time, but that does mean it’s not up to par with truly modern options.
Like, it had roll control, but given how the AAM-4’s guidance logic works i’m not sure it would actually benefit from BTT, and i don’t believe it had the 4B’s improved lofting stuff. It’s a bit slower then the base AAM-4 in terms of peak speed also. (Probably still about as fast as the AAM-4 is in game though). And it doesn’t have the AESA of the 4B, so it still has the downsides of the AAM-4’s regular seeker (poor track rate and vulnerability to rapid changes in direction of the target). Which, given it’s longer range, the datalink functionality wouldn’t be able to make up for as effectively.
IMO, it would best be added like how the pheonix was. Something niche to be introduced before it’s nearest equivelents, as it is substantially worse then them due to it’s nature of being first. But we all know from the F-2 gaijin doesn’t like giving things to japan first. -_-
I said this in the R&R thread but, I am a bit hopeful because, on one hand, CM update news generally hints at what’s to come that we generally already knew thanks to leaks and such, with it being more confirmation to drum up hype. However, on the other hand, those posts also usually drop something really obvious like “storm” or “sting” as a way to more or less confirm and set our expectations.
The newest CM post, while mentioning a new jet for Japan, doesn’t have these kind of direct hints. I think most of that actually went to naval. But also, at the same time, there is only one jet that everyone is asking for, for Japan, and that’s the F-2 (even the RU stream spams it from RU players). So even mentioning a new jet for Japan in a way is kind of confirming it (and it was leaked last update as coming, just delayed, much like the EFT and F-18s were).
For my sanity, I’m still going to take it with a grain of salt, as it could just be something Thai related, a.k.a. not F-2, but I am hopeful that this upcoming update might be the update of all time for us.
