So, F-2 is more or less confirmed this year update. I hope for the next update after this one, since Japan remaining the only nation without 14.0 plane. I think we might see both Early and Late versions in one update, smth close to what Gaijin did with F/A-18A and C.
The Early one suppose to have AIM-7, AIM-9L/AAM-3, limited air to ground armarment and no HMD. And BR about 12.7-13.0.
The Late version suppose to have AAM-4, AAM-3, all possible air to ground armarment (probably except ASM-3, but would be REALLY cool to see them) and HMD. Problem is, with just these, it’s max BR is 13.7. So, Gaijin might add another cool feature. Maybe they up AAM-4, so they gonna be superior Fox3 and get 4 kills from 4 missiles. Maybe they gonna add ECM, so plane gonna be kinda of invincible for enemy Fox3 (but EF and Rafale should also get it then), maybe even AAM-5 with limited performance and only some of it’s real features. LOAL only for example. It may help F-2 to be real 14.0 plane
The document what is posted says “The possible future weapon of F-2”
The fact of added HMD is only assumption not supported by direct statement or document
I will say that, anything that is possible, Gaijin will use if necessary for game balance. I think a 14.0+ aircraft without HMD will not go well so it’s almost guaranteed it will come with HMD. We’ve had countless examples in the past, even recently where they do this.
I don’t care if it comes with our without one, but let’s not go crazy saying it won’t have one till we see it.
I understand this. Here is JAS-39A for example which got HMD from 39C as I know
But I just want to notice that it missing on actual airplane
Here is example that many not really interested people think that there was XF-2 with F-16 radar because here was “assumption” on forum about that. I want to prevent this misunderstanding
When the F-2 gets added, I think it would make sense to give it the AAM-4B. The aircraft will have a very limited loadout for 14.0 jet (4x IR + 4x ARH) and lack HMD, so the powerful AAM-4B with extended range and AESA seeker might be the ‘‘gimmick’’ to balance out the cons.
It’s likely they use the AAM-4B as the “unnerfed” AAM-4. Especially since AESA seekers aren’t really modeled to be as strong as theorized.
Then again they could model it differently as a way to make the F-2 competitive as a top tier fighter. The more I think about it, the more that approach makes sense and why Gaijin might be holding the F-2 back for now (as @Shplendyt mentioned).
Thing is we don’t need AESAs to be modeled accurately for the AAM-4B to be busted, it’s a Ka (K) band seeker. Most top tier RWRs only go up to Ku (J) band. Even with it lacking all other features of an AESA, and the other datalink features the AAM-4 as a whole is missing, this alone would make it obscenly strong.
The F-2 lacks proper radar jamming capabilities due to it’s limited transmission gain. It’s ECM suite supports radio communication (including datalink) jamming; and it has very strong jamming resistance, via a set of short and long wavelength sensors positioned around the aircraft to factor out signal interference.
I just checked, and I thought the Rafale could detect K-band too but it can’t. So the three EF2000s are the only top tier fighters (for now) that could detect an approaching AAM-4B.
If I’m not mistaken, there are already multiple radars in the game that are supposedly higher band than all RWRs can detect, but they are all nerfed to be able to be detected. I doubt we will see this on the AAM-4B, but it would be cool if they did add it.