i would
I was thinking if it had sources for the entire article because there is plenty of cool info and the sources may have even more.
I’m not gonna lie, I feel like we’re closer to the actual F-2 than we think. The game can’t wait till other AESA aircraft show up because then the F-2 would be “DOA”. It has to come ahead of time.
Given how Gaijin likes to model things more accurately over time, I’d expect the AESA to just be a super PD that’s maybe unnotchable with TWS capable of displaying pretty much all targets in front on the HUD (like the original F-14A TWS on dev). This seems fine balance wise as F-2 early would still only use Sparrows which can be notched and don’t have data link. There’s also the excuse of J/APG-1, being the first of its kind, not being perfect so it won’t be as strong as J/APG-2 on F-2 late.
With FM like the Gripen being here, and presumably even better ones in 2024, and Gaijin having trouble getting info on the XF-2, it seems more likely that any update could be the one with F-2. I’d imagine as early as March. One of the reasons being I think the Fox 3 will be the mid year update and F-2 could be something to give Japan before Fox 3s on the F-15J. That and we already have the AAM-3 to make the F-15J worth playing over the F-16AJ that once Fox 3s show up, AAM-3 F-2 would be worth playing along side an F-15J MSIP.
All speculation of course, but I’m trying to figure where they’d throw the F-2 because it’s a fan favorite but won’t shake up the meta.
Also, I was doing some basic math with T/W ratios and I found out that the F-2 is actually > 1 and close to the F-16A. Granted it doesn’t mean everything as the F-16C has greater T/W than both F-16AJ and F-2 but turns worse than F-16A. It does make me curious how much the ME mode on the F-2 as well as larger wing area will come into play (not even factoring in the extra 3 gs of pull on the F-2).
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I think F-16 Block 60/70 & F-2 will be the AESA update, and will likely come around Rafale & Typhoon.
While F-2 & Block 60 won’t be as good at WVR, their better radar will make up for that after a matured timeframe of ARHs.
I think if planes like Rafale and Typhoon can go head to head WVR with Gen 5s, then waiting till they are added is too late. F-2s AESA won’t matter until they get AAM-4 which can then take advantage of datalink to guide missiles to multiple targets. Until then, AESA offers only situational awareness advantage with TWS.
Also waiting for F-16 Block 60 doesn’t make sense because the F-2 will be the best WVR “F-16” airframe in the game, most likely and an F-16 with AMRAAMs + AESA would be stronger than an F-2 without AAM-4.
They already said F-2 was coming in “a few major updates” and the Fox 3 update is going to be more focused on the F-15J which is tailored to air superiority.
Well all the planes I listed are next year items at the earliest.
Going head-to-head WVR with gen 5s shouldn’t be surprising since gen 4 is peak maneuverability.
Gen 5 is electronics & stealth/anti-stealth.
Very well educated predictions:
The Rafale will get Magic 2s and MICA EMs.
Typhoon AIM-9M/Li and AIM-120B/C1-4.
All the loadouts will be matured by then, and F-2 would have an essentially identical loadout just with AAM-3 and AAM-4.
I do hope AAM-5s are “bad” enough to come. Bad as in R-73 equivalent and not R-73M equivalent.
From my understanding AAM-4 is a F-2 late thing? Not sure if J/APG-1 can use them or if need J/APG-2 for AAM-4A and AAM-4B.
Which means and F-2 early is just IR + SARH only and would be pretty tame. But also, if no AAM-4, then F-2 should be out earlier than the others that come with Fox 3s out of the gate.
Basically F-2 early should show up before the Fox 3 update to make logical sense timeline wise. People grind the F-2 early, then the F-15J MSIP, then F-2 late or other F-15J variant, etc etc.
The F-2A Viper Zero was only recently passed onto the devs for consideration… perhaps you’re getting mixed up with the mentioning of Fox-3s by russian devs in a stream confirming their arrival within the next two major patches.
F-2 has been passed to devs since December 2019 with F-2 early re-passed to devs in September 2023 and F-2 late just recently passed December 2023.
The few major update parts refers to the F-16AJ devblog: [Development] F-16AJ: Cover-boy - News - War Thunder
Therefore, when choosing between forcing Japanese aviation enthusiasts to wait for the Viper Zero a few major updates, or giving Japan a 4th generation aircraft now, we chose the second option.
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Awesome, can’t wait to see how broken they make the FM.
Honestly it might be similar to the AJ/Gripen, maybe a little better, but the AJ is what I’m expecting, ironically enough.
Of course things can change between a devblog and priorities in development can shift, but timeline wise it makes sense for the F-2 early (if they’re splitting the F-2 into multiple variants) to come before the Fox 3 update as, AFAIK, F-2 early cannot use Fox 3s.
We could spend years trying to prophesise how Gaijin will do anything, just not a big fan of them releasing a broken FM live and then adjust it in the weeks and months following; see essentially the entire Air Superiority update.
That’s just typical and I don’t expect the F-2 to be any different. For example, I’m glad we have the Type 10 in the game right now. Asking for Gaijin to get the flight model perfect on release is like asking Gaijin to not add the Type 10 until they model CVT. Does it suck that things aren’t accurate/better? Yea, but even imperfect things will be miles better than waiting for perfect.
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Seeing the new BR changes, what are your thoughts on the X/F-2A introduction as I recall you mentioned in past RR threads that it would come at the 12.7/13.0 BR range (basically after the F-15J introduction). Considering top tier is now 12.7, meaning new planes will either be 13.0 or 13.3.
Would you up your estimation to 13.0/13.3?
Looking like 13.0/13.3 as the new estimation.
I’m expecting 13.3 to be the primary AMRAAM BR as well, with lesser airframes/missile counts at 13.0.
AAM-4 if it can only carry 4 would be good at 13.0, maybe 13.3 if the AESA makes their pitbull range lower.
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If they do split the F-2 into early and late or XF-2A as the F-2 early then we’d have an F-2 without AAM-4 and just 4x AAM-3s + 4x AIM-7Ms. That could fit into 13.0 if 13.3 is reserved for AAM-4s/Fox 3s.
I’m definitely in the “any update could be the one” camp with regards to either the XF-2A or the F-2 considering we already got AAM-3 on a decent platform instead of on say the EJ Kai.
Yea, that’s also my reasoning earlier in this thread. Unless things have changed (which they can in development of course), we should be seeing some variant of the F-2 soon.
With AESA?
We are VERY close to the first AESA fighters.
F-16 Blk 60/70, F-2 of course, and Gripen E.
Though I suspect Gaijin will pocket Gripen E for 14.0 or something similar.