New SAM's in the next major update

Dev Server "Leviathans" General Discussion - Dev Server
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Ok, look. I do not want to be writing this right now, but I think this needs to be brought to the spotlight.

The IRIS-T, SLAAMRAM and other Anti Air systems have been nerfed a lot. I think it is obvious. And whilst some of this nerfing is still justifiable, how come most EFFECTIVE ranges of the SAM systems are worse than pre-existing vehicles in War Thunder? I think its a joke.

I have pulled PUBLICLY AVAILABLE information from the web supporting this.

IRIS-T Air-to-Air (AAM)
Range: Approximately 25 km (16 mi)

Speed: Over Mach 3

Manoeuvrability: Exceptional, with thrust vector control and advanced infrared imaging seeker, enabling over-the-shoulder launches and high agility in close combat scenarios.

IRIS-T SLS (Surface-Launched Short-Range)
Range: Up to 12 km (7.5 mi)

Speed: Approximately 680 m/s (Mach 2)

Manoeuvrability: High, utilizing thrust vector control and infrared homing for precise targeting of aerial threats such as aircraft, helicopters, UAVs, and cruise missiles.

IRIS-T SLM (Surface-Launched Medium-Range)
Range: Up to 40 km (25 mi)

Speed: Over Mach 3

Manoeuvrability: Enhanced, with thrust vector control and a high-resolution infrared seeker, allowing effective engagement of manoeuvring targets and resistance to countermeasures.

IRIS-T SLX (Surface-Launched Extended-Range)
Range: Up to 80 km (50 mi)

Speed: Over Mach 3

Manoeuvrability: Advanced, combining infrared homing with radar guidance for long-range engagements, suitable for intercepting a wide array of aerial threats.

IRIS-T HYDEF (Hypersonic Defence)
Range: Up to 100 km (62 mi)

Speed: Hypersonic speeds

Manoeuvrability: Designed for intercepting high-speed and highly manoeuvrable targets, including ballistic missiles and hypersonic threats.

AIM-120C-7 AMRAAM (Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile)
Range: Approximately 70 km (43 miles)

Speed: Exceeds Mach 4

Guidance: Active radar homing, allowing for fire-and-forget capability.

Manoeuvrability: High agility with advanced control surfaces and thrust vectoring, enabling effective interception of high-speed and manoeuvring targets.

Deployment: The SLAMRAAM system was designed to launch up to six AIM-120C-7 missiles from its mobile platform.

AIM-9X Sidewinder
Range: Approximately 35 km (22 miles)

Speed: Approximately Mach 2.5

Guidance: Infrared homing, with advanced seeker technology for high off-boresight capability.

Manoeuvrability: Exceptional agility, suitable for close-in engagements against low-flying or manoeuvring targets.

Deployment: The SLAMRAAM system could be equipped with up to two AIM-9X missiles, providing short-range interception capabilities.

And we are just scratching the surface.
Isn’t it funny how we have all come full circle. Gaijin stated: “Oh, get ready everyone! We are going to have 40km+ SAM systems in June!” No-one complained. So why did they feel the need to nerf them

I apologise for yapping, but I feel others in the community feel the same way. This needs to stop

We need to have dedicated people who are ACTIVELY listening to current game discussions, on all platforms. People that are trustworthy, honest and respectable.

Anyway, have a nice day, and thankyou for reading.

SLAMRAAM (Surface-Launched Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile)
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. (n.d.). Surface-Launched Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM). Retrieved June 10, 2025, from Surfaced-Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM) – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

GlobalSecurity.org. (n.d.). SLAMRAAM. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from SLAMRAAM

Missilery.info. (n.d.). SLAMRAAM. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from SLAMRAAM medium-range anti-aircraft missile system | Missilery.info

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). SLAMRAAM. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from SLAMRAAM - Wikipedia

IRIS-T (InfraRed Imaging System Tail/Thrust Vector Controlled)
Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. (n.d.). IRIS-T. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from IRIS-T – Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance

Army Recognition. (n.d.). IRIS-T SLM Medium Range Air Defense Missile System – Technical Data. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from IRIS-T SLM

Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). IRIS-T. In Wikipedia. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from IRIS-T - Wikipedia

Reuters. (2024, June 6). Germany’s Diehl to further expand production of IRIS-T air defence systems. Retrieved June 10, 2025, from Germany's Diehl to further expand production of IRIS-T air defence systems | Reuters

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New SAMs that can’t outperform Pantsir is crazy work.

10 Likes
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Yes, exactly what im trying to say!

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If youre talking about the changes to effective range, then that is a change that is only on the stat card, the number that was there before was assuming that they were not ground launched, changing a number on the stat card means basically nothing, and sure the changes to top speed are a bit rough but the actual performance of the missiles does not appear to have changed

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They still don’t outperform Pantsir that been in the game for 18 months, i guess NATO can’t outshine Russia in SPAA category.

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If the new SPAA is supposed to come out as they currently are, they can just save it and not introduce them at all since all it will give is false hope and more kills to the CAS spammers

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Well, the situation is dire. Just dared to play a high tier match for an SPAA special task. The sky was full of Su’s in no time (I don’t know how they get the points that fast, I saw one using 2S38 (likely the drone map marker+scout “tactic”).

Team really tried to push against the flood of KH-38, but no chance. The top Su player killed 8 ground players . The others also had good kill counts. Two F-16 and a EF who tried to take these out were either killed by Pantsir or pushed down to tree top level to evade, where they had no chance vs. the Suchoi’s either. They must have killed 15 SPAA units.

The imbalance of the KH-38 + Pantsir combo is still insance. One lol killing all ground units and one keeping the sky clear. Maybe take scouting from 2S38 would be a start^^
Gajin better has a plan to contain this folly. New op SPAA on Nato side are badly needed.

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Let’s be honest here.

No sam system in the world is ever going to be able to help.

Planes spawn in at altitude, kh-38mt are volleyed off in seconds away from Sam range. Even if they were in same range the travel time for the missile means he will still get his missiles off.

Here’s how it usually goes in my ito:

  • He spawns, I see him immediately as I’m looking in that direction.
  • I fire immediately. Not because I expect to hit but I’m hoping to panic him and make him abort his run. This rarely works.
  • He volleys off his missiles and easily dodges my ito missile or just dives to the deck.
  • I call out the launch and desperately try to get away from the incoming missile. At this point I’m already dead as I have no smokes and cannot drive away fast enough in that truck. He usually gets a few other people as well.

There are a few things that would help, forced airfield spawning would be one but ultimately he’s always going to get his missiles off.

The only real solution is to admit long range FnF weapons were a mistake and are unable to be balanced.

They should be removed. <10km only would be just about acceptable.

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Yes, it’s absolutely atrocious.

Rock-paper-scissors is a fairly fundamental part of game design. At the moment it’s rock-paper-tactical nuke. It kills all motivation to play top tier sadly.

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Also the spawn point requirements suit the russian side. They have the 2S38 as most op light unit which is currently ingame. Its BR is rather low, so they might spawn it at discount prices in top tier matches.

They’re full capable to gun down any unit they encounter and may use the scouting mechanic to quickly reduce air spawn costs. When you watch replays you see “ace” pilots deploying the scouting drone, looking for enemy players. Set the onmap marker. Switch back to 2S38, aim for the blinking map marker, press scout key. All that while they sit back in safety. They get alot scout assists and quickly get the points for a nice KH-38MT massacre. You can do it in any scouting vehicles, but 2S38 really holds the cards here. While other factions have issues to get their own jets into the air.

Everything seems to benefit the russians. The best vehicle to get into a jet quickly. Pantsir supressing enemy air force to the ground or outright kill it. Then the KH, which is just so quick and easy to deploy. I know that its a russian game and Gajin probably has some obligations to fullfill… but this is just too much. They need to change this, they really need to.

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Yep. The removal of that scout mechanic would push back the air spawns quite significantly which would be of benefit.

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Though would be a shame for SPAAs as it gives them something to do when there is no trade

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U forgot the part where SU30 and SU34 must not be touched

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There are plenty of other air targets to engage. Helicopters, planes with shorter range weapons etc.

What exactly is a new Swedish sam system to do? You get 4 missiles (8 with an ammo box) one su-30sm can saturate it and still have 2 kh-38mt left over while it’s reloading from its ammo box.

These things are not able to be balanced. Reduce their range artificially to 10km, force 1st person view on planes, force airfield spawning, I really don’t care what they do but something needs to change as it’s just not fun.

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Eh… I had 5 matches in a row trying to spade the Tracked Rapier where nothing spawn. Not even a single heli.

I find that CAS (at least at the slightly lower BRs ) is more rare than some people make it out to be. At least that is what ive found in things like the Stormer HVM and Tracked Rapier

That I agree with. Was just saying there is at least one downside to the removal of scouting and it actually impacts SPAA. So could make it a SPAA only mechanic.

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That’s just the life of an spaa player. 🤣

I’m specifically talking about top tier gameplay here. Between 8.0 and up to about 10.7 is ok. The missiles aren’t outrageously long range and planes can be dealt with. It’s like a game of cat and mouse and can be quite fun.

It’s when we get to things which outrage you by a significant margin where the wheels fall off.

2 Likes
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Yeah, but still. SPAA being reactive creates an opportunity for CAS to engage without any SPAA initially active. If there was value to an SPAA at other times then there would be an SPAA ready. Maybe these new multi vehicle SPAAs should get an optional IFV they can swap too as well

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Holy poor sources batman.

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Add in for SLAMRAAM

Improving the Surface Launched Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (SLAMRAAM) System
Subject Area Aviation EWS 2006

declassifed

IMG_1959
IMG_19591170×1473 308 KB

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in the game they don’t, in real life however, it becomes a different story.