Dear War Thunder Development Team,
I am writing to provide feedback on the current meta of top-tier Air RB and the performance of US aircraft and their primary weapon, the AIM-120 AMRAAM.
The nerf to the AIM-120 series at the end of 2024 was understandable at the time. The environment was different, lacking powerhouses like the Eurofighter Typhoon, Dassault Rafale, and advanced missiles like the R-77-1. F-15Cs and F-16Cs were dominating the battlefield. However, the landscape has drastically changed. US jets like the F-15C and F-16C (excluding the more capable F-15E/I) no longer hold a clear advantage. In this new era, the AIM-120’s performance has become inconsistent, often feeling like a “lottery ticket” rather than a reliable weapon.
Its weak off-boresight capability at close range is now a critical disadvantage. While a Typhoon can use its insane flight performance to brute-force a firing solution, most other aircraft simply cannot. This puts many US jets at a severe disadvantage in the dynamic, close-range fights that often decide matches.
We saw a glimpse of a better state during the “Leviathan” dev server, where the AIM-120C-5 performed notably well. It was responsive and effective. However, by the second dev server, it was reverted to its current underwhelming state. It is public knowledge that the real-world AIM-120C-5 received significant improvements through the P³I program, including a better seeker and new flight control software, which should grant it superior maneuverability. In-game, however, it feels merely like a slightly longer-burning, less draggy version of its predecessors, lacking the “snap” and agility it historically possessed.
With the upcoming addition of a “new” F-15C featuring an AESA radar, there is a concern. If it carries the same underperforming AIM-120s and has the same flight model as the existing F-15C, what justifies its place at 14.3? An advanced radar is of limited value if the missiles cannot capitalize on its capabilities.
I, and many in the community, are not asking for the AIM-120 to be restored to its previously overpowered state. The initial performance of the AIM-120A/B was indeed over-tuned, and their adjustment was necessary. However, we urge you to bring the AIM-120 series, particularly the C-5 variant, to a historically accurate and competitively viable level . Please consider implementing the improved seeker and flight control logic from the P³I program to give it the performance it deserves.
Thank you for your continuous work and for listening to community feedback. We appreciate the effort you’ve put into evolving War Thunder’s gameplay over the years.
Sincerely,
A dedicated War Thunder player.
