Could there be a chance that the devs add it later before the update?
Like how Gripen E wasn’t ready by the time of the dev stream but was eventually added.
Smin said its not planned for this update, so unlikely.
Oh boy. So they do actually classify it as on par with Meteor and other missiles of its class.
The only vehicle I can think that could bridge the gap is this one
F-15J J-MSIP Modernization Type 2 (Improved Self-Defense Capability)
credit to @Xeno_quaza for this one
My personal thoughts on that is
while you can have the original one still having AAM-3, AIM-120A and AAM-4’s
this could be the one getting the AAM-5 / AAM-4B’s.
Currently Japan just doesn’t have anything else that’s more modern than that outside of the F-35.
The F-15JSI is still unknown on how far it has progressed.
In the last couple of years, the F-2A has been seen flying with AAM-5’s which could be added to the game.
But that’s what I would think is the only stopgap measure, add F-15J J-MSIP Modernization Type 2 (Improved Self-Defense Capability) and give that one the newer AAM-5 and AAM-4 missiles.
Japan has something to bridge the gap from 13.7 to 14.3+.
and we get something more of a unique model of a F-15J.
2 Likes
the only real upgrade that domestic japanese planes can get is aam5.
aam4b would esssentally be the exact same as aam4, all it gets is a better seekerhead. I don’t think it even gets something like gnss similar to pl-15/pl-12a/aim120d etc.
So like, considering that their planes are probably where they should be, I think the only realistic option is either never touching domestic japanese top tier again (other than adding aam4b) and the future of japanese top tier being only foreign stuff and the f-35.
Tbf, it should get better guidance logic. From some secondary sources it sounds like a form of APN. So it would pose a decent benefit for energy against maneuvering targets.
Its not that it would be particularly exceptional, and thats honestly why I think it should be added. Its a solid upgrade for currently mid aircraft, but not something that would push them to out of bounds performance for what you’d expect.
4 Likes
WHILE USA AND CHINA’S GETTING AIM120D AND PL12A, I THINK JAPAN’S NEEDED AA4MB ALSO FOR BALANCE. Big dream to Gaijin
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they will add f35 in December of 2026, like I said Japan’s needed AAM4B for balancing
I mean like fine but the name of the nation is literally Japan. Cool addition from side nation are fine and dany but so far all of them are copy and paste or in certain case they are worse than their “Counter part”. Saying it doesn’t when in this case it certainly does. This is a really bad take
The consequence of being the second country after USA for holding the largest amounts of F35. IRL great for Japan but in game sucks. Problem is there’s going to be a gap from 13.7 to whatever br F35 comes in. And the fact that AAM4B is seen as not on the same level as aim120D concerns me. Once the first 5th gen planes come, not f35, and nations get next gen missiles like Meteor and Mica NG to combat nations like USA, Russia, and China as it seems they’re getting 5th gen first, Japan is going to get nerfed being stuck with AAM4B. If Gaijin puts more modern F2 and f15JM at a lower br, which seems likely, then maybe some balance is achieved. But 4 AAM4B at the same br as AESA typhoons os su30SM2, is that really fair?
The other option that I can think off is the F-15DJ to fill the slot the current F-15J(M) is in while the F-15J(M) gets placed in a higher Br due to it getting the AAM-4B and AAM-5.
There are F-15DJ’s which has the same HMD / JHMCS as the F-15J(M) so it could make a interesting filler option too.
But I prefer having both the F-15DJ and the F-15DJ(M) (The one with JHMCS), as a split line from the F-15J line.
F-15DJ
Also with the F-15DJ it also allows for future intergration and implementation of dedicated ECM and Jamming equipment.
such as seen the secondary role of the F-15DJ’s being interdiction escort.
F-15DJ unique camouflages / Agressor liveries
F-15DJ with JHMCS
and the final F-15J to be the F-15J J-MSIP Modernisation Type-2 (Improved Self-Defense Capability) with AAM-4B and AAM-5’s.
especially since it has better RWR detection ranges and Intergrated Electronic Warfare system.
I feel this aircraft would be the best one we have available and that exists to fill the spot as Japan’s top tier air contender.
F-15J to be the F-15J J-MSIP Modernisation Type-2 (Improved Self-Defense Capability) images
4 Likes
Low-key I wonder why its assumed to be that strong? It’s only a 20% range bump over the base AAM-4, meanwhile the the Aim-120D is like a 60% range bump. Like, sure, if it’s AESA was modeled properly, it would be effectively impossible to multipath, and notching it would take dumping a ridiculous amount of chaff, and many RWRs just wouldn’t pick it up. But from how we’ve seen it so far, gaijin doesn’t model AESAs like that, so… I really wonder what the reason is for the apprehension on it.
Supposedly it gets a maneuverability buff, but that’s entirely from its guidance logic and actuation performance as far as I can tell, and we can see how much of a maneuverability buff the Aim-120C got with similar traits.
3 Likes
If your flying below the PD gate it still wouldn’t take as much
I think adding the new AAMs would not be a problem. But instead of just giving the new missiles to the current F-2A in the tech tree and moving it up in BR, they should create a copy of it with a higher BR. Yes - we would have to go through the stock grind again but like this we could still chose to fly the 13.7 version with limited arnament. It might not be realistic to have a “F-2A Late” version or whatever you want to call it, but I don’t think this would be too much of an issue. Yes - having only 4 rarar missiles would be rough at 14.7 and upwards, but I love flying the F-5TH too at 13.3 with only 2 radar missiles and a heavily overtiered airframe.
Continuing the discussion from The future of Japan top tier (AAM-4B, buffs):
Btw F-2A can carry 6 Fox 3s STA-2 and STA-10 supports Aim-7Ms and AAM-4s/AAM-4Bs as well so it could have 6 Fox 3s with 2 IR missiles AMM3/AAM5/AAM-5B.
It can’t. The Sta 2 / 10 sparrows were mockups during the F-X’s development. As the plane’s original requirement of 4x ASMs + 4x MRMs required outer mounted sparrows. However they were found in subsonic testing to cause issues with degredation of wing life due to oscilations they caused. So the idea was scrapped before integration with real missiles occoured, and the requirements were quietly dropped to 4x ASMs or 4x MRMs, not both at once.
(Along with this, ASMs didn’t end up being used on the inner most pylons, likely due to a mixture of factors, like the fuel tanks for extended range, and fear of exhaust from them damaging the tail plane. Although technical conpatability for missiles on these stations does remain, as is correctly modeled in warthunder.)
2 Likes
I like this idea. Plus it means more twin seat eagles.
So it looks like AAM4B was not added this update not because of it being more op than aim120D but because it would be hard to balance adding new missiles to 13.7.
HOT TAKE 🔥
Give F2 ADTW AAM4 move it up to 13.3/13.7
Give F2 TT AAM4B give it a bit more speed like 5M instead of 4M and move it up to 14.0 and address energy retention and flight characteristics to be more realistic and picking up speed was a bit faster
The Super Kai doesn’t exist.
Which is a “realistic” implementation of the YF-16A. The Super Kai was only on paper, atleast the YF-16A flew.