No f-15ex.
USA mains gonna be eating scraps until summer update it looks like
as if thats not been the case since EFT and Rafail were added (with the sole exception of the AH64E until everyone else got that too) at least for top tier
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Rafale still a top 2 plane in the game after a good year lmao.
When was the last time USA dominated like that plane, f-14a? F-4e?
Unfortunate USA has no “super” competitive 4.5 gens
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Honestly, I think the SH might just be a better platform for GRB still, low speed high AoA is actually a lot more viable when you are centered around a tiny map. This is straight up a downgrade.
Maaaaaaybe they will give the “what if” triple missile racks for it to compensate.
if they didnt make everything overpreform like crazy F15CX with -132 engines (could 100% be added) would definitely be competitive, but gaijins overbuffed everything, so unless they do the same to the F15s US cant be competitive
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tbf, they are more real then other options in the game, like the double racks on EFT or the flankers
The double racks of the flankers do exist, just not on all platforms that are in game. But materially these pylons exist, unlike the F-21’s triple racks which are even less real than the F-21
gonna be laughing my ass off when China gets the F-16V in the next patch after this.
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If we’re going to have subpar additions in the US tech tree, might as well give the us the 18f as well and be done with it
Only if it is at 14.3+ and if Aim-120Ds are not that good.
Personally one of the reasons I find the F-15CGE a lot more enjoyable than the F/A-18E is not only of course the acceleration/speed but also the CM count with BOLs. I feel like one of the contributors to the Super Hornet being a free RP goodie bag is the fact that 120 CMs is simply not enough with 100+ missile potential per match, the new F-16 is going to have that exact same problem while also having a low missile count.
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Single pop CMs on later Hornets isn’t all that big of an issue in practice, I’ve been running 40/80 split and I don’t recall any situation I’ve actually managed to run out of them.
Hornets slowness also makes them less likely to trigger angle gating, so missiles often bite onto first chaff in look up + notch scenarios.
even if the 120D is great it will still be mid at best because the F-18E/F
To all american air mains, I wish you the best in 2026. This is going to be one hell of a rough ride
Im laughing my ass off at the moment, they were expecting F-15EX with Aim-120D3s and they got an F-16 with Aim-120D :D
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Oh man an f16 trying to dogfight with missiles that don’t want to turn at 14.7. No BVR capability. yikes. I mean it could be a good late game fighter but I would probably never see a f16 with aim120d get aces unlike typhoons, rafale, and su30 farming air right now.
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F-15EX wouldn’t be “hot shit” either, as P/W ratio is IIRC about the same as on regular F-15E, you know, usual US aviation development of “make it fatter then compensate with beefier engines”. And unless it would get those funny AMBER quad missile racks once more, it would have the same missile count as F-15C GE. Is MAW (assuming it gets EPAWSS defensive suite) and bit better P/W worth BR increase over Golden Egg? You be the judge.
Though hypothetical missile bus with quad racks under wings and twin racks on CFT pylons would be truly a John Warthunder loadout, with 24 missiles on board.
couldnt be much worse than last year.
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- Worst top tier AESA radar
- Meh sensors
- Bad missile count
- Meh CM count
- Meh flight performance (possibly even worse than the 13.7 F-16C)
Idk, that sounds like textbook DOA to me.
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