Remove- just get rid of it when new vehicle comes.
Keep- leave it as part of the tech tree.
Replace- Kinda like what gaijin did replacing the AH-1S early with the AH-1E, except not just a skin change.
Just want to know what you guys think.
Removing it would be worthless and there would be a backlash in the community, the F-16AJ is a plane that now has it’s place in game
Hide
As much as I don’t like the AJs addition It doesn’t really matter anymore, I mean look at today’s dev blog lol. But it is a pretty solid gap filler to lead the way to the F-2 line so it has grown on me and I think it can just stay.
It is a bad addition (Cause it shouldnt be there at all), but we surely will not have any replacement (comparable). And it will be single plane with guided munition for a long time for Japan. So keep
The only way F-16AJ gets replaced is if a sub-tree like South Korea comes.
And it’s still a real prototype.
Those who have it, keep it. Those who don’t, don’t get it.
Sure, if a sub-tree has a 12.0 that replaces it.
Even then, it’s a real prototype.
pretty solid gap filler to lead the way to the F-2
Kind of the whole point of the F-16AJ
Since when is South Korea an option, their is no connection between them and how is it the only way?
You gonna ignore the fact that Japan has logical alternative options like Thailand and Indonesia which are even more suitable option as an replacement for the F-16AJ.
Thailand - F-16A Block 15 ADF and OCU, F-16A Block 20 MLU
Indonesia - F16A Block 15 OCU and F-16C Block 25.
replace with an early variant of the xf2. Otherwise just keep it but hide it for everyone who hasnt gotten it yet
I don’t want a 9L only version of XF2 personally.
I’d vote hide like the Panther II/Tiger 10.5
Really?
It could mean we could get the XF-2 this very update since it’s now in parity with the new F-16C. They could introduce placeholder radar (copy paste F-16C radar) and basically copy the F-16C Air to Air armaments or introduce actual prototype AESA with IR missiles only (maybe even AAM-3s, like how Netz has Pythons).
Looking back at the old F-16AJ dev blog, it even mentions that the F-2 proper would come in “a few major updates” citing the radar and missiles as the problem. Even fellow players commented that it wasn’t the armament limitation that was the issue with XF-2 but the actual flight performance that would be too strong compared to an F-16A. However, now with the F-16C, we’re back in parity and we have tools to balance armaments, even if temporarily.
If they truly plan to add F-15s at the end of year update (with probably Fox 3s to differentiate missiles boats and dogfighters) then sure we get an F-15J, but an F-15J without Fox 3s will just be an EJ Kai in the current meta.
I would rather see the X/F-2 in the game ASAP than wait for the full modern variant that will probably take a year or more to come. Honestly the real question to me is, are we going to see an X/F-2 this update or next and will it be before Japan gets a new SPAA.
AAM-3s are 9M equivalent, not Python 3 equivalent.
And yes, F-2 is likely to come near 12.7 - 13.0.
Besides, we know F-15J is coming sooner than F-2.
Not comparing AAM-3s to Pythons but rather, saying an IR limited jet might get more advanced missiles than their counterparts to balance the fact they have no radar missiles.
Also, what evidence do we have that F-15J will come sooner than F-2? As far as we know, especially with this F-16C devblog, we’re closer to F-2 (especially XF-2) than F-15J.
In my opinion, the earliest we could potentially see an F-15J is the last update this year in December with the US, unless they plan to add F-15Cs this update too. The earliest for an X/F-2 could be this update or the next one.
12.3 on the horizon, identical weapon load to F-2 without the AESA radar.
F-15J is inferior to F-2 in capabilities. Maybe not dogfight, but definitely capabilities.
The earliest we can see AESA radars IMO was 13.0, and I’m still sticking to that as the average.
I just think AESA isn’t an issue if the weapons themselves are still PD. From my understanding, it doesn’t matter if you have full lock on an enemy aircraft, if they’re notching the sparrow is not gonna see it regardless and miss.
From a development point of view, the bigger problem is how will Gaijin deal with AESA when it comes to modeling. It’d be easier to delay the F-2 while they work on AESA mechanics for other AESA aircraft to join at the same time. Makes little sense to model AESA just for one aircraft in an update, unless they’re going to use it as a testbed fixing bugs and the like before the next update brings the rest of the aircraft.
Hide, replace with F-2
Remove F16-AJ
Refund my RP and SL used to research it.
Refund all my Repair and Rearm Costs used on f16-AJ.
Its easy cause its all tracked.