War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Kh-38MT

2024-10-08T13:58:25Z

U56862421: Added description, general info, effective damage and Pros and cons

== Description ==
The '''Kh-38MT''' is a soviet Laser-guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. It is the longest range air-to-ground guided missile currently found in game, alongside the [[Kh-38ML]].

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|su_25sm3}}

== General info ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|'''Mass'''||520 kg
|-
|'''Guidance'''||IR+IOG
|-
|'''Maximum speed'''||2.2 M
|-
|'''Missile guidance time'''||90 secs
|-
|'''Lock range'''
|20 km
|-
|'''Firing range'''||40 km
|-
|'''Explosive mass'''||152 kg TNTeq
|-
|'''Armour penetration'''||84 mm
|}
=== Effective damage ===
''The '''Kh-38MT''' has an HE warhead with 152 kg of TNT equivalent, which is more than enough to kill any vehicle it can face, even from an indirect hit.''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

* A devastating warhead
* It is able to outrange most SPAAs currently found in-game
* Has the ability to loft, which makes it very hard to detect
* Very high speed and acceleration
* Very good maneuverability for a large missile
** It is fairly effective against air targets

*

'''Cons:'''

* No post-launch control
* The lock range may decrease in bad weather conditions.

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Kh-38ML

2024-10-08T13:54:44Z

U56862421: Pros and cons correction

== Description ==
The '''Kh-38ML''' is a soviet Laser-guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. It is the longest range air-to-ground guided missile currently found in game, alongside the [[Kh-38MT]].

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|su_25sm3}}

== General info ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|'''Mass'''||520
|-
|'''Guidance'''||Laser+IOG
|-
|'''Maximum speed'''||2.2 M
|-
|'''Missile guidance time'''||90 secs
|-
|'''Firing range'''||40 km
|-
|'''Explosive mass'''||152 kg TNTeq
|-
|'''Armour penetration'''||84 mm
|}
=== Effective damage ===
The '''Kh-38ML''' has an HE warhead with 152 kg of TNT equivalent, which is more than enough to kill any vehicle it can face, even from an indirect hit.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

* A devastating warhead
* It is able to outrange most SPAAs currently found in-game
* Has the ability to loft, which makes it very hard to detect
* Very high speed and acceleration
* Very good maneuverability for a large missile
** It can be used against air targets

*

'''Cons:'''

* The laser needs to be pointed at the target for it to track
* Despite the maximum range being 40 km, the missile can only track the laser point from 20 km.

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Kh-38ML

2024-10-08T13:46:20Z

U56862421: Description, characteristics chart, effective damage and Pros and cons added

== Description ==
The '''Kh-38ML''' is a soviet Laser-guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. It is the longest range air-to-ground guided missile currently found in game, alongside the [[Kh-38MT]].

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|su_25sm3}}

== General info ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|'''Mass'''||520
|-
|'''Guidance'''||Laser+IOG
|-
|'''Maximum speed'''||2.2 M
|-
|'''Missile guidance time'''||90 secs
|-
|'''Firing range'''||40 km
|-
|'''Explosive mass'''||152 kg TNTeq
|-
|'''Armour penetration'''||84 mm
|}
=== Effective damage ===
The '''Kh-38ML''' has an HE warhead with 152 kg of TNT equivalent, which is more than enough to kill any vehicle it can face, even from an indirect hit.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

* A devastating warhead
* It is able to outrange all SPAAs currently found in-game
* Has the ability to loft, which makes it very hard to detect
* Very high speed and acceleration
* Very good maneuverability for a large missile
** It can be used against air targets

*

'''Cons:'''

* The laser needs to be pointed at the target for it to track

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Kh-29L

2024-10-06T16:18:36Z

U56862421: /* Effective damage */

{{About
| about = Soviet air-to-ground missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other versions
| link = Kh-29 (Family)
}}
== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage Kh-29L.png|thumb|left|420px|The Kh-29L missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a Soviet laser-guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]]. It is a heavy-duty Soviet air-to-ground missile, born from a similar fuselage design of the Molniya [[R-60]], a laser seeker inherited from the Kh-25, and a powerful warhead. It features impressive range and destruction capabilities against a variety of surface targets, giving pilots a heavy-duty weapon capable of decimating anything in their path.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with this weapon}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|MiG-27}}{{Specs-Link|mig_27k}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|mig_27m}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|Su-17/22}}{{Specs-Link|su_17m2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_17m4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_22m3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_22m3_hungary}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_22um3k}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_22m4}}
{{Navigation-Line|Su-25}}{{Specs-Link|su_25}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_25k}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_25_558arz}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_25t}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_25sm3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|su_25tm}}

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 657 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Laser
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 1.8 M
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 40 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 13 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 186.24 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 87 mm
|-
|}

The Kh-29L (9M721) is the biggest air-to-ground missile with its twin sister, the [[Kh-29T]]. It is comparable to heavy-duty utility bombs carried by various planes, making it one of the deadliest missiles in-game. It is not only able to take out multiple targets at a time but also the biggest targets such as battleships and aircraft carriers.

=== Effective damage ===

The Kh-29L is the most devastating and versatile air-launched guided missile when it comes to ground pounding. The explosive mass is something to be scared of. While smaller than most bombs, this is compensated for by the accuracy of the missile. It has a maximum range of 13,000 metres if the flight ceiling is high enough. As with any other laser-guided munition, the target must be laser-designated. Contrary to other laser designators (such as TIALD on [[Jaguar GR.1A]]), the laser designator features the same control use of the [[Kh-23M]] and [[Kh-25]]: nose-guided control. For the same reason, the Kh-29L is a tricky missile to use on small moving targets at long ranges. It is particularly useful when facing stationary targets or big and slow targets. This is changed when using aircraft like the [[MiG-27K|MiG-27]] as they have their proper laser designator.

While the Kh-29L has relatively low penetration capabilities (87 mm at any range and angle), any hit will decimate the target due to the tremendous explosive mass it features. Due to the 186.24 kg TNT equivalent explosive mass, the missile is more than capable of destroying more than one target at a time if closely packed. The warhead is also particularly useful when facing off enemy vessels, especially aircraft carriers in Simulator Enduring Confrontation battles. Due to the carriers having actual damage models in a similar style to player-controlled vessels, the use of this missile is more than capable of significantly damaging the carrier. There are multiple hit locations, but the most effective ones are the ones on the engine decks and close to the waterline.

=== Comparison with analogues ===


* [[Kh-29T]] - While being the same missile, the different seeker makes the same weapon to be used in a different way.
* [[AS-30L Nord]] - The Kh-29L is much better than the Nord in multiple ways, not only is it faster, has a bigger warhead, and better penetration, but it also has an increased guidance time: 40.0 seconds vs 22.0 seconds.
* [[AGM-65A]]/[[AGM-65B]] - Between the AGM-65A and B Mavericks and the Kh-29L, there are multiple pros and cons between them. While Maverick has a much longer range, guidance time and can be carried in sets of 3 instead of a single missile, it is much slower, smaller, and weighs less than half of the Kh-29L.
* [[AGM-65D]] - Similar to the other Mavericks, the main advantage of the D variant is the IR seeker, which strongly improves the designation range compared to the Kh-29L.

== Usage in battles ==

You should first practice in custom battles to spot tanks from several kilometres away. While it's easier to aim and hit at close ranges, it is also easier to be identified and eliminated by an anti-air vehicle. The missile isn't significantly faster than your plane, (assuming your plane is cruising at Mach 1 while in a dive to use your nose-mounted laser) so depending on the situation, you might want to consider deploying brakes after launching the missile to maintain maximum distance from anti-air vehicles.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* The biggest and most powerful air-launched missile
* Devastating warhead
* Incredible speeds for a missile its size
* Significant range compared to other air-to-ground missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Requires user to aim directly at targets

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Kh-29 (Family)]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Kh-29T

2024-10-06T16:15:54Z

U56862421: /* Effective damage */

{{About
| about = Soviet air-to-ground missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other versions
| link = Kh-29 (Family)
}}
== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage {{PAGENAME}}.png|thumb|left|420px|The Kh-29T missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a Soviet TV-guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]]. It is a heavy-duty Soviet air-to-ground missile, born from a similar fuselage design of the Molniya [[R-60]], a TV guidance system inherited from the Kh-59 cruise missile, and a powerful warhead. It features impressive range and destruction capabilities against a variety of surface targets, giving pilots a heavy-duty weapon capable of decimating anything in their path.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|jh_7a}}
* {{Specs-Link|mig_27k}}
* {{Specs-Link|mig_27m}}
* {{Specs-Link|su_17m4}}
* {{Specs-Link|su_22m4}}
* {{Specs-Link|su_25t}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 670 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || TV
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 1.8 M
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 40 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 13 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 186.24 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 87 mm
|-
|}

The Kh-29T (9M721) is the biggest air-to-ground missile with its sister, the [[Kh-29L]]. It is comparable to heavy-duty utility bombs carried by various planes, making it one of the deadliest missiles in-game. It is not only able to take out multiple targets at a time but also the biggest targets such as battleships and aircraft carriers.

=== Effective damage ===

The Kh-29T is the most devastating and versatile air-launched guided missile when it comes to ground pounding. The explosive mass is something to be scared of. While smaller than most bombs, this is compensated for by the accuracy of the missile. It has a maximum range of 13,000 metres (6.5 nmi) if the flight ceiling is high enough. It features the same launch crosshair as any other TV-guided weapon, such as the KAB-500r, AGM-65 Maverick, and AGM-62 Walleye. It can zoom in for better target designation. It can lock and track targets but has a similar performance to the KAB-500r. The main downside of the Kh-29T compared to the Kh-29L is the fact you cannot control it post-launch.

While it has relatively low penetration capabilities (87 mm at any range and angle), any hit will decimate the target due to the tremendous explosive mass it features. Due to the 186.24 kg TNT equivalent explosive mass, the missile is more than capable of destroying more than one target at a time if closely packed. The warhead is also particularly useful when facing off enemy vessels, especially aircraft carriers in Simulator Enduring Confrontation battles. Due to the carriers having actual damage models in a similar style to player-controlled vessels, the use of this missile is more than capable of significantly damaging the carrier. There are multiple hit locations, but the most effective ones are the ones on the engine decks and close to the waterline.

=== Comparison with analogues ===


* '''[[Kh-29L]]''': While being the same missile, the different seeker makes the same weapon to be used differently.
* '''[[AS-30L Nord]]''': The Kh-29T is much better than the Nord in multiple ways, not only is it faster, has a bigger warhead, and better penetration, but it also has an increased guidance time: 40.0 seconds vs 22.0 seconds.
* '''[[AGM-65A]]/[[AGM-65B]]''': Between the AGM-65A and B Mavericks and the Kh-29T, there are multiple pros and cons between them. While Maverick has a much longer range, and guidance time and can be carried in sets of 3 instead of a single missile, it is much slower, smaller, and weighs less than half of the Kh-29T.
* '''[[AGM-65D]]''': Similar to the other Mavericks, the main advantage of the D variant is the IR seeker, which strongly improves the designation range compared to the Kh-29T.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* The biggest and most powerful air-launched missile
* Devastating warhead
* Incredible speeds for a missile its size
* Significant range compared to other air-to-ground missiles
* It is fairly effective against non-maneuvering air targets

'''Cons:'''

* Hard to designate targets due to the lack of thermals
* TV-seeker doesn't operate in low light engagements (night)
* Any disruption in the environment means the missile will no longer track the target (smoke, bushes, etc.)
* No post-launch control

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Kh-29 (Family)]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

MiG-17

2024-08-16T13:30:46Z

U56862421: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Soviet jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-17 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig-17
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Almost immediately after the MiG-15 entered service, the developement of a successor was already underway. Initially called the MiG-15bis-45, the new aircraft was to rectify one major flaw in the MiG-15 design: The severe vibrations and near-loss of controls when approaching Mach 1. To fix these problems, a new wing shape, airfoil form, and tailplane design were introduced. The results of heavy wind tunnel testing and prototyping by {{Annotation|TsAGI|Central Aerohydrodynamic Institute of Moscow}} resulted in the aforementioned changes exceeding all expectations, and as a result, the MiG-17 would establish itself in history as one of, if not the most, successful transsonic fighter aircraft until the advent of true supersonic airframes such as the [[MiG-19 (Family)|MiG-19]] and [[F-100 (Family)|F-100]]. The MiG-17 was given a trial by fire during the Vietnam War, where it was faced against the far more advanced and newer American fighter-bombers, such as the [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom II]] and the [[F-105D|F-105 Thunderchief]], which to everyone's surprise, were regularly beaten by the MiG-17 in dogfights due to the latter's incredible agility and small size making it hard to hit, and also because early variants of the F4 Phantom II deployed in Vietnam lacked any form of internal guns, an issue the MiG-17 did not suffer from. The MiG-17 became one of the most widely serving fighter aircraft in the world at the time, and as such, garnered many famous nicknames from around the world; with a NATO reporting name of ''Fresco,'' but also affectionately called "''én bạc"'' (Silver Swallow) in North Vietnam, and "''Barmil''" (Barrel) among some Egyptian pilots, in addition to its standardized names from the license produced variants, [[J-4|''Shenyang J-5 (歼-5)'']] in China, ''S-104'' in Czechoslovakia, and the ''[[Lim-5P (Germany)|PZL-Mielec Lim-5]]'' in Poland.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]], is a direct upgrade in development over the previous [[MiG-15 (Family)|MiG-15]]. The MiG-17 does not upgrade much (if at all) in the energy fighting, top speed, or manoeuvring departments. However, the new wing and tailplane design rectify one of the biggest issues in the older MiG-15: the terrible compression nearing transsonic speeds. The MiG-17 still has compression issues at high speeds, although the compression ceiling has been lifted far higher than its predecessor, allowing it to engage in faster combat manoeuvres than the MiG-15. One must however be very wary of advanced air-to-air missiles when flying this aircraft, as when uptiered, the player will regularly be faced with aircraft carrying the all-aspect [[AIM-9L Sidewinder|AIM-9L]] and [[R-60M]] such as the [[A-10A]] and the [[Su-25]], which are an almost guaranteed death sentence to the MiG-17.

== General info ==
[[File:MiG-17 Cockpit (2022).png|thumb|The '''MiG-17''''s instrument panel.]]

=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The MiG-17 is a high-subsonic fighter aircraft, it retained the Klimov VK-1 engine that was used by its predecessor, the MiG-15bis. Although the plane is heavier, its level speed performance is slightly improved due to aerodynamic improvements such as a new thinner and more highly swept wing and tailplane. The level speed at sea level is 1,121 km/h, very close to its structural speed limit and over 40 km/h higher than the MiG-15, that makes it very comparable with other jets like the F-86F series.
The climb rate performance remained the same: with full fuel tanks it is 50 m/s at very low altitude and 35 m/s above 5,000 m altitude, which puts it on par with the Sabre series but is significantly worse than the British Hawker Hunter F.1 or French Super Mystère B2 with an afterburner that can get to 6,000 m altitude in over two minutes. Since the MiG-17 is heavier its thrust to weight ratio is decreased and it affects its acceleration at low and medium speeds, but at higher speed due to lower drag and more swept wings it is slightly better.
Prolonged usage of maximum power in this plane may cause its engine to overheat after 10 minutes of flight, when the plane is cruising and not in any combat situation it is recommended to reduce it to 95% or 90% which does not have any operation limit.

The dogfighting capabilities are very close to its precursor, while it is over 200 kg heavier its wing area is also increased, so the wing loading is slightly lower, at low and medium speed its turn rate is slightly worse, but once the plane reaches 750 km/h it gets better. However it still suffers to some extent from compressibility issues near transonic speed. The MiG-17 is still a very dangerous foe to the Sabre series and many other jet fighters, one of its main strengths is performance in vertical manoeuvres. It is also capable of outturning the Sabre, the Super Mystère or Hunter so facing them should not be a problem.
Its roll rate is practically the same as the MiG-15bis, mediocre at low and medium speed and it can get very bad above 900 km/h. It is very close to 100 °/s at 600 km/h IAS and lowers to ~50 °/s upon reaching 900 km/h IAS.
The airbrake is the same: it can help slow down to the speed range where its turn rate is the best. Flaps also have the same speed limit, over 600 km/h in take-off position and 450 km/h for landing, which is quite high, just like its landing gear, which can come very handy when the plane is landing after having taken some damage.

With full-real controls it is very pleasant to fly, does not have any stability issues at any speed and it is very easy to aim. Its nose will keep dropping until it reaches 850 km/h IAS so it might need some positive pitch trimming below that speed, above that it should be trimmed from -1% to 3%, depending on how fast it is.
The stalling characteristics are quite forgiving, after reaching the maximum angle of attack it will not start rolling to any side immediately, but its speed will keep decreasing very fast.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 2,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,091 || 1,061 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.2 || 23.2 || 41.2 || 39.1 || rowspan="2" | 475
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,128 || 1,114 || 21.2 || 21.5 || 59.9 || 50.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,150  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 598 || 450 || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 600 || < 700 || < 750 || -
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Klimov VK-1 || 1
| colspan="2" | 3,958 kg || colspan="2" | 227 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 892 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
| 4,310 kg || 4,755 kg || 5,130 kg || 5,485 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 2,450 kgf || N/A
| 0.57 || 0.52 || 0.48 || 0.45
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 2,450 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.57 || 0.52 || 0.48 || 0.45
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
[[File:MiG-17 Armour Layout.png|thumb|Armour layout for the MiG-17]]

* 60 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.

* 16 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.
* 10 mm Steel plate in the nose.

This armour layout lets the pilot be secured while leaving the tail and wings unprotected.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

It is recommended to prioritize performance modification and 37 mm belts over other modifications.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|N-37D (37 mm)|NR-23 (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 37 mm N-37D cannon, nose-mounted (40 rpg)
* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|S-5K|S-5M|S-21}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
* 16 x S-5K rockets
* 16 x S-5M rockets
* 2 x S-21 rockets

== Usage in battles ==


The MiG-17 should be played like its predecessors, the MiG-15s. In 1v1 situations, the -17 will easily win if played correctly, and due to its superior flight characteristics it is easier to win fights against multiple enemies. You have the upper hand in the initial dogfight, as your great turn will allow you to get on their 6 without much difficulty. However, in a prolonged engagement the chances of you losing increase due to your heavier weight and good, yet not spectacular energy retention. If the player is uncomfortable with dogfighting, the MiG-17 can also be a very effective boom-and-zoom fighter.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and speed in dives
* Excellent climb rate, almost same as the [[MiG-15bis]]
* Guns will tear even the heaviest of bombers into shreds with an accurate burst
* Very good manoeuvrability at low to medium speeds
* More manoeuvrable at high speeds than the MiG-15s
* Excellent energy retention, but still loses some speed when turning hard
* If you airbrake enemies should struggle to make you overshoot
* Performs well at altitude when compared to aircraft such as the F-86F Sabres and the Hunter F.1
* Can safely reach a speed of 1,150 km/h (IAS) and up to Mach 1.10 when diving
* Hard to break wings in a turn without rolling
* Very similar to the [[MiG-15bis]], meaning similar playstyles

'''Cons:'''

* Roll rate is not on par with others in this tier
* Armament difficult to use (low velocities, low ammo and two different trajectories)
* Mediocre acceleration in speeds between 800 - 1,100 km/h
* Acceleration and energy retention makes defensive fighting harder as you might overshoot targets
* Poor forward visibility in Simulator, as a large canopy frame and the gunsight block the top and bottom
* Lacks radar rangefinder for the gyro sight
* Engine eventually might overheat when operated over 96% throttle
* Does not handle damage very well

== History ==

The Korean war showed that the MiG-15 and [[MiG-15bis]] fighters were able to battle any aerial opponent at least on equal terms. The MiG-17 was a further development of the MiG-15 design that had proven itself so well. It was decided to increase the aircraft's speed by increasing the sweep of the wing and the fuselage being lengthened to maintain the centre of gravity. The [[MiG-15]] and MiG-17 show almost no differences at first glance. The prototype of the MiG-17 was even called the MiG-15bis45. However, only the frontal parts of the fuselage are the same, from the air intake to the wing, if you don't count the landing headlight that had been moved to the left wing and some minor details.

These aircraft are different in every other way. It is easy to see the main differences when you look from above. By comparing the side profiles, you can see that in addition to the difference in fuselage length there are differences in the tail fin and an additional ventral fin which allows you to immediately tell the MiG-17 apart from the MiG-15. The upper part of the fins and the rudders of the aircraft are different, the juncture between the fin and the stabilizer fin also differs, but this can only be seen close up. The wing sweep of the stabilizer fin was also increased and there were also changes to elevators. The air brakes also differ in shape and size. The depth of the housing was decreased, so a cigar-shaped cowl was created to hide the cylinder. There were very significant changes to the wing. Apart from an increased wing sweep, a leading edge break appeared and the tips became rounder, which helps differentiate the aircraft when looking at them from above or below. While the MiG-15 had two aerodynamic ridges on the top surface of its wings, the MiG-17 had three.

The change in the shape of the wing led to appropriate changes in the construction of the flaps. The new geometry of the main landing gear legs required for the cover to be altered. The structure of the canopy also saw some changes. However, the first versions of the MiG-17 had the same canopies as the [[MiG-15bis]]. Apart from changes to the design of the canopy framing (which is not actually that noticeable from afar), a rear-view mirror was introduced that would allow the aircraft to be recognized from further away. There were no significant changes to the cockpit. Overall, the MiG-17 looks even more aesthetically pleasing and streamlined than its predecessor.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig-17 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:MiG-17_Image1.png|A MiG-17 avoiding the rounds from an F-86F-25 Sabre
File:Mig17vf86.png|A MiG-17 after a hard-earned victory over an F-86 Sabre
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|OM1wefnHzYM|'''Using The MiG-17 To Absolutely Dominate!''' - ''Spit_flyer''|amZQtFjHAn4|'''The Shooting Range #82''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 00:28 discusses the use of the {{PAGENAME}} against ground forces.|8W7zbLuhrM4|'''How to fight the OP MiG-17!''' - ''MikeGoesBoom''}}

== See also ==


;[[MiG-17 (Family)|MiG-17 (Family)]]

* [[MiG-17AS]]
* [[J-4]]
* [[Shenyang F-5]]
* [[MiG-17PF (Italy)]]
* [[Lim-5P]]
* [[Shenyang F-5]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[F-86 Sabre (Family)|F-86 Family]]
* [[F9F (Family)|F9F Family]]
* [[J29 (Family)|J29 Family]]
* [[Hunter (Family)|Hunter Family]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/857/|[Devblog] MiG-17]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/285040-mikoyan-gurevich-mig-17/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

F-4F (Germany)

2024-07-01T09:16:48Z

U56862421: /* See also */

{{About
| about = German jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4f_late
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


In the early 1980s, around ten years after Germany received their Phantoms, Germany decided to retrofit their F-4Fs in an attempt to modernize them. The F-4Fs at the beginning of their lifecycle were stripped down F-4Es in an attempt to reduce the cost and lost many abilities that the F-4E had. For example, the F-4E could launch AIM-7 Sparrow radar missiles and use guided weapons like Mavericks or Walleyes. Between 1980 and 1983, the F-4Fs regained the ability to fire AIM-7s and use guided weaponry. In addition, it could launch AIM-9L Sidewinders and the electronics were improved.

Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a researchable rank {{Specs|rank}} jet. It is a strong fighter due to its high top speed, access to countermeasures, and good missiles like the AIM-9J. The M61 Vulcan is also extremely potent due to its high fire rate and velocity. It's also an excellent ground attacker since it has access to CCIP for cannons, bombs, and rockets and also the ability to use Mavericks. Players who wish to use the F-4F for ground attack or as a fighter will not be disappointed.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

Equipped with twin MTU Aero J79-MTU-17A engines (licensed copies of the [[F-4E]]'s engines), each providing 8010 kgf of thrust when spaded, F-4F provides solid performance at any altitude.

While not as fast a climber as the [[F-104G]], it can still climb incredibly well. Its acceleration is above average thanks to its twin engines.

F-4F also has incredible roll rate and thanks to its "Agile Eagle" wing slats and all-flying tail, it can also pull high-G manoeuvres without any issues.

However, pilots should be aware, that while the newfound agility of this Phantom might tempt them to dogfight, they should still stick to Boom'n'Zoom tactics as the F-4F is heavy, and any prolonged turning will bleed a lot of speed - and a slow jet is a dead jet.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,066 || 2,020 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.8 || 162.3 || 152.4 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,216 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 224.2 || 192.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 607 || 583 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | MTU Aero Engines J79-MTU-17A || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,375 kg || colspan="2" | 398 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 1,724 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,941 kg || 18,196 kg || 19,595 kg || 24,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,008 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.88 || 0.82 || 0.67
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.28 || 1.12 || 1.04 || 0.85
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

In terms of armour, there is no armoured glass in the cockpit of the F-4F, nor any relevant armour protecting any crucial part of the plane. There is an 8.5 mm thick steel plate just below the forward fuel tank of the plane, but due to its size relative to the size of the plane, it might as well not be there at all.

All fuel tanks are self-sealing, but this is pretty much standard at this battle rating. Pilots should note that right behind the cockpit, the middle and back section of the plane is littered with modules - fuel tanks, engines, and control surface controls are all tightly packed together and thus any hit to this part of the plane will cause critical damage to at least one component.

The F-4F is equipped with a Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) from the get go and can unlock a countermeasures launcher as a tier I modification (unlike the [[F-4F Early]]).

Countermeasures are either Flares or Chaff. Flares are crucial to defeating IR guided missiles, while Chaff confuses enemy radars. Pilots should note that since F-4F is equipped with two engines, its heat signature is enormous, especially with afterburner active; thus they need to turn afterburner off in order to successfully evade IR missile.

RWR issues a warning to the pilot when it detects active radar pulsing towards the player; this will be heard as beeps. It also warns pilots when their plane gets "radar locked" by continuous tone. It also displays the approximate position of active radar relative to the plane and highlights radar that achieved "radar lock".

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Pilots should start researching countermeasures from the get go, since it can be almost impossible to dodge advanced missiles such as Matra Magics without them. After that, pilots' focus should be on getting [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|AIM-9Js]], as those are F-4F strongest missiles and best weapon against enemy planes.

Order of modifications:

Countermeasures > AIM-9B FGW.2 > New boosters > AIM-9E > G-suit > Wings repair > AIM-9J

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
* 90 x countermeasures

The M61A1 is an excellent cannon at its rank, its only disadvantages being the spool-up time and somewhat limited ammo count relative to rate of fire.

Armed with anti-air belts for Air RB, even a short connecting burst will be fatal to any enemy aircraft.

The cannon excels even in Ground RB equipped with armour-piercing belts, giving it 53 mm of penetration, which is enough to get through most SPAAs and light tanks armour and can even pierce the roofs and engine decks of MBTs such as T-90A.

With its extremely high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="18" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[GAU-4 (20 mm)|20 mm GAU-4]] cannons (1,200 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|250 lb LDGP Mk 81]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || 6 || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || 6 || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || 6 || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| 2 || 3 || || 3 || || 3 || 2
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| 1 || || || 1 || || || 1
|-
! [[M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|750 lb M117 cone 45]] bombs
| 3 || 3 || || 5 || || 3 || 3
|-
! [[M118 (3,000 lb)|3,000 lb M118]] bombs
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[BLU-27/B incendiary]] bombs
| 1 || || || 2 || || || 1
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| 57 || 57 || || 57 || || 57 || 57
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| 12 || 12 || || 12 || || 12 || 12
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder]] missiles
| || || 2 || || 2 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9E Sidewinder]] missiles
| || || 1, 2 || || 1, 2 || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9J Sidewinder]] missiles
| || || 2 || || 2 || ||
|-
! 600 gal drop tanks
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 7,257 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 3,000 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 1 x 600 gal drop tank
* 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9B FGW.2 Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 24 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 17 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,750 lb total)
* 13 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (13,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 1 x 3,000 lb M118 bomb (3,000 lb total)
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AGM-65B missiles
{{Navigation-End}}

'''GAU-4 gunpods''' - additional gunpods with M61A1 cannons, providing 1,200 rounds per gun. These basically allow pilot to put a wall of lead between their plane and the enemy, however, they severely hamper flight performance.

'''Air-to-air'''

'''AIM-9B FGW.2''' - Bravo version are F-4F stock missiles, should be used only until better options become available, as they are obsolete at this BR.

'''AIM-9E''' - First upgraded missiles available to F-4F, Echo Sidewinders provide much needed performance boost over the AIM-9B. Better speed, better range and wider seeker window allow Es to hit more reliably. Still, they retain its predecessor's poor G limit and should be used only as stop gap solution.

'''AIM-9J''' - Final upgrade available to F-4F, AIM-9Js provide good performance. They can pull twice the G limit of its predecessors, and should be the pilot's weapons of choice for engaging air targets.

'''Air-to-ground'''

As F-4F is equipped with a ballistic computer, coupled with its ability to equip massive amounts of ordnance, F-4F can become an extremely potent ground attacker with any ground attack payload.

'''FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets''' - Mighty Mouse rockets provide solid performance against ground targets. Sporting 290 mm of penetration, these can easily get through roof armour of most vehicles in-game, though some ERA equipped tanks can survive a few hits. While not having enough explosive mass to score kills with indirect hits, the ballistic computer can help with their aiming, and as F-4F can equip up to 285 of them, pilots can easily compensate accuracy with quantity.

'''Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets''' - Basically Mighty Mouse rockets on steroids, Zunis are an anti-everything tool. Their HEAT warhead provides up to 457 mm of penetration and thanks to their explosive mass equivalent to 8.91 kg of TNT, they can severely damage light targets with indirect hits.

'''AGM-65B missiles''' - Unique to the F-4F (compared to other German planes) are AGM-65Bs, more commonly known as Mavericks. These are fire and forget anti-tank missiles with TV guidance and a maximum range of 6 km. Their warheads can penetrate up to 830 mm of armour. As they are fire and forget, they are great to use in contested airspace when compared to bombs, though F-4F can carry only 2 of them at once.

'''Bombs''' - F-4F, being equipped with a ballistic computer, turns any bomb payload into a much more viable option. Turning on the ballistic computer allows pilot to use arcade-style crosshairs, so any pilot is capable of hitting ground targets with laser accuracy.

F-4F is capable of carrying up to 24 x 500 lb bombs and these are dropped individually, allowing the player in theory to achieve a whopping 24 kills per payload, thus completely wiping the enemy team from existence (in practice however, there will be enemy AA units, and F-4F carrying all that ordnance practically becomes a rock with wings). All bombs carried by F-4F are viable, so it is up to the pilot's personal preferences.

== Usage in battles ==

'''Ground battles'''

Most air-to-air combat in ground battles happens inside cannon range; thus it is not recommended to take Sidewinders to ground battles, and focus purely on CAS.

As stated above, the F-4F is an extremely potent ground attacker. Since there are currently only two AA vehicles armed with IR missiles ([[PGZ04A]] and [[Type 93]]) in-game, pilots should prioritise chaff when picking up countermeasures. Chaff helps with confusing enemy search and tracking radars, increasing probability of miss and thus increasing F-4F survivability.

Flying high above the battlefield is ill-advised, as this approach puts pilots in range of most enemy SAMs.

Radar needs an unobstructed line of sight to work properly, so flying low and utilizing ground obstacles helps with plane survival. Pilots should approach the battlefield at low altitude and do a flyby over enemy spawn in order to determine whenever the enemy team has active AA or not. RWR helps with this task, but pilots should note that lack of active radar does not necessarily mean that there's no AA active; some skilled players turn off search radars in order to drawn out enemy air assets out of cover. If there's enemy AA, it needs to be taken out first. Only then should the pilot gain altitude necessary for ground attacks. If the pilot gets warning that radar lock has been achieved, immediately deploy chaff, start evasive manoeuvres, and should consider disengaging for the time being.

Pilots should not be afraid to inform their teammates in chat while approaching the battlefield, as forward observers help immensely with locating enemy ground assets; F-4F working this way in tandem with squadmates on ground can turn the tide of battle in a matter of minutes.

'''Air battles'''

Generally speaking, pilots should always try to stick with their teammates. While the F-4F's agility might be tempting, due to its weight it bleeds speed a lot. Dogfighting a single plane might be doable, but doing so often leaves F-4F in low energy state and thus extremely vulnerable. Pilots also tend to tunnel vision on a single enemy, thus exposing themselves to other enemy planes; teammates can provide much needed cover in this scenario, allowing pilots to survive longer.

As for fuel load, F-4F performs best when afterburner is activated - but pilots should be aware that afterburner devours a lot of fuel. Thus it is not advised to take lighter fuel loads; pilots should take either 20 or 28 minutes load, depending on how much they plan to be active.

At the start of the game, pilots should first accelerate to a speed of 1,000-1,100 km/h, then climb to around 3 km altitude, and head towards the battlefield. As the F-4F is not armed with SARH missiles, climbing higher is ill-advised, as higher altitudes tend to be dominated by planes equipped with SARH missiles - those don't need rear aspect to achieve lock, as they use radar guidance and thus they can lock onto enemies from front and side. However, SARH missiles need continuous radar lock of enemy planes in order to score a hit; older radars (those without look down/shoot down ability) tend to pick up a lot of clutter (reflection of radar waves from the ground) when aimed towards ground. This means older radars lose their lock when aiming at the enemy that is below them, significantly reducing SARH missile effectiveness. By simply staying lower than SARH equipped enemies, pilots should be relatively safe (as long as they keep situational awareness). On top of that, pilots can equip chaff as another layer of protection against SARH missiles.

Pilots should not turn fight and instead stick to boom'n'zoom tactics. Luckily, thanks to excellent AIM-9Js, F-4F doesn't need to turn fight in most cases. Optimal launch range is from 1 to 3 km - closer and the missile might not be able to keep track, farther and the missile might run out of fuel before reaching its target. Missile range is dependent on several factors - altitude, the speed of the launching and targeted aircraft, their mutual distance, and the amount of manoeuvring the missile needs to do. Generally speaking, missile traveling in a straight line will have better range than manoeuvring missile. Also, missile launched from higher altitude and with initial speed advantage will also have better range. As for evading missiles, it depends on distance and type of missile launched. It is not advised to pull high G manoeuvres when the missile is launched outside 3.5 km range, as the missile still has time and energy to correct itself before impact, while the target plane just bleeds all of its energy and is left defenseless.

Missiles launched at 3-3.5 km range or greater can be dodged without need for high G manoeuvres - simply slowly zig-zagging while going fast is often enough to defeat them; this manoeuvre does not waste precious countermeasures nor energy. Of course, pilots can also turn off the afterburner and deploy flares as another layer of protection.

Missiles launched below 3 km require different tactics. As most modern missiles can pull 20 Gs or more, pilots need to get as many countermeasures as they can between them and the incoming missile; this often requires a combination with high G evasive manoeuvres, as countermeasures are not 100% guarantee and a missile that locked onto countermeasures might still continue in its path and hit an escaping plane.

If pilots need to counter ground based AA, the best tactic is to break line of sight; by either flying behind cover such as mountains or flying close to the ground.

'''Specific enemies worth mentioning:'''

* [[Mirage III (Family)|Mirage IIIs]], [[F-5C|F-5s]] and [[J35D|J-35s]]: While F-4F, thanks to its Agile Eagle upgrade, can get these planes in its crosshair, they are more than capable of out-turning F-4F in prolonged turns. On top of that, Mirage is armed with a dreaded [[Matra R550 Magic 1|Magic]] AAM that is capable of pulling 30 Gs.

* [[MiG-21 (Family)|MiG-21s]]s: Same case as above; Most of these planes are armed with [[R-60]] AAM, capable of pulling 30 Gs.

* [[F-4E Phantom II|F-4E]], [[F-4EJ Phantom II|F-4EJ]], [[Phantom FG.1]] and [[Phantom FGR.2|FGR.2]]: While these planes offer similar flight performance, they are armed with [[AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-7 SARH]] missiles, and thus have significant advantage while fighting at high altitudes.

* [[A-10A]] / [[A-10A Late]]: The A-10 presents itself as nuisance for the F-4F in a way that SARH-carrying F-4s do not have to worry about in the same way: the AIM-9J does not have the range to be able to hit A-10s out of visual range (i.e to prevent flaring) and in closer ranges the AIM-9J will be countered by the massive flare reserves available to A-10s. You will have to resort to CQC in the form of dogfighting; the F-4F's Agile Eagle package allows this to be done relatively easily, as the A-10 cannot ratefight or turnfight for a sustained amount of time (be wary about your first push onto one however, as they will still have enough energy to potentially launch an AIM-9L or get their lethal 30 mm autocannon onto you). It is strongly advised to not engage A-10s in groups, as they can effectively protect each other with their missiles and will rapidly drain you of energy and flares.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* AIM-9J's are decently flare-resistant (especially compared to Russian counterparts such as the R-60)
* Comes with internal 20 mm Vulcan cannon rather than having to equip it as an external pylon (unlike other Phantoms)
* Equipped with RWR and 90 Countermeasures
* Variety of large air-to-ground payloads, including the potent AGM-65B Maverick fire and forget missiles.

'''Cons:'''

* Heavy, bleeds a lot of speed in turns
* AIM-9J has very short range and is slower than other IR missiles that are comparable
* Lack of SARH missiles requires different approach than with other Phantoms and presents fewer opportunities to shoot down enemies
* Pure CAS loadout reduces flight performance
* Large size of airframe makes head-on attacks extremely risky, even with the potency of the 20 mm Vulcan cannon

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4f_late Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zuMxIkT1jLQ|'''Germany Suffers - Should You Grind The F-4F Phantom - Vehicle Review''' - ''Sako Sniper'' (Review starts at 0:53)}}

== See also ==

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom II Family]]
* [[F-4F Early (Germany)]]
* [[F-4F KWS LV (Germany)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

IL-28 (Germany)

2024-05-18T18:39:22Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = jet bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = IL-28 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=il_28_german
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Towards the end of WWII, multiple captured German prototype jet bombers found their way into Soviet hands, and were quickly analysed and reverse-engineered. One of the first successful production jet bombers to incorporate the technologies learned from these planes was the new IL-28 bomber, which would go on to become one of the staples of air forces of the Eastern Bloc during the '50s and '60s. One such operator was the East German Air Force (NVA Luftstreitkräfte), who used 13 of the type (12 IL-28 and a single IL-28U trainer) between 1954 and 1982, not as a bomber, but rather primarily for target tug and engine testing duties as East German bomber wings were normally outfitted with different, faster, shorter ranged aircraft at the time.

Introduced in [[Update "Raining Fire"]], the German IL-28 is completely identical to its [[IL-28|Soviet brother]], and as such it should be played the same. The aircraft fills the role of the "fast frontline bomber" previously taken by aircraft such as the [[Do 217 (Family)|Do-217]] and [[Ar 234 C-3|Arado 234]], focusing on interdicting the enemy airspace quickly, striking a single target precisely, and leaving before the fighters can scramble. In-game, it finds itself at an advantage when doing this at its battle rating, due to its generous airspawn and powerful tail gunners. All in all, the IL-28 teaches players of the German tech tree the playstyle of high speed interdiction and strike bombing, preparing them for future aircraft in this line such as the following [[MiG-23BN (Germany)|MiG-23BN]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 4,500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 866 || 842 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 49.3 || 50.1 || 16.3 || 15.4 || rowspan="2" | 1,480
|-
! Upgraded
| 945 || 905 || 46.9 || 48.0 || 24.1 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 810  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 577 || 548 || 400 || ~7 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 500 || < 600 || < 600 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | Empty mass || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel, no boosters)
|-
| colspan="2" | Klimov VK-1 || 2
| colspan="3" | 13,170 kg || colspan="3" | 326 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load, no boosters) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 23m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 77m fuel
|-
| 892 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
| 15,172 kg || 15,772 kg || 17,058 kg || 18,344 kg || 19,801 kg || 23,200 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%, no boosters)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 23m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 77m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 2,678 kgf || N/A
| 0.35 || 0.34 || 0.31 || 0.29 || 0.27 || 0.23
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 2,678 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.35 || 0.34 || 0.31 || 0.29 || 0.27 || 0.23
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | Booster (Solid fuel rocket)
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! rowspan="2" | Number || rowspan="2" | Booster weight (each) || rowspan="2" | Fuel weight (each) || rowspan="2" | Burn Time || rowspan="2" | Can be shutdown|| rowspan="2" | Jettisoned after use
! colspan="5" | Mass with full booster fuel (no weapons load)
|-
! 23m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 77m fuel
|-
| 2 || 50 kg || 190 kg || 13s || No || Yes
| 15,652 kg || 16,202 kg || 17,538 kg || 18,824 kg || 20,281 kg
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | Condition
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Maximum booster thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each booster, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="2" rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Combined engine & booster thrust @ 0 m|The total thrust produced by all engines and boosters. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100% with booster)
|-
! 23m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 77m fuel
|-
| colspan="2" | ''Stationary'' || colspan="2" | 1,682 kgf || colspan="2" | 8,720 kgf
| 0.56 || 0.54 || 0.50 || 0.46 || 0.43
|-
| colspan="2" | ''Optimal'' || colspan="2" | 1,682 kgf (any speed) || colspan="2" | 8,720 kgf (0 km/h)
| 0.56 || 0.54 || 0.50 || 0.46 || 0.43
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


;Armour plates

Front gunner

*6 mm steel plate for the front gunner's seat.
*10 mm (bottom) and 32 mm (top) steel plates behind the front gunner.
*10 mm steel plate under the nose.

Pilot

*6 mm steel plate for the pilot's seat.
*10 mm steel plate behind the pilot.
*32 mm (top) steel plate in front of the pilot (part of the steel plate behind the front gunner).

Tail gunner

*10 mm steel plate under the tail gunner.
*8 mm steel plates in front of tail gunner.
*102 mm (rear) and 68 mm (sides) bulletproof glass panes in front of tail gunner.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

The most valuable modules of this aircraft are among the most difficult to attain; the ''KD-3'' bomb upgrade is fairly mandatory for destroying any type of heavy ground target successfully, and having the ''Turret 23 mm ''and ''New 23 mm cannons (turret)'' upgrades increase the effectiveness of the aircraft's tail guns. However, being able to outrun an enemy before even engaging is often extremely useful as well.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|NR-23 (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|FAB-100M-43 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-46 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-46 (500 kg)|FAB-1500M-46 (1,500 kg)|FAB-3000M-46 (3,000 kg)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* 12 x 100 kg FAB-100M-43 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-46 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 1 x 1,500 kg FAB-1500M-46 bomb (1,500 kg total)
* 1 x 3,000 kg FAB-3000M-46 bomb (3,000 kg total)

=== Defensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Defensive}}

{{main|NR-23 (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is defended by:

* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, tail turret (225 rpg = 450 total)

== Usage in battles ==

Being a jet bomber, the Soviet post-war IL-28 occupies the traditional role of "fast bomber" previously endowed to aircraft like the [[Pe-2-359|Pe-2-359 Peshka]]. Thus, its major advantage is being able to quickly swoop down to the target area and dispense its payload without being caught by enemy aircraft. The IL-28 relies on speed, acceleration, bomb capacity, and defensive capabilities to survive. Unlike some of the aircraft the IL-28 may face, it is able to quickly accelerate, leaving would-be attackers in the dust. This single facet of the aircraft's performance is often a gamechanger, as it allows the IL-28 to quickly disengage from any dogfight or bombing run. This aircraft features a wide range of payload options including up to 3000 kg of bombs stored in the aircraft's internal bomb bay. To the naked eye, this rather minuscule payload may seem insignificant. However, by utilizing this aircraft's strengths pilots may find themselves able to single-handedly win the match by destroying all of the enemy's ground targets and running down their ticket count. This tactic of attrition is more than plausible, especially on realistic battles maps like Korea, where ground targets are often fairly centrally located and thus easy to destroy.

Unlike its American and British counterparts, the IL-28 features a heavy-hitting defensive armament of two 23 mm NR-23 cannons mounted in the tail barbette. This turret setup is unique in that it features an extremely high degree of manoeuvrability, able to almost fire straight up and down. This single aspect of the IL-28 is what truly makes it a legendary aircraft, especially among the War Thunder community. Often described as being able to fire "23 mm lasers", the IL-28's tail cannons are capable of equipping belts composed entirely of destructive fragmentation incendiary tracer ammunition. The NR-23 cannons also fire unusually quickly, which makes the aircraft's one-second burst mass very high. This makes the aircraft more than capable of defending itself, an invaluable asset in Rank V battles. There is also 102 mm glass in front of the tail gunner, making it quite hard to knock him out. The IL-28 also wields two of these weapons in forward-facing positions under the nose, which allows the aircraft to destroy softer targets like AAA and artillery.

While the 23 mm cannons are extremely potent when they strike both ground and air units, the fact that they fire so quickly makes it very possible to run out of ammunition even when firing in short bursts. Thus, a good aim is essential for success when using these weapons. The same issue applies to the IL-28's tail guns, which utilize the same cannons but with a larger ammunition pool. Having the crew "reload speed" upgrade maxed out allows the aircraft's tail guns to reload much faster which can be invaluable during an engagement. The tail gun can also be used to finish off softer ground targets after a failed frontal attack.

The IL-28 starts off with twelve 100 kg bombs which in some cases are not enough to make a true impact on the match's result. Therefore, attaining the "KD-3" and "BD-4" bomb upgrades is essential. Having these allows the IL-28 to destroy heavier ground targets such as heavy and medium tanks, pillboxes, and various heavy naval units like destroyers.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful rear 23 mm cannon turret
* Hard hitting 23 mm cannons in the front
* Very fast - many early jet fighters cannot catch it at top speed
* Powerful and flexible ordnance capacity
* Highly armoured tail gunner position
* Gunner can cover a large area of the rear and the sides because of the turret design
* Fast acceleration
* Suprisingly good turnrate, it can contest many airplanes at the battle rating
*

'''Cons:'''

* Fuel tanks are not protected by any armour
* Fairly small payload compared to its counterparts
* Able to be intercepted by Korean War-era jet aircraft
* Poor roll rate-any wing damage will often result in a roll that is impossible to pull out of
* Cockpit features no rearward visibility
* Fast acceleration means that you might break the wings if you don't pay attention
* Rudder locks up very hardly even at medium speeds, which makes it very difficult to aim, especially paired with the poor roll rate

== History ==

The IL-28 was created to meet a requirement for a bomber to carry a 3,000-kilogram payload at 800 km/h (500 mph). Although there were several previous attempts to create such an aircraft the IL-28 was the first successful design. It incorporated the new Rolls-Royce Nene engines, produced as the unlicensed "RD-45". After the completion of testing in 1949, the aircraft was ordered into production on 14 May 1949, with the new Klimov VK-1, an improved version of the previous RD-45. The IL-28 was widely exported and was utilized by almost all of the Warsaw Pact nations along with various Middle Eastern and African nations. It was license-built in China as the Harbin H-5 and in Czechoslovakia as the Avia B-228. It is known to still be in service today in the Korean People's Air Force (KPAF). Although few in number, they provide North Korea with a means of strategically bombing targets.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_28_german Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer Ilyushin}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

Leopard 2AV

2024-05-17T15:11:06Z

U56862421: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2av
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=id50190_leopard_2av_germany
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Danger Zone"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/7796-event-summer-quest-en|2022 Summer Quest event]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour is capable of defeating M735 and most early HEATFS rounds when hitting the composite armour arrays, but the lower plate is very weak due to the layout of the composite armour. There is a fuel tank sandwiched between the composite armour which will usually lead to a fuel fire or even fuel detonation when hit. It is recommended to play hull down if you don't have FPE as the hull protection is very unreliable. The turret cheeks are near-invulnerable to all but the strongest rounds. However as with all MBTs, the area around the gun mantlet is quite weak.

'''Armour type:'''


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 340 - 360 mm || 50 mm ''Top'' 20 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm || 20 - 45 mm
|-
| Turret || 320 - 415mm ''Turret front'' 250~ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 160 mm (KE) - 260 mm (CE) || 28 - 59 mm || 20 - 40 mm
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 18 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


Its mobility is what makes the Leopard 2AV great. The acceleration is good, but making sharp turns at high speed can lead to flipping. Reverse speed is acceptable, enough to get out of a sticky situation quickly.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
Start with Parts and FPE, then go for the APFSDS projectile.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}

=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L7A3 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L7A3 (105 mm)|105 mm L7A3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:L7A3 (105 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM512, DM23, DM33}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || 13 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+39)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack located within a blow-out containment
* It totals 12 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank and emptied first when firing.
* If you pack 13 ''(+27)'' shells, it will keep the hull empty of ammo.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 2. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}
There are 2 x 7.62 machine guns on the turret and 1 coaxial 7.62 machine gun. They are useful to shoot at low-flying jets and helicopters and can occasionally penetrate some lightly-armoured vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle (loader) || 2,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+75° || ±180°
|-
| Pintle (commander) || 2,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+75° || ±45°
|-
| Coaxial || 4,600 (200) || 1,200 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hull can block at least one HE hit from late game tanks without consequences (unless it was an SPG)
* Turret front is almost HEATFS proof, can survive some weaker ATGMs
* Has blowout panels, which greatly increases survivability
* 8 smoke groups
* Has 3 MGs with focused fire to get rid of slow-flying ATGMs
* Mobility is a bit better than MBTs at the same battle rating
* Most of the fuel tanks are external

'''Cons:'''

* Final ammunition has worse angled and flat penetration than [[TTD]] or [[TAM 2C]]
* No thermal scope at rank VI
* If ammo rack is hit directly through the tank, it is likely that the tank simply explodes; a penetrating hit on either side can render the tank unable to fight regardless
* While the fuel tank in the front reduces spalling, the armour plate behind it makes spall again
* The turret cheek can be penetrated by even 8.0 battle rating SPAAs, as it takes less than 50 mm of penetration
* The armour on the hull is not nearly enough to stop any APFS-DS rounds
* The turret roof is not HE proof and it is reasonably easy to hit machine guns above it

== History ==


The Leopard 2AV is a prototype tank design submitted to the US Army competition where it competed against the XM-1, predecessor of the Abrams MBT, at the Aberdeen Proving Ground. The tank is a further development of the Leopard 2K project. American Army specialists involved in the project advised to increase the tank's protection, which by the beginning of the 70s was inadequate to meet modern challenges. In 1977, a version of the Leopard 2K with a modified hull and turret was submitted for testing in the United States under the designation Leopard 2AV. The prototype went overseas as two experimental chassis and three finished turrets. The tank was armed with the 105 mm L7A3 rifled gun, developed in Great Britain. After the tests ended, the tank was equipped with a 120-mm Rheinmetall gun, right there, at the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. It was this version that later went into series production under the designation Leopard 2.

''-From [[wt:en/news/7797-development-leopard-2av-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2av Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Leopard 2 (Family)]]
** [[Leopard 2A4]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[XM-1 (GM)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7797-development-leopard-2av-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2AV]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

AGM-65H

2024-05-05T13:52:24Z

U56862421: /* General info */

{{About
| about = American air-to-ground missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AGM-65 (Family)
}}
== Description ==
The [[AGM-65H]] is one of the most modern variant of the [[AGM-65 (Family)|AGM-65 family]]. It uses a TV seeker with increased range'''(due to a CCD seeker)''' and a HEAT warhead capable of penetrating up to 830 mm-s of armour

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|saab_jas39c_hungary}}

== General info ==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |'''Missile characteristics'''
|-
|'''Mass'''
|226.8 kg
|-
|'''Guidance'''
|TV
|-
|'''Maximum speed'''
|0.9 M
|-
|'''Missile guidance time'''
|105 s
|-
|'''Launch range'''
|23 km
|-
|'''Explosive mass'''
|51.19 kg TNTeq
|-
|'''Warhead type'''
|HEAT
|-
|'''Armour penetration'''
|830 mm
|}

=== Effective damage ===
The [[AGM-65H]] has a large HEAT payload capable of destroying any tank with a successful hit. It has amazing post pen damage, but sometimes it fails to oneshot tanks.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
The [[AGM-65H]] has the same warhead that is found on the [[AGM-65A]], [[AGM-65B]], and [[AGM-65D]].

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Long lock and launch range, capable of outranging many top tier SPAAs
* High explosive mass and penetration, which ensures a critical hit on any vehicle that has been hit
* Fire-and-forget capability

*

'''Cons:'''

* Cannot be used in all weather conditions or in low visibility areas.
* Tracking a moving target requires the missile to get closer, but static tracking can be done from further away
* Cannot be fired without a lock
* The seeker head does not have a thermal sight requiring the player to find targets without it

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AGM-65 (Family)]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

F-5E

2024-03-08T18:05:23Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

The F-5 series is known to be small, lightweight, and nimble. The F-5E Tiger II, made famous by its use as a US Navy aggressor aircraft, improves on the earlier [[F-5A]] and [[F-5C]] with more powerful engines and a revised airframe, increasing its top speed, acceleration, and climb rate. It also has access to deadly AIM-9J missiles, similar to the [[F-5A (China)|ROCAF F-5A]]. In air-to-air combat, the F-5E still suffers from a subpar top speed and limited armament compared to other top-tier Rank VII fighters, but it remains an excellent dogfighter that can cover the weaknesses of heavier US jets like the [[F-4E]] and [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]] Phantoms. In the ground attack role, the F-5E packs a deceptively big punch: few would expect such a small fighter to have AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles and a 30 mm gun pod, among many other options.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 11,582 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,756 || 1,746 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.2 || 27.2 || 129.9 || 115.5 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,822 || 1,777 || 25.8 || 26.0 || 171.6 || 149.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,018 || 470 || 463 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J85-GE-21A || 2
| colspan="2" | 4,825 kg || colspan="3" | 395 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 38m fuel
|-
| 303 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 5,423 kg || 5,861 kg || 6,379 kg || 6,820 kg || 11,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 38m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 1,480 kgf || 2,220 kgf
| 0.82 || 0.76 || 0.70 || 0.65 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,575 kgf (1,458 km/h) || 3,011 kgf (1,458 km/h)
| 1.11 || 1.03 || 0.94 || 0.88 || 0.55
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The F-5E is a light fighter, as such it has no armour. If it loses its wing or tail it becomes incredibly difficult to fly. While it cannot tank a missile hit, it is surprisingly durable and can often survive a few hits from common cannons at its BR.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A3 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A3 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)
* 45 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="13" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-5E_(China).png]]</div>
|-
! [[GAU-13/A (30 mm)|30 mm GAU-13/A]] cannons (353 rpg)
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|750 lb M117 cone 45]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[BLU-1 incendiary]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| || 19 || 19 || || 19 || 19 ||
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| || 4 || || || || 4 ||
|-
! [[AGM-65B]] missiles
| || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9E Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9J Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 5 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AGM-65B missiles
* 1 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannon (353 rpg)
* 5 x BLU-1 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The F-5E is one of the most manoeuvrable fighters at its rank. The F-5E is a very prevalent gun fighter due to its conservation of energy and turn radius but has weaker guns compared to the M61 Vulcan found on other American jets.

Before taking off, consider selecting a lighter fuel load to increase the {{PAGENAME}}'s speed and lower the turn radius, but using the afterburner will eat through the fuel due to its high inefficiency. Another suggestion is to disable the {{PAGENAME}}'s radar as the {{PAGENAME}} has no radar-guided missiles, so the radar isn't necessary in combat and may harm the {{PAGENAME}}'s combat performance due to it tripping enemy {{Annotation|RWR|Radar Warning Receiver}}. After taking off, climbing too high will make the {{PAGENAME}} an easy target for enemy missiles, and without any ground to notch with or mask with it can be difficult to dodge a radar-guided missile. Staying below 10,000 feet (~3,000 metres) and going off towards the side of the battle at the start will let the {{PAGENAME}} work from the inside out, maximizing its survivability.

After the battle starts, {{PAGENAME}} pilots will want to abuse its energy conservation and turn radius to pick off threats in one vs. one fights. The {{PAGENAME}}'s primary targets should be MiG-23, F-4J, and other F-5Es as they pose a large threat to the {{PAGENAME}}'s team. In a fight, constantly check behind the {{PAGENAME}} to defend against missiles. Maintain a relatively high speed, around 550-700 mph (~880-1,100 km/h) for the best turning. Whenever the {{PAGENAME}}'s plane is low on speed, disengage and try to regain that speed.

If an enemy jet follows the {{PAGENAME}}, be prepared to defend against a missile and reverse a turn, as long as the {{PAGENAME}} has speed and is in close range to an enemy jet, the {{PAGENAME}} will be able to win a dogfight against almost anything. The {{PAGENAME}} has the advantage against most jets in a turn-radius fight except against the MiG-21, Kfir, and JA37 Viggen. These enemy jets have very similar performance, but bleeds speed much easier, so a {{PAGENAME}} pilots can try to force them to lose their speed by maintaining a turn rate fight, where the {{PAGENAME}} will hold the advantage and force them to lose their speed. When using the plane's missiles, the AIM-9J has solid flare resistance, but will be defeated most of the time by an observant enemy. Pilots should only use missiles when an opponent lacks the speed to evade the threat, or against an enemy who is distracted by a friendly. The F-5E is a huge threat in battle, and can survive against lots of enemies at once, but without teammates the F-5E becomes an easy target. If there are teammates in the area, a {{PAGENAME}} pilots can draw enemies into a tunnel vision onto the {{PAGENAME}}, which will allow allies to pick the enemies off with ease if the {{PAGENAME}} baits the enemy into a low speed turn or inside loop.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great manoeuvrability
* Amazing energy retention above .90 Mach
* Large selection of air-to-ground armaments, including Maverick air-to-ground missiles
* Generous ammunition capacity for guns
* Small target
* Improved engines over its predecessor, improving its speed and manoeuvrability
* Efficient afterburner allows the use of lower fuel reserves, improving performance
* EEGS (Enhanced Envelope Gun Sight) allows for more accurate shots
* Modern RWR with IFF + track, launch and threat type detection

'''Cons:'''

* Even though it has improved engines over the F-5C, it still has a low top speed compared to the competition
* M39A3 cannons don't deal as much damage as cannons like the M61 Vulcan, or the Soviet GSh-23L
* No BVR capabilities
* Radar lacks IFF and different search angle modes
* Can only carry a maximum of two air-to-air missiles, making this plane mostly a gun fighter
* No ballistic computer

== History ==

In the late 1960s, Northrop realized that by using an improved version of the General Electric J85 engine with more maximum thrust, the flight performance of the N-156 fighter (F-5 Freedom Fighter) could be improved a lot. During the test, the new J85-GE-21 engine was approved that it could produce almost 23% more thrust than the earlier J85-GE-13 engine used by early produced F-5A/B Freedom Fighter, F-5C Skoshi Tiger and T-38 Talon, which was 5,000 pounds maximum thrust in afterburner mode and 3,500 pounds thrust in military mode.
[[File:1200px-Northrop F-5E (Tail No. 11417) 061006-F-1234S-067.jpg|thumb|332x332px|Official roll-out of first USAF F-5E Tiger II]]
As a result, the sixth production F-5B trainer was chosen to be modified with two new J85-GE-21 engines at Edwards AFB during the summer of 1969, and this upgraded Freedom Fighter with J85-GE-21 engines was called F-5-21 at that time. Overall, the new J85-GE-21 engine's weight was 100 lbs less than J85-GE-13 engine, the length of J85-GE-21 engine was 7 inches longer than J85-GE-13 engine, and an additional stage was added to the front of the J85-GE-13's previous eight-stage compressor to provide extra power, though the single rotor structure was retained, apart from that, two auxiliary intake doors were added to the fuselage above the wing trailing edge (one on each side of fuselage) to provide additional air to the engines for added thrust during take-off and low-speed flight. In Autumn of 1969, USAF decided to hold a new competition to select a new international fighter for Allied countries, and Northrop's F-5-21 program was announced the winner of new international fighter on 20th November 1970. Northrop received the contract from USAF for the further development of F-5E fighter on 8th December 1970. In January 1971, USAF changed the new F-5 fighter's designation from F-5-21 to F-5E, and the latter was named Tiger II in memory of the previous Skoshi Tiger Combat Evaluation program in Vietnam.

As for the airborne avionics system, a Central Air Data Computer was introduced on the new F-5E Tiger II, it could convert raw air data inputs into computed output, and transmit the results to other airborne electrical equipment such as Lead Computing Optical Sight System (LCOSS) and Stability Augmenter System. The new AN/ASG-29 LCOSS replaced the analogue fixed optical sight used by F-5A Freedom Fighter and F-5C Skoshi Tiger, which consisted a gyro lead computer (GLC) unit and an optical display unit (ODU), also an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile select switch was provided to select the appropriate missile launch envelope program stored in the GLC, and the ODU contained sight controls, a mirror drive assembly, and a combing glass which reflected the aiming reticle. Late production F-5Es changed the original AN/ASG-29 LCOSS to the new AN/ASG-31 LCOSS. The most important equipment of the F-5E was the new AN/APQ-153 multi-mode, forward-looking, X-band pulse, Search and Fire Control Radar, which could provide air-to-air search, range, and track information for use in Air-to-Air gunnery and missile launch, it formed the F-5E fighter's Fire Control System together with LCOSS unit, also the late production version of F-5E used AN/APQ-159 (V) 3 search and fire control radar instead of the previous AN/APQ-153 radar.

As for the aerodynamic design, in order to increase the manoeuvrability of F-5E, Northrop decided to increase the total area of Leading Edge Extensions (LEX) sections which were 2.75 times as large as that on the F-5A Freedom Fighter, also the wing area was more than 9% greater than that of F-5A Freedom Fighter, this improvement helped to increase lift and CL max (Coefficient of Lift) in high angle attack situations, also it could improve take-off and landing performance of F-5E too. The CL max of F-5E was increased to 1.4 compared with slightly lower than 1.2 for the F-5A Freedom Fighter, and the maximum lift-drag ratio at subsonic cruise speed was 10.

Thanks to the increased maximum power of new engine, the maximum level flight speed of F-5E was increased from Mach 1.4 to Mach 1.6, the maximum climb rate at sea level was also increased to more than 189 m/s, the empty weight was increased from 3,600 kg to 4,300 kg, and the maximum take off weight was increased to 9,800 kg, also the maximum internal fuel capability of F-5E was increased from 3,790 pounds to 4,536 pounds.

On 10th August 1972, the first F-5E completed its first flight at Edwards AFB. By March 1973, six F-5Es comprised the test force. One interesting fact was that during these flight tests at Edwards AFB, at least one F-5E fighter was painted with Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) desert camouflage because at that time Iranian government was still willing to buy American military equipment. The Saudi Arabian Air Force decided to buy several F-5E and F-5F in 1976, which the program was named Peace Hawk IV, as the Saudi Arabian Air Force wanted to add the AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missile firing ability and Radar Warning Receiver equipment on their F-5 fighters, F-5E 71-1418 was chosen to conduct the test flights with AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles, also F-5E 75-00462 was chosen to test the new Chaff/Flare dispenser and AGM-65 Maverick air-to-ground missiles too. Except for Saudi Arabia and Iran, many other third-world countries such as Brazil, Kenya, and Malaysia became the customer of F-5 fighters, and the total number of countries and regions who received F-5Es was 37. Though the Imperial Iranian Air Force (IIAF) was changed to Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) as a result of the coup in 1979, but during the Iran-Iraq war in 1980s, many former Imperial Iranian Air Force pilots who were trained by the US decided to join the battle against Iraq with the name of Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force after they were released by the government, even one time a F-5E of IRIAF successfully shot down a MiG-25 Foxbat interceptor of Iraq Air Force, the total air-to-air kills made by F-5 fighters of IRIAF was 23.

By late November 1986, the F-5E/F production line in California was finally shut down after it completed the last seven aircraft on the contract. Northrop built 2,603 F-5 fighters in total including 1,399 E and F models (793 F-5E and 146 F-5F according to some sources). The first unit of USAF equipped with F-5Es was the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (TFTS) at Williams AFB, which was responsible for the majority of the training of customer nation air and ground crew, they used F-5Es until June 1989, 1,499 students around the world were graduated from the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron (TFTS). Apart from that, Imperial Iranian Air Force started to receive their F-5Es in 1974, but as the war situation of South Vietnam became worse, American decided to divert 18 F-5Es from the later Iranian order to support the Republic of Vietnam Air Force.

As a result, a total of 55 F-5Es were transported by the USA to South Vietnam before they lost the war on 30th April 1975. Except for battle damage and loss, about 27 F-5E fighters and 60-87 F-5A/B fighters that hadn't escaped to Thailand were captured by the North Vietnamese army after the defeat of South Vietnam. Through Vietnamese government decided to retain a small number of F-5 fighters and used them during the invasion of Cambodia, and they also sent some of the F-5 fighters to the Soviet Union. At first, the Soviet aircraft engineers didn't show much interest in the F-5Es because of the low thrust of the J85 engine, and they still believed that their fighters were much better than Western products. According to the estimation report of F-5E written by the Soviet engineers, they even thought that F-5E's level acceleration performance was only as slow as a piston fighter, also the estimated rate of climb at sea level was only 160 m/s. As a comparison, the true rate of climb of F-5A Freedom Fighter was 189 m/s.

Therefore, they thought that using the latest MiG-23 fighters against F-5E fighters was really bullying, so they decided to let the MiG-21bis fighter, which entered into service in 1972, conduct simulated air combat with a captured F-5E. The final result of that simulated air combat was beyond everyone's expectations: no matter what combat manoeuvre the MiG-21bis fighter did during the test, it couldn't avoid the fate of being shot down by the F-5E! The frustrated Soviet aircraft engineers decided to let their most advanced MiG-23M fighter at that time teach the F-5E fighter a lesson, but the result was almost the same: though the MiG-23M fighter could win in Beyond Visual Range engagements because of its R-23R medium-range semi-active radar-guided missile, however, the F-5E fighter could always maintain at the six o'clock position of MiG-23M fighter through various air combat manoeuvres. At last, the Soviet Union officially claimed that their aircraft was fully capable of competing with the most advanced fighter in the West at the time, but only the Soviet pilots knew that their nightmare would continue until today.

[[File:1200px-Three F-5E agressors from Alconbury 1983.jpg|left|thumb|381x381px|Three USAF aggressor unit F-5Es in formation.]]
Back in 1972, the USAF realised the need for dissimilar aircraft combat training, and they began to use T-38 Talon trainers as an aggressor aircraft at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Although the USAF wanted the more desirable F-5E jets to act as the aggressor's aircraft, the F-5Es produced at the time were prioritized to South Vietnam to save the situation. After the Saigon government finally fell in 1975, many F-5Es including those former Republic of Vietnam Air Force's planes that escaped to Thailand successfully were transported to those aggressor squadrons of the USAF, apart from their homeland, the USAF also established some aggressor squadrons in England and the Philippines to train with other fighter squadrons overseas. As for the US Navy, they also realized the need for dissimilar aircraft combat training, even earlier than the Air Force. The famous Top Gun program was first established in 1969, initially with A-4 Skyhawk, but later it was changed to T-38 Talon and F-5E. In the 1980s, the U.S Navy introduced the F-16N Fighting Falcon and Israel F-21A Kfir as the new aggressor aircraft, therefore, the use of F-5E waned. In 2009, Northrop Grumman delivered the last 44 ex-Swiss Air Force F-5E to the US Navy after modification for use as aggressor aircraft, these 41 single seat fighters and three fighters modified from F-5E and F-5F were renamed F-5N by US Navy (one interesting fact was that in 1965, Northrop also tested a modified F-5A 63-8421 fighter which was equipped with two new J85-GE-15 engine, and this aircraft was initially named F-5N too, the N referred to Northrop), these aircraft were served in VFC-13 and VFC-111 aggressor squadrons in Nevada and Florida.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-5e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Zxuj5qagO0Q|'''F-5E In War Thunder : A Basic Review''' - ''Tim's Variety War Thunder'''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/526079-f-5e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://archive.org/details/T.O.1F5E11984OCR/mode/2up/ Technical Order 1F-5E-1 - Flight Manual for F-5E/F-5F Aircraft]

{{AirManufacturer Northrop}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Strela-10M2

2023-10-31T11:32:59Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_9a35_m2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}'''(Lit. Arrow; NATO codename: '''SA-13 Gopher''') is one of the missile system that composed the extensive air-defense layers of Soviet and Warsaw Pact ground forces. As the direct upgrade upgrade of the previous 9K31 Strela-1 systems, the Strela-10M2 systems were developed as placeholder before the new [[ZPRK 2S6|9K22 Tungska]] (2S6) system could be developed by 1970s; however, the system was not very reliable against jets of its era during field tests and was delayed to mid-1970s for deployment. The systems, which could be said as the close-layer of air-defense network for army corps, are still being used by many ex-Soviet republics with upgrades introduced to the missile seeker for better counter-ECCM capabilities.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]] as Soviet's first SAM battery in-game, although the 9A35M2 launcher vehicle doesn't have divisional search vehicles (especially MT-LBU with 9S80 search radar) nor commander vehicles to search aerial targets; but hiding the vehicle and seek for opportunities to take down enemy jets or helicopters that gets too close is achievable. Be sure not to rush to the front as the vehicle have nothing but only a PKM light machine gun to harass enemies or gunning down exposed crews in very rare occasions.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The survivability of the 10M2 is lacking, which is to be expected of a small SPAA vehicle. However, it is not without some quirks that can sometimes keep a player alive.

The thickest armour on the vehicle is only 14 mm, the rest is 7 mm. This is barely enough to protect the crew from stray low-calibre MG fire and more distant shrapnel, and will not provide any protection against higher-calibre MGs, rocket and bomb explosions, or even the odd HE shell.

The interesting part of the 10M2 is its relatively uncluttered interior that can make hasty enemy shots ineffective. Two of the three crew members sit in the very front of the hull (commander and driver), with the third (gunner) towards the rear underneath the launcher assembly. The engine sits in the middle of the vehicle, with the rear section holding a few spare missiles. Therefore, when enemy fire strikes the middle of the vehicle (which many players instinctively aim for), it will often knock out the gunner and/or the turret assembly but leave the front two crew members, and sometimes even the engine, unscathed, allowing the 10M2 to get away.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The 10M2's mobility is solidly average. The engine can propel the little vehicle at a decent speed but takes a while to do so, and is not happy when climbing hills. A not often used but still valuable feature is the 10M2's amphibious capability, allowing it to reach a few places and take some shorter routes that other vehicles cannot. In all, while the 10M2 will not win many races against other vehicles, it is still fast enough to do its job well.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=341|rbMinHp=212}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|9M37M}}

The 9M37M missile is a worthy analogue to the Stinger-type missiles found on Western IR SAM vehicles such as the [[Ozelot]], [[Type 93]], and [[LAV-AD]]. It doesn't have as good lock characteristics, notably in frontal aspect engagements, but makes up for it with an overload of 20G, double any contemporary ground-based IR SAM system except for the [[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]] and the [[SANTAL]], both of which still only have 12G missiles. Against highly manoeuvrable targets, these missiles are far easier to score hits with.

There are no missile upgrades available, the stock missile is the top missile. The proximity fuse and warhead weight are both sufficient for destroying or crippling any aerial target it connects with, with the only drawback being the seeker head - it is easily decoyed by flares, a feature familiar to users of Russian aerial infrared missiles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[9M37M]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 8 (4) || rowspan="2" | -5°/+80° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 88.1 || 121.9 || 148.0 || 163.7 || 174.1 || rowspan="2" | 19.50 || rowspan="2" | 17.25 || rowspan="2" | 15.90 || rowspan="2" | 15.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 59.5 || 70.0 || 85.0 || 94.0 || 100.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:9M37M/Ammunition|9M37M}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|PKMB (7.62 mm)}}

The 7.62 mm MG on the 10M2 is pretty much an afterthought, given that open-top vehicles are exceedingly rare at this BR. However, it is very handy to have around for clearing small fences or obstacles in front of the vehicle, something other IR SAM vehicles like the [[Type 93]] and [[Ozelot]] cannot do. It is not recommended to use this as an offensive weapon against air targets given its limited firing arcs and the fact that the 10M2 already has very nice missiles for that exact purpose.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKMB (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKMB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 700 || -5°/+20° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Due to the lack of the supporting vehicles of a common Soviet AA batteries especially a radar vehicle, players will have to rely on the voicelines from the crew, the sound of rotor/jet or visual acquisition of enemy aircrafts; the other flaw that hinders the overall combat capabilities is the short all-aspect lock-on range (at only 3 km), although this is some improvement from previous ZSU-23-4 with barely 2.5 km effective range, it can still make sure enemy aircrafts would think twice before entering the battlefield for CAS operations. At such, the best way to use the 10M2 is as a short-range surprise weapon against enemy aircraft and sometimes helicopters. The missiles cannot reach as far as many of the radar missile-equipped SPAA vehicles you will often be playing alongside, but they have very good overload and do not give the enemy a radar warning. Engaging aircraft that are busy with other targets or just starting to exit the battlefield is the best way to engage, as distracted enemies are less likely to see the missile and dump flares.

The worst enemy of this vehicle is helicopters, at any range. At long range, they are outside the lock range of the 10M2's missile while being well within the range of their own ATGMs. At closer range (below about 1 mile/1.6 km), the missile is often unable to track enemy helicopters due to its launch characteristics. Helicopters around the 10M2's BR also start to get IRCM equipment, making IR lock even more difficult. High-altitude aircraft are more of the same thing, being able to loft missiles and bombs at ground targets from outside the missile's lock-on distance.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros'''

* The missiles have a high overload factor, more than any other ground-launched IR missile
* Small size, it can easily hide behind rocks, bushes, or buildings
* Except for the launcher assembly, the rest of the vehicle is very low to the ground
* Amphibious, can reach a few places other vehicles cannot
* More survivable than it seems due to crew placement and empty space in the rear of the vehicle
* Due to contrast-locking, range is on par with Stingers

'''Cons:'''

* No search radar. A 3-mile (5 km) range 9S86 tracking radar is all you get
* Engine suffers on inclines, hills are not your friend

== History ==

The ZRK 9A35M2 'Strela-10M2' was built to be the successor of the 9K31 'Strela-1' built on the BRDM-2 wheeled chassis, and is able to use the older missile from that platform if needed. Development of the new vehicle began on July 24th, 1969, with the decision being made to continue developing a new IR SAM system in spite of the [[2S6|9K22 'Tunguska']] also being developed at the same time, economical reasons often being cited as the main deciding factor to continue with both. The faster reaction time of the Strela missile system, as well as its immunity to radar jamming, were also highly desired by the Soviet Army's anti-aircraft forces.

Unlike the previous Strela system, being mounted on a lightly-armoured amphibious car, the new vehicle would be mounted on the newer and more mobile MT-LB, an infantry transport vehicle from the late 1950s. This would provide far more room for equipment and extra ammunition, among other things.

The [[9M37M|9M37]] missile went through testing from 1973 to 1974, but disappointing results forced a delay while the kinks were ironed out. Designers of the Strela system used this time to introduce improved equipment onto the MT-LB base vehicle, such as more modern radios and provisioning for easier connection to the Soviet integrated air defense system in use at the time.

The vehicle was first introduced in 1976 and has been in service ever since. Combat usage first occurred in 1988 during the Angolan Civil War, with the first large-scale use of the system being Operation Desert Storm, during which it is believed 27 coalition aircraft were hit by Iraqi missiles, with 14 of those being lost.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_9a35_m2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Western counterparts

* [[LAV-AD]]
* [[Ozelot]]
* [[Type 93]]
* [[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]
* [[SANTAL]]
* [[Machbet]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7983-development-9a35m2-it-s-time-to-master-missiles-en|[Devblog] 9A35M2 - it's time to master missiles!]]

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

RakJPz 2 (HOT)

2023-09-29T17:05:17Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = RakJPz 2
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_raketenjagdpanzer_2_hot
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. Compared to its [[RakJPz 2|predecessor]], this variant has an upgraded missile known as the '''HOT''' ('''H'''igh Subsonic '''O'''ptical Remote-Guided, '''T'''ube-Launched) that is aimed by simply sticking the gun's sight onto the desired target.

Due to its relatively low profile, the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 HOT is able to completely conceal itself behind hills and rocks and fire over them. This allows for quick hit and run strikes, and ambushes are made much easier. According to several commanders, the reverse rate of this vehicle is outstanding, allowing retreat if needed. The ATGM itself is rather glitchy in long-range flight but is outstanding in mid to close range engagements. However, it cannot fire directly in front of it, nor does the ATGM perform well in vertical manoeuvring.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (51°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm (35°) ''Top'' 30 mm ''Bottom'' || 30 mm (44°) ''Top'' 30 mm (41°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Turret has a very low profile, but is very vulnerable

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=710|rbMinHp=442}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|HOT-K3S}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[HOT-K3S]] ATGM || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 20 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+10° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.0 || 30.5 || 37.0 || 40.9 || 43.5 || rowspan="2" | 10.0 || rowspan="2" | 10.0 || rowspan="2" | 10.0 || rowspan="2" | 10.0
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.9 || 17.5 || 21.3 || 23.5 || 25.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:HOT-K3S/Ammunition|HOT}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''20''' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* It is not possible to select how many missiles to bring into battle.
* Missiles are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Missiles deplete from rack 1 then 2. Rack 3 represents the ATGM launcher.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || -5°/+25° || ±45°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The RakJPz 2 (HOT) is a very deadly vehicle if played correctly. The vehicle is extremely lightly armoured and has to be mainly played in defensive positions. The location of the launcher and sight give it the ability to hide the hull of the vehicle and only expose the launcher keeping you protected while still being able to destroy oncoming enemies.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Low profile
* Good horizontal control of the ATGM
* Amazing penetration
* Fast and manoeuvrable
* HOT missile can penetrate Rank VI special armour
* Armor can whitstand machine gun and small caliber autocannon fire

'''Cons:'''

* Poor vertical control of the ATGM
* If flanked, cannot return fire easily
* Fires up initially, preventing the tank from firing directly in front of it
* Due to the offset between the gunners sight and the missile launcher, missiles shot at close targets will be offset to the left.
* Missile launcher has limited traverse, requiring to turn the entire vehicle or make the missile turn sharply
* Can't fire missiles on the move

== History ==

{{main|Raketenjagdpanzer 2 (History)}}

===Development===
In the 1960s, development of a missile carrier acting as a tank destroyer. The result came in 1961 with the ''Raketenjagdpanzer 1'', which features the French SS.11 anti-tank missile. The Raketenjagdpanzer 1 features two mounts for the missiles, but only one is available at a time as while one remains ready to fire, the other is reloading inside the vehicle. The vehicle can hold 10 missiles inside on a Hispano-Suiza HS-30 chassis. The vehicle carried lots of problems with the HS-30 chassis so only a limited amount was made at only 95 vehicles produced from 1961 to 1962. A second version was produced alongside the [[JPz 4-5|Jagdpanzer 4-5]] between 1963 and 1965, and the two were designed on the same chassis. The finished model was designated the ''[[RakJPz 2|Raketenjagdpanzer 2]]'' and this was accepted into service in 1967 for the German Bundeswehr. The Raketenjagdpanzer 2 was produced from 1967 to 1968 with a total of 318 units produced.

===Design===
Though slightly larger than the Raketenjagdpanzer 1, the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 had better automotive performances with a newer chassis and using a 500 hp diesel engine and a torsion bar suspension. The new vehicle chassis design allowed for increased missile storage for 14 SS.11 missiles. The Raketenjagdpanzer 2 features two rails for the missiles, both ready to fire and reloads are done automatically by each mount inside the vehicle. The SS.11 missiles allow the vehicle to engage enemy armour up to 3 kilometres away, with the missiles strong enough to take out most Soviet armour at the time. MG3 machine guns were added onto the vehicle for anti-infantry and anti-aircraft defence purposes.

===Usage===
The German Bundeswehr used the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 from 1967 as far as to the early 2000s. The Raketenjagdpanzer 2's purpose was to engage enemy armour in the ranges between 1.5 to 3 kilometres away, which tank armaments accuracy and power are reduced at the distances. The SS.11 missile's range and lethality made the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 perfect for its role as it could defeat the main Soviet tanks such as the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54/55]] and [[T-62]]. The Germans organized the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 in tank destroyer companies attached to Panzergrenadier brigades and Panzer brigades, with eight vehicles per company in the Panzergrenadier brigades and 13 vehicles per company in the Panzer brigades. When the manual-guided SS.11 missiles became obsolete, the Raketenjagdpanzer 2 underwent an upgrade between 1978 and 1982 in armour and in its missile armament from the SS.11 to the '''HOT''' ('''H'''igh Subsonic '''O'''ptical Remote-Guided, '''T'''ube-Launched) missiles with improved lethality and guidance system. The upgraded Raketenjagdpanzer 2 was called the '''[[RakJPz 2 (HOT)|Raketenjagdpanzer 2 HOT]]'''. This saw an improvement again between 1993 and 1995 when some extra armour, a new optic, and thermal imaging system were installed into the vehicle. This upgrade was called the Raketenjagdpanzer 3 Jaguar 1A3. The Raketenjagdpanzers were retired from the Bundeswehr in 2005 and the Austrian army in 2006, never seeing combat in the Cold War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_raketenjagdpanzer_2_hot Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|cv79zrNctuA|'''{{PAGENAME}}: Ready for the new E.R.A.?''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


* [[JPz 4-5]]
* [[RakJPz 2]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3737-development-raketenjagdpanzer-2-the-low-profile-slinger-en|[Devblog] Raketenjagdpanzer 2, the Low Profile Slinger]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

A129CBT

2023-08-28T12:00:59Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Italian attack helicopter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AW129 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=a_129_cbt
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

After the creation of the A129 International, and its failure to be exported to other countries, Italy, Spain, Great Britain, and the Netherlands signed a memorandum in 1986 to have a better version of the A129 developed. The project, named the Joint European Helicopter, called for more powerful engines, a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, improved armament, and improved sensors. However, the project was cancelled in 1990, with Great Britain and the Netherlands buying the AH-64 Apache and Spain opting for the Eurocopter Tiger. Nevertheless, thanks to the project the Italians were able to improve the A129 and put it into service as the A129 Mangusta 'Combat' (A129CBT), which had modernised avionics. It would eventually be used in various theatres of war such as Iraq and Afghanistan.

Introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]], the A129CBT is an excellent helicopter for its low-speed manoeuvrability and acceleration that allows it to hit enemy targets and exit quickly. The A129CBT is equipped with several armaments, the best of which are the AGM-114B Hellfires that can hit enemies hard, while for defence against other enemy helicopters and aircraft, the A129CBT equips the Mistral, which can chase down targets much better than the ATAS. You can also count on a 20 mm rotary 3-barrel cannon that can shoot down most light targets.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Heli-Flight}}
[[File:A129CBT in flight.png|thumb|300x300px|A129CBT in flight]]
Outfitting the A129CBT with general payload options (Hellfires, rockets, air-to-air missiles) does not make the helicopter any slower than its adversaries, in fact at times you'll easily be one of the fastest helicopters on the battlefield. The A129CBT is able to do manoeuvres other helicopters can only dream about, even with full payload options. In Ground RB matches however, there should not be many times you'll have to move too much to avoid enemies. You are able to get good positions thanks to your speed, and, if done right, you will be able to dodge incoming missiles from enemy SPAA or jet aircraft.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 269 || 253 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 319 || 295
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Heli-Armour}}

[[File:A129CBT armour.png|300px|thumb|A129CBT - Survivability]]
The A129CBT is not very survivable. Like many helicopters at its battle rating, it is prone to exploding into many pieces after a hit from a missile. It does have some armour on the cockpit area, but in battles that won't really protect you from anything you'll face. The A129CBT uses Kevlar boron carbide, a composite material which is limited only to instrument, floor and side panels around the cockpit. It does not provide the same level of protection as seen on other helicopters.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}

{{main|TM197B (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between three presets:
** 1 x 20 mm TM197B cannon, nose-mounted ball turret (750 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm TM197B cannon + 90 x countermeasures
** 1 x 20 mm TM197B cannon + 90 x countermeasures + IRCM

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}

[[File:Hellfire rack.png|thumb|300px|A129CBT missile rack fully loaded with AGM-114B Hellfire air-to-ground missiles]]
{{main|AGM-114B Hellfire|ATAS (AIM-92)|BGM-71C Improved TOW|BGM-71D TOW-2|Mistral}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Hydra-70 M247|FN M3P (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 28 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 76 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns + 6 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 4 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 4 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 8 x BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
* 8 x BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
* 4 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 8 x ATAS (AIM-92) missiles
* 8 x Mistral missiles

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 12.7 mm FN M3P machine guns (250 rpg)
| || 1* || 1* ||
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| || 3* || 3* ||
|-
! Hydra-70 M247 rockets
| 7, 19 || 7, 19 || 7, 19 || 7, 19
|-
! AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
| 2, 4 || || || 2, 4
|-
! ATAS (AIM-92) missiles
| 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
! BGM-71C Improved TOW missiles
| 2, 4 || || || 2, 4
|-
! BGM-71D TOW-2 missiles
| 2, 4 || || || 2, 4
|-
! Mistral missiles
| 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| colspan="6" | * FFAR rockets can only be carried concurrently with the FN M3P gunpods on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==


'''Ground RB'''

The A129CBT is a great helicopter for its battle rating and is effective both in downtiers and uptiers. For Ground RB, it is recommended you bring in a light vehicle able to scout, with access to the "Air strike" modification. This will mean that once you have captured a point, and scouted a vehicle, you'll be able to get into the helicopter with Hellfires straight away if you happen to get knocked out early. This is the best strategy as if you manage to pull it off inside a match that has only just started, you will likely surprise unsuspecting enemies who might think it's still to early to worry about enemy aircraft.
[[File:A129CBT.png|thumb|300x300px|A129CBT - Weapons]]
For Ground RB, you have two options:

With enough spawn points, you can bring Hellfire missiles, the best overall loadout for the A129CBT. With the Hellfires, you'll easily be able to pick off players from a distance. If spawning in during the early minutes of a match, the Hellfires will be a dangerous weapon for pretty much any enemy vehicle you'll be able to track. If you run out of Hellfires during your match, it is advised you return to base to rearm. If not, and you haven't had the chance to use your rocket pods yet, utilize them whilst still being useful to your team. With rockets, you'll need to stay low to avoid any incoming SPAA or, if there are no SPAA, fly above the battlefield and take out priority targets. Usually, sticking behind mountains or tree lines will suffice. This should not pose a challenge as the A129CBT has access to the ballistic computer. You'll need to quickly scan, engage, and then disengage. If you feel as if you are still able to fight, you still have access to your main 20 mm cannon, which is effective against soft targets and Western MBTs.

For a first spawn, you can bring the AIM-92 Stingers or Mistral air-to-air missiles and Hydra-70 M247 rockets, or a full load of Hydra-70s. Do keep in mind that the A129CBT flies a bit sluggish with the full rocket load compared to the AAMs and half rocket load for obvious reasons. You won't be as manoeuvrable whilst bringing a full rocket load, so you must be sure that you can score multiple frags with them and the ballistic computer. This is where bringing air-to-air missiles comes into play. AAMs are great for destroying enemy first-spawn helicopters and enemies on CAS duty if you survive until the middle of the match. The Mistrals were once inadequate against helicopters, specifically Russian ones, that were the most common in matches before their respective BR increases. Since the [[Mi-28NM]] and the [[Ka-52]] now reside at 11.0, it's physically impossible to face them unless you put a 10.0 vehicle in your lineup. These helicopters were the reason Mistrals weren't effective; they were the most common and deadly helicopters, and they were quite modern as well, as these helicopters had MAW systems on board. This meant that, upon firing a Mistral at them, dozens of flares and chaff would spit out of the side of their helicopters, leading your missile off-course, whereas with a Stinger, they wouldn't do that, as they're more resistant to countermeasures than the Mistral. However, the Stingers pull less than the Mistral, and against aircraft, you'd have to shoot a Stinger when an aircraft was in a straight line. With the Mistral however, you can just fire them and the nimble 12G missile is on its way to score you yet another air frag. And since the [[Mi-28NM]] and the [[Ka-52]] are 11.3, the main drawback of the Mistrals were eliminated. The only enemy you can still face with MAW systems on board is the [[Ka-50]], but since most of their pilots sit back in a comfortable spot far away with Vikhrs, you won't attain a missile lock on them at range anyways.
[[File:A129CBT Stinger.png|left|thumb|300px|A129CBT firing an AIM-92 Stinger AAM]]
38 rockets are more than enough if you are precise with the ballistic computer. You have 19 clicks - 19 shots to destroy the enemy with 38 rockets. With enough precision, especially accounting for the ballistic computer, that could be 19 frags. With 38 rockets, you'll be more manoeuvrable compared to a full rocket load, as well as have an early anti-air capability for your team if there are no first-spawn SPAAs on your team. This is a great way to deter all helicopters, and later, CAS jets like the [[A-4B]], [[A-4E Early]], [[G.91 R/4 (Germany)|G.91 R/4 (Germany),]] and others.

'''The tactical part'''

All of this unearths a new playstyle for the A129CBT: playing tactically. You can bide your time and shoot down enemy CAS jets and helicopters that may spawn both early and later in the match, or you can fly around terrain, even capturing zones, supporting a team to a strategic point, and destroying ground targets with the sizable amount of Hydras on board the helicopter. The A129CBT is very functional when supporting allied ground units right on top of them.

One strategy is to actually take a capture point yourself. For example, in Domination matches with three capture points, the amount of enemies at each capture point is rarely balanced evenly. This leaves you to attack the capture point with the least amount of enemies and potentially capture the point yourself if the enemies are eradicated from said point and there are no nearby enemies to fire at you. Long range maps like Maginot Line and Fields of Poland are great for this. It is best to do this on long range maps, but this is doable in close range/urban matches if the player amount is small during that match or the capture point has a lot of cover for you to hide behind while capturing.
[[File:Lurk.png|thumb|A129CBT - Flying above the battlefield searching for priority targets. This is a great example of what is described here.|300px]]
Make sure not to put yourself into the fray and crosshairs of half the enemy team while close to the ground. To avoid this, fly up a bit as soon as you spawn. If you are prompted with a laser warning and you know it's an SPAA, dive while firing countermeasures and lower your collective to prevent a crash at low altitude. Usually, a laser warning means an MBT is pointing a laser at you, which isn't much of a threat. If not, you can utilize the thermal sight to determine where most of the enemy team is going and where they will be, if there are any SPAAs that haven't spotted you yet, and who will be the knot in your team's battle on the ground (for instance, an MBT in a sniper spot or a M3A3 Bradley in a hull down position.)

While you're up there, try to plot a route where you can engage while taking as minimal fire as possible, while also setting yourself a priority target like an SPAA, an MBT in a good position, or a group of light tanks/MBTs going to one area. Then, fly back down to the safety of the terrain and initiate your attack or stay high up if you haven't been spotted by enemy tanks. There are both advantages and disadvantages for flying high and low, and choosing which way to fly is usually map dependent.

When flying high, you are able to see the battlefield and identify priority targets for both you and your team. You can initiate SPAA duels if enemy SPAAs happen to spawn first or mark nearby enemies for teammates and squadmates. Diving back down low gets you to the helicopter's cruising speed of around 230-250 km/h, where you can initiate your attack run and you are able to destroy tanks of all types with the turret alone (top-down) once directly above the battlefield. Staying up at altitude with a turret is not a bad strategy at all. It's a great way to spot enemies for your teammates as well as get assists if you'd like to spawn in an aircraft afterwards.

The downsides are that you run the risk of being spotted by the entire enemy team. There is also no radar clutter for the enemy SPAAs and diving back down can result in crashing.
[[File:A129CBT 4.png|thumb|300x300px|A129CBT firing the cannon]]

On the other hand, flying low gives you the element of surprise and keeps you safe from potential SPAAs. You're also able to retreat faster as the helicopter is usually at maximum speed. However, crashing is more likely and entering the battlefield will have you subjected to a hail of bullets. If you bleed all of your speed in a turn, you will be a sitting duck and finding good targets is way harder while flying at 230 km/h just a few feet off the ground through a warzone.

With enough practice (and rockets), you can even clear out groups of light tanks rushing the capture points early in the game at range. Sniping can be applied to soft targets as well. However, it is advised that you avoid sniping MBTs unless absolutely necessary as it is seen as a waste of rockets as they can take more hits than light targets. It is best to only fire rockets at immediate threats like SPAAs.

Sometimes the enemy SPAA isn't an SPAA at all. Enemy IFVs and tanks like the [[Leopard 2K]] and the [[AMX-40]] will proudly take the role of an SPAA if one didn't spawn early on their team. This is what you need to watch out for. While flying above the battlefield, 20 mm autocannon fire and well-placed shots with ATGMs is nothing to sneeze at. Make sure to always stay vigilant against these types of tanks. The turret is more than enough to deal with the light targets like the [[M3A3 Bradley]] or the [[Type 89]], but the bigger targets like the Leopard 2K may need some Hydras down range to take out swiftly if you aren't high above them already.

In Arcade Assault, you won't have to worry about going back to base to reload your weapons as they will automatically replenish once every munition has been expended. It's recommended you bring either Hellfires + rockets, or rockets + air-to-air missiles, or a full loadout of rockets. A full rocket load is also a good choice because the rockets fire individually, meaning you can clear out entire rows of enemy tanks and greatly benefit your fight towards victory.

'''Helicopter Battles'''

When playing helicopter battles, your best shot at staying alive and being effective is to bring a load-out of air-to-air missiles and rockets. The air-to-air missiles should be used against the more dangerous helicopters like the [[Ka-50]]. They can be easily taken down, and considering that you have 4 missiles at your disposal, that is a potential of 4 easy kills. With rockets, you'll be able to take out ground AI targets. Usually, they will take 1 or 2 shots at minimum to destroy. Rockets are also quite effective in close range as a last ditch effort to come out on top when fighting a 1-vs-1. Your main 20 mm cannon is an absolute monster in this mode. Here you'll be able to easily get kills with it. It does overheat however, so shoot with moderation and pick your targets whilst keeping any other nearby enemies in mind.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very good and in most cases, unmatched manoeuvrability
* Good speed
* Deadly 20 mm autocannon
* Can carry AIM-92 Stinger or Mistral air-to-air missiles
* Very effective anti-tank capabilities
* Has access to countermeasures and a ballistic computer
* Access to IRST auto tracker which is very effective against planes
* Has IRCM which prevents the stable lock of IR missiles without ECCM
* Has more secondary armaments than its counterparts

'''Cons:'''

* Fragile, cannot tank as many hits as its counterparts
* Air-to-air missiles launch downwards

== History ==


The story of the A129 Mangusta "Combat", (also known as A129 ESS, A129 CBT and A129 Mangusta) began during the late stages of the Cold War. The helicopter began to be developed at the request of the Italian Army, whom saw the need to equip its air units with a dedicated attack helicopter with anti-tank capabilities. The A129 was the first dedicated attack helicopter fully designed and built in Western Europe. Its project began in 1978 and its final project was ready only in 1982. The A129 made its first official maiden flight on the 15th of September of 1983, at the Agusta company Cascina-Costa facilities. The flight lasted about 30 minutes. Agusta pilots were extremely happy with the results, and went on record and said that the helicopter had great handling. They had previously only performed shake down flights twice prior to the first official flight. It was given the name Mangusta by the Italian army and Agusta employees. This name was mainly chosen due to the fact that the A129 was a direct competitor of the Bell A-1 Cobra that at that time rivaled the Agusta project. (The mongoose is known for its ease in killing poisonous snakes).

One of the many characteristics that pushed the A129 Mangusta was also how versatile it was. It was able to carry many types of weapons, such as Hellfires, BGM-TOW, anti-tank missiles, Mistral/Stinger air-to-air missiles, 81 mm Medusa rockets, 70 mm Hydra rockets, and much more. At the time, the first variants of the A129 had access to the latest avionics, and incorporated both day and night capabilities and also was able to be used in bad weather, where there is low visibility. The testing and evaluation program lasted until mid-1987, when a production contract would be signed for that model, that would later generate several different variants during its career. That early version would only ever be seen with BGM TOW ATGM's and rockets. However, more armament options would be able to be fitted if needed.

Later down the line, Agusta had generated a lot of interest for this type of helicopter, so they developed a newer version of the A129 Mangusta in line with export market specifications and needs. This new version of the A129 would go under the designation A129 "International". The International went through several variations, each version had different armaments and engines fitted, such as one having access to the T800 engine, and different types of thermal imaging sights, a .50 cal turret, an enclosed 20 mm cannon, or what is now staple of the A129CBT, the 20 mm M197 three-barrel Gatling-type rotary cannon.

No country had decided to pick up the A129 International, however in 1986, the governments of Italy, Netherlands, Spain and the UK signed a memorandum of understanding to develop an improved version of the A129, called the Joint European Helicopter. The memorandum called for the installation of more powerful engines, a new rotor system, retractable landing gear, better sensors, and more powerful weaponry, but the project collapsed in 1990, when Great Britain and the Netherlands decided to buy the American AH-64 Apache, while Spain opted for the joint made French-German Eurocopter Tiger. This however was not the end of the A129 International. Although it was not bought, everything that had been learned from that version of the helicopter would actually be re-utilized for an upgrade for the Italian Army's A129s. This lead to what we know as the A129 Mangusta "Combat" or "CBT" for short. The CBT was an updated version for the Italian Army, incorporating the same advances of the International version, A-129, where the avionics were modernized and the motorization kept original with Rolls Royce Gem 2-1004D's that produced a maximum unit power of 1120 HP. The Italian Army CBTs would be used in many theaters of war, such as in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Italian Army CBTs did not go out of service. Instead, another upgrade program was made which gave birth to the A129 Mangusta "Delta". The Delta was presented in 2011. The "D" variant improves the armament and optics of the Mangusta, incorporating Israeli-made Spike fire-and-forget ATGMs. The A129 Delta will then go out of service and be replaced with an entirely new helicopter, called the A249.

=== [[wt:en/news/6989-development-italian-helicopters-en|Devblog]] ===
The modern A.129 attack helicopter is successfully used by the Italian armed forces, as well as by a number of foreign operators. The helicopter has excellent flight characteristics, outstanding speed and superb manoeuvrability. The CBT modification was created from combat experience in modern armed conflicts. The Mangusta is armed with a 20 mm autocannon and carries a good arsenal of unguided and guided weapons, including Stinger air-to-air missiles and Hellfire II ATGMs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=a_129_cbt Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="A129CBT Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:A.129 CBT WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:A.129 CBT WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:A.129 CBT WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the helicopter;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6989-development-italian-helicopters-en|[Devblog] Italian Helicopters]]

{{AirManufacturer Agusta}}
{{Italy helicopters}}

Object 906

2023-08-17T08:27:13Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_object_906
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. Combining a gun similar to that of the [[ASU-85]] on a turret, and the mobility from the [[PT-76B]], Object 906 is the perfect weapon system to flank with.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Alloy ABT-101 (Hull)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (77-79°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (54-69°) ''Lower glacis'' 20 mm (41-43°) ''Driver's port'' || 30 mm ''Top'' 25 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm ''Top'' 12 mm (40-67°) ''Bottom'' || 12 mm
|-
| Turret || 15 mm (4-50°) ''Turret front'' 25 mm (0-80°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (41-49°) ''Front'' 8 mm (22-39°) ''Rear'' || 8 mm (19°) 8 mm (64-83°) ''Turret underside'' || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour and hull underside above the tracks are 8 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|D-58 (85 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-58 (85 mm)|85 mm D-58]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 4.30 || rowspan="2" | 4.30 || rowspan="2" | 4.30 || rowspan="2" | 4.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-58 (85 mm)/Ammunition|BR-372, 3BK7, OF-372}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || 36 ''(+4)'' || 33 ''(+7)'' || 28 ''(+12)'' || 22 ''(+18)'' || 16 ''(+24)'' || 1 ''(+39)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 6* (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 15 shells.
** This rack gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
** Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader with at least 1 shell.
** The restocking time is much longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 5 into rack 7* then 6*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* Pack 16 ''(+24)'' shells to keep the hull empty of ammo.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As with every other light tank, this vehicle should be handled with caution on the battlefield since any enemy the 906 encounters can penetrate it. Use its awesome mobility and good, stabilized gun to provide a nasty surprise to the enemy from unexpected spots. Whether by river, lake, ocean, the 906 can navigate through all bodies of water within the limit of the battlefield. This tank is best used as a flanker, shooting on the move, reloading in the dark, popping up behind another hill to take another moving shot, this is a ninja tank.

;Combat tactics

'''Flanker'''

Never fight an enemy head-on since the 906 will have to aim for the enemy's weak spots before firing while they don't have to worry about the same precision. Surprise is the 906's greatest advantage. Use the Object 906's great speed to take strange, curvy, distant paths to snipe the enemy from the rear/side early in the game. Do not forget to change cover often (every 2-3 shots) since those enemies can respawn and go straight towards the original firing position with its front armour towards it, resulting in much more difficult shots. In this case, use the 906's speed to fall back behind much more armoured allies and look at the map to see where allies may need help/where an enemy has been holding out for long.

When flanking, unlike many other tanks: show the side armour. Since the armour cannot block any shot at this BR, speed is the Object 906's best option, just evade the shots and slow down solely to shoot at the enemy. In the occurrence, the tank gets hit, keep in mind that this lengthy vehicle makes APDS and HEAT rounds ineffective since they often pass straight through, such shot from the front could incapacitate all three crew members. Taking shots from the sides "isolates" each module for non-HE shells in such a way that they will only incapacitate one part of the tank at the time: the driver, the gunner or the engine. If the engine or driver gets shot, the inertia will often drag the 906 out of sights from the enemy. If the gunner gets shot, the 906 can still move behind cover to hide, the lack of gunner would then prevent the player from exposing the tank in an area the enemy knows is there. Just like a ninja, after taking a shot: hide, repair, reevaluate the situation, then move out to cause more havoc from unsuspecting locations.

If an aircraft is aware of your presence search cover or hide in a treeline, '''Do not''' give away your exact location to the aircraft by firing at it. Putting bushes on top of your tank is a good idea.

'''Rush'''

One may be tempted to charge and capture the point for the team at the beginning of a game. When capturing the point, turn the engine deck towards the enemy. This tactic can actually save the 906 from hasty shots to the hull without hindering the gun arc, though this will cause engine fires which can lead to a burning end if not handled quickly. In this case, take a shot at the now vulnerable foe and then use the FPE item to extinguish the fire. However, higher powered APFSDS will be able to go straight through the engine, knocking out the crew and the Object 906 with ease. If the captured point gets swarmed by enemies, you have two options. The first is to fall back using the good reverse gear and ESS to retreat safely to friendly lines. The second is to fight back, especially if the enemies are approaching without care. With the right position, the Object 906 can utilize its 4.3 second reload time to decimate, if not outright eliminate, the approaching enemy before they are able to respond.

'''Decoy'''

Another unusual tactic is to attract enemy players' focus to the Object 906's location. Use the amphibious capability and other great mobility features to put the Object 906 in a tricky position to reach for a non-floating/non-flying enemy (often down a cliff, beside/in the water) in such a way that some players will fall into the trap of trying to reach the 906 through methods that expose their sides to allies or falling into the water. This tactic is very situational and is not a method that should be prioritized over any other tactics. It may not win battles, but it could destroy a few enemies, reducing the number of enemies threatening the overall allied team.

;'''Tank Assault'''

The Object 906 is a very capable tank in Tank Assault gamemode, largely due to its very fast reload rate, and extremely low cost (almost 4 times cheaper than MBTs / medium tanks). Since the AIs in Tank Assault don't try to angle their armour or present their front, their sides are very often exposed, which allows the Object 906 to quickly rack up kills. You should aim to take a position where you are covered from most sides except the direction where you are shooting, but you shouldn't worry about dying, at all.

Generally, your role should be taken as the set-up/clean-up tank. You will often track or set enemies on fire, which makes them easy to pick-off for your team. If the AI are lighter targets, APHE shell will cleanly knock out the tank with a single shot. With that shell, you can also clear out any stationary AIs, even if they are at a slight angle. Remember that top-tier vehicle (Abrams, Challengers etc.) have almost no lower side armour, and you can often penetrate and kill those tanks from the side at angles up to (almost) 60°.

;Notable enemies

Any tank is a threat that should be avoided, flanked, and destroyed. However, some tanks are impervious to these tactics:

The [[Maus]] has thick flanks at nearly 200 mm that can absorb any shots if angled properly. Only fire at the Maus if it is unaware and showing its flat, unangled side, and at close range. The APHE on the Object 906 has just enough penetration to punch through the side armour. If facing the Maus head-on, the Object 906 has to worry about both the 128 mm and 75 mm cannon. If the Maus is keeping its turret faced at the Object 906, it is advised to use ESS and retreat. However, if one is defending a critical location and cannot retreat, one can use the HEAT-FS shell to penetrate the Maus at its weaker areas. Shoot the Maus on the right side of its turret face, as that will incapacitate the gunner. You will have to knock out each crew member separately. Watch out for other enemy vehicles that may be supporting the Maus.

[[T95]] (otherwise known as "Doom turtle") should not be engaged. Its good all-around bouncy armour will defeat most shots even from the Object 906 will take on the move. To defeat it, take some height at its flank and aim carefully, otherwise, it will just drag its attention. This worthy opponent has a very fast hull turning rate, turning it into an impervious wall even towards any adversary, including the 906 if it notices it. Engage only if necessary.

With the [[Tortoise]], the same caution is advised but it is way easier to flank since its side armour is flat.

Be cautious while aiming at [[IS-3]], [[IS-4M]] and [[T-10M]] since their sides can bounce the 85 mm shots. Aim at the flat side of the hull, between the roadwheels and the mudguard. That will have the best chance of knocking it out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Tank has the fastest gun reload in the rank, tied with [[JaPz.K_A2]]
* Has an autoloader, meaning that
** A high "Weapon Reload" skill on its crew isn't needed
** The gun will be reloaded while extinguishing a fire
** Injured crew won't slow its reload rate
* Very hard-hitting 85 mm, even for Rank V matches
** Comes with an APHE as a standard shot - easily capable of knocking out tanks from the side
** The unlockable HEATFS shell lets the Object 906 comfortably fight heavier tanks
* Two-plane stabilized gun allows to fire on the move and while braking on almost any terrain
* Amphibious capability lets you move around maps with bodies of water more easily - rivers can also be easily crossed
* Very fast reverse speed, about -45 km/h, with fast acceleration towards -70 km/h
* Has neutral steering
* Immune to 50.cal frontally

'''Cons:'''

* Virtually no armour
* Only 3 crewmen limits the survivability
* Turret bustle is protected by only 8 mm, heavy machine guns can easily penetrate and detonate the ammunition in the autoloader
* Turret front is vulnerable to HMG at short distances
* Prone to destruction by overpressure
* Stock experience is quite poor
** Mobility and accuracy are bad until relevant upgrades are researched and bought
* Awful gun depression of -5°
* Two-plane stabilizer becomes ineffective at speeds above 35-40 km/h, especially on rough terrain
* When firing from the water, can accidentally sink itself

== History ==

The success of the [[PT-76 (Family)|PT-76]] amphibious tank prompted the development of a successor with improved characteristics on the battlefield. The project was in development since 1960 by {{Annotation|VgTZ|Volgograd Tractor Plant}} under the leadership of I. V. Gavalov. The main purpose of this project was to create a floating tank with a more powerful main cannon than the PT-76B. The vehicle was given the project name '''Object 906''' with the lead designer being Yu. V. Sharin. In total, six prototypes were manufactured at VgTZ, two of which were tested at the {{Annotation|NIIBT|Research and Testing Institute of Armored Vehicles}} test site from January to August 1963. The tank was to receive the name PT-85 if it had been adopted for service, however it failed to do so.

The tank had a classic layout scheme with a longitudinal engine located in the hull, a crew of three people and a stabilized {{Annotation|85mm D-58|85mm 2A22, D-58}} cannon with a loading mechanism which was paired with a {{Annotation|7.62 mm SGMT|7.62 mm 56-P-428MT, SGMT}}. The tank was equipped with a TVN-2B night vision device for the driver, a TKN-2 day-night viewing device alongside with two TNP viewports for the commander and two TNP-165 prismatic viewports for the gunner. The stabilizer used named Zvezda provided a horizontal rotation speed of 0.05 deg/s to 20 deg/s and a vertical rotation speed of 0.05 deg/s to 4.5 deg/s. For firing the main cannon during daytime, a TSh2B-8A telescopic sight was used, and for night-time, a TPN-1 sight was used alongside a L-2A1 infrared illuminator. The loading mechanism of the gun was designed for 15 shots and used a special control panel to operate, allowing the tank to reach a maximum rate of fire of 14 rounds/min and a minimum rate of fire of 9 rounds/min. The total ammunition stored was 40 rounds with an usual load of 8 armour-piercing and 32 high-explosive shells.

The armour protection of the tank consisted of anti-fragmentation welded aluminium alloy ABT-101 plates with a thickness of 8, 12, 20, 25, and 30 mm. The frontal armour consisted of three armour plates, upper plate with a thickness of 20 mm at 77 degrees, middle plate with a thickness of 30 mm at 55 degrees and lower plate with a thickness of 20 mm at 70 degrees and it provided protection against 14.5 mm B-32 rounds from 100 m. In terms of protection in the event of a nuclear war, the tank was equipped with a DP-3 radiometer, devices that close all possible holes to protect the crew from a nuclear explosion shockwave and ventilation necessary to filter out radioactive dust in case the tank was fully sealed.

There were two engines used on this project, the first tank produced with an 8D-6M {{Annotation|221 kW|300 hp}} engine and the subsequent tanks with a {{Annotation|221 kW|300 hp}} UTD-20 engine with a redesigned engine bay, both of which allowed the vehicle to reach a top speed of 75 km/h while only weighing 15 tons. The transmission of the tank allowed joint and separate operation of the tracks and jet propellers, this allowed the tank to enter and exit the water in any gear, unlike the PT-76B which had to use a low gear.

The variant on display in the Kubinka museum is the Object 906 with the 8D-6M engine.<ref>Отечественные Бронированные Машины 1945-1965 гг. - Часть 1 - Легкие, средние и тяжелые танки, М. В. Павлов, И. В. Павлов (<nowiki>ISBN 978-5-85905-623-1</nowiki>)</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_object_906 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Fjh-tTr6TPs|'''Best Combo #2''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:27 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|CNyryM-9g7g|'''Object 906 - Tank Review - Frantic Biting''' - ''Napalmratte''|UDvzWT2BSg4|'''The Shooting Range #28''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:44 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[PT-76 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Object 685]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4351-development-object-906-river-mosquito-en|[Devblog] Object 906: River Mosquito]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USSR light tanks}}

ZT3A2

2023-07-29T17:55:26Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_ratel_zt3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:ZT3A2 fragility example.jpg|thumb|right|Even a single lucky hit of a 35 mm KDA cannon can obliterate the ZT3A2, avoid fighting SPAA at any cost]]
Armour of this vehicle is irrelevant as its launcher is barely protected. The launcher ammunition counts as an active ammo rack, so any ATGM or HE shell detonating next to it will detonate it as well, taking the vehicle out in process. Even hitting the missiles with any MG can cause them to detonate. Even worse, the ammo rack sometimes does not disappear after firing and definitely reappears in the middle of the reload, even though the vehicle cannot fire yet, so the operator must turn the launcher away when attacked. If the launcher is destroyed past that point, the ammo rack will not disappear but reload progress is still reset.

Frontal hull armour might sustain some MG fire from 500 m away, but it has way too many weak spots with 10 mm or even 8 mm RHA protection to be of any use. Unfortunately, the commander of the {{PAGENAME}} cannot take control of the weapon to fire, meaning that literally anything and anyone can disarm the {{PAGENAME}} with a well-placed shot.

Both commander and gunner are located in the turret, which must be exposed to fire in most cases, which makes this tank very easy to disable if not destroy outright. Sometimes, one of them will survive if tank took a glancing hit of APFSDS, and ammunition is being stored along the sides of the carrier, so with some luck such shells will pass through the entire vehicle without doing any more damage.

One might argue that the {{PAGENAME}}'s long hull might confuse enemies, but overpressure damage and missile ammo racks placed along the entirety of it make the spaced armour argument irrelevant in most scenarios. Any ATGM landing next to it will instantly destroy it, particularly the ones with 4 kg explosive mass. Missiles with wide splash radius can do fatal damage even by hitting the top of the tree 20 m away from {{PAGENAME}}.

Aircraft strafing the {{PAGENAME}} often prefer to fire at it from the top and focus fire in the middle of it, so cannon based airstrike might fail to destroy the {{PAGENAME}}, but any rockets will obliterate the entire hull due to overpressure damage.

Artillery will obliterate this tank even with a 20 m miss and any artillery warning should be a cue to leave for anyone using the {{PAGENAME}}. Sometimes the shells land far enough to only cause minor overpressure damage, but crew will only endure 4 hits at best.

The {{PAGENAME}} has smoke grenades, but these are outdated old smoke grenades and there is only one group of them. Smoke grenades are launched very high up in turret direction, so it takes 4 seconds for them to hit the ground and then 5 seconds to set in. The smoke screen has holes in it and usually is not enough to provide proper detection protection in AB, unless you park inside of it.

Therefore, the smoke must be used long before the enemy reached your position, not when it is already too late, and should not be relied on in AB. Another way to use them is to launch them at the same time with the ATGM salvo - by the time the carrier runs out of ATGMs, the smoke grenades connect with the ground, concealing the vehicle.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


In arcade battles, the stock {{PAGENAME}} drives at 30-40 km/h offroad and 60-77 km/h on dirt roads. When using paved road, it will accelerate towards 100 km/h instead. An upgraded {{PAGENAME}} does not drive much faster due to the engine only working at 1,700-2,000 RPM almost all the time, but it will reach 40 km/h almost as fast as it reached 30 km/h before and will reach its top speed on paved roads far more reliably. The maximum speed limits do not really change at all.
[[File:ZT3A2 Climbed impossible spot and sniped.jpg|thumb|right|Arcade mode: a ZT3A2 climbed an impossible mountain spot in order to deny enemy access to C point.]]
The {{PAGENAME}} tends to have a lot of momentum in its movement and will keep its speed for some time after going offroad, but also should be driven carefully to avoid losing speed by accidentally ramming something. Its mass is also not enough to plow through thick trees, so they must be avoided. When reaching maximum possible speed, the engine starts whining really loudly and the vehicle will start to shake, so turning becomes risky.

This tank also has an uncanny ability to drive uphill at very sharp angles, which may slow it to 5 km/h but won't stop it entirely. This, combined with "Tires" upgrade, allows it to climb even certain mountains. The tank can also easily climb rocks and other objects, which tend to be impossible for regular tanks to get over. Unfortunately, this ability is rarely of any use in RB due to its low camera depression, so it is mostly used in AB to sneak shots into players not expecting a missile tank firing from weird positions.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=401|rbMinHp=249}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Researching "Horizontal Drive" might make controlling missiles in RB slightly easier and will allow the user to respond to sudden flank attacks, but "Parts" should be researched first. Research "Brakes" instead of FPE to improve the {{PAGENAME}}s ability to fire fast. "Elevation mechanism" in theory could help, but isn't necessary and can be skipped. Research "Tandem missile" as soon as possible, as it will help fight tanks of higher BR. Mobility upgrades might make the {{PAGENAME}} faster, but their usefulness is very limited, with "Tires" and "Engine" bringing the most noticeable benefit. "Smoke grenades" might help the {{PAGENAME}} to survive in between reloads or if it got caught in a crossfire, so it might be a good idea to research them first instead. "Laser rangefinder" is only really useful to see if the enemy is within the missile attack range, but it will also trigger laser warnings and is useless in AB, so it can be researched last.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|ZT3}}

There are two main missiles on the {{PAGENAME}}, The ZT3A1 and ZT3A2. Both missiles are laser-guided, which makes them immune to jamming by IRCM and allows the carrier to guide them all at once. Both missiles have reasonably strong vertical drive and rather sluggish horizontal drive, allowing operator to quickly shift them up or down, as long as they do not try to change their flight direction, in which case the missiles will start to lose control and wiggle, only stabilizing after at least 400 m. These missiles also can cause overpressure damage through more RHA than would be expected from a normal HEAT warhead, meaning they can destroy many medium tanks by hitting their turret's rooftop.

The missiles are loaded in magazines of 3 missiles with 4 magazines or 12 missiles total. They aren't reloaded if the launcher is damaged. Each shot forces a 0.6s reload. Missiles fire off in order from the right to the left. Missiles struggle to take off and initially take vertical stance, sometimes even obscuring the gunner vision, so attempts to launch them downward while having the launcher peek over an object is likely to make them explode on launch.

In AB/RB the guiding "camera" is located in the launcher, which means that it can fire and guide straight after exposing the launcher. In SB, missiles are guided by gunner's optics under the launcher, which means that the hull must also be exposed.

In terms of speed the ZT3A1 can be treated like a [[MILAN 2]] with 40 more km/h speed on it. It often fails to break through light tanks and will only destroy ERA screens, but not break through them in most cases. Regardless, they are still very strong and there are 3 of them at once, so it is possible to destroy an entire tank squad if they are not paying attention to their surroundings and stand close to each other. These missiles can cause overpressure through 20 mm RHA, which means one can destroy [[Leopard_1_(Family)|Leopard]] by hitting the top of its roof.

The ZT3A2 has a tandem warhead, which allows it to penetrate one obstacle (primarily, ERA of Soviet or French tanks) without wasting the HEAT payload, and it in general has more penetration than all of the rank VI ATGMs, easily breaching and obliterating any tanks they land on. Unfortunately, some light tanks like the [[TAM]] can still somehow survive a direct hit, so aiming at weak spots is still recommended. This missile can cause overpressure through 30 mm RHA, so even many Soviet tank roofs aren't safe from it, so even if they hide the hull they are still an easy target.

Both missiles are easier to aim by using sniper scope, even in arcade mode and at point blank range, as sniper scope makes it easier to see missile position via light it emits onto ground and thus easier to force them to fall into enemy cover.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ZT3]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 12 (3) || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 35.2 || 48.8 || 59.2 || 65.5 || 69.7 || rowspan="2" | 19.50 || rowspan="2" | 17.25 || rowspan="2" | 15.90 || rowspan="2" | 15.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:ZT3/Ammunition|ZT3A1, ZT3A2}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)}}

This MG fires way too slowly to be of any combat use, but if the {{PAGENAME}} is attacked by a hostile ATGM carrier, it should be fired at the incoming missiles with an about 5% chance of shooting them down mid-air.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


'''Arcade mode'''

It can be used on a map with a road leading off your spawn towards capture point to quickly take over a strong defensive position. Do note, that it will only reach maximum speed if uses asphalt road and it might need a head start for that anyway. Any position that enemy has to attack into and cannot attack indirectly is worth taking over like this. For example, on the map "[[Middle East (Ground Forces)|Middle east]]" it can rush into north capture point and fall down into cover of a bunker or change direction to drive behind a building to avoid being sniped. This position is well protected, and also allows it to abuse simplified AB ATGM controls to deny any access to the capture point for the enemy team, as it has strong vertical missile control and can snipe attacking enemy tanks by just pointing sniper scope at them after firing out and over cover.
[[File:ZT3A2 lean on a mountain to land a shot.jpg|thumb|right|If it's difficult to aim from the low ground due to the LOS limitations, or there are roadblocks in the way, remember to use the carrier's climbing abilities. This might even make some shots possible in RB.]]
It can also be used to drive to the side of attacking enemy to sneak shots into them. You can also do this in more provocative manner by hiding behind buildings next to them, but be aware that you then have to rely on your team to act as a distraction and you should avoid being seen and especially avoid or destroy light tanks to not get unnecessary attention. While sneaking in AB is difficult, it is still rather easy to sneak upon Soviet players and heavy tanks in general as long as you understand the game mechanics. Do note, that in AB the {{PAGENAME}} does not have the constraints of "gun depression" and is able to fire off any kind of ground spikes, therefore it might be a good idea to climb any weird ground formation or rocks if it allows you to fire over buildings or other enemy cover, or at least give you a second before the enemy can process what is going on and react. In case enemy light tanks with chemical weapons did spot you, it's often possible to still beat them by hiding behind destructible building, waiting for them to pull out of cover to stare at you, then unloading the entire magazine onto them through your own cover, instead of going around it. This kind of move is considered pure insanity for the tanks with just one or two weapons, but not for 3-shot magazine of the ZT3A2, since even after your cover is gone, you still have one or two shots to destroy any opponent jumping in for a free kill.

There is also a possibility of using the {{PAGENAME}}'s tall profile to fire over or through the openings of indestructible buildings at the tanks standing on the other side, for example big tall windows of churches, which can allow you to capture a point with minimal effort. It is also possible to fire through some street corners, as many of them have little openings and cracks which are often overlooked, such as ones on south side of [[Port Novorossiysk]] domination mode, when there can be at least 6 tanks waiting for you to rush them, but not noticing a very little window next to them which you can fire through. This tactic is usually successful, as at close range it is impossible for regular tanks to fire back, and at long range your launcher is such a small target, only a specialist will be able to notice and hit you back. Be careful with the missile launching pattern, as to not hit your own cover. Do not forget that the ZT3A2 can destroy many medium tanks by hitting their commander cupola, so it's not necessary to even engage them directly most of the time.

It can be easily used as a sniper tank, with main advantage of it being able to destroy an entire tank group almost simultaneously or obliterate enemy cover with first missile, which is immediately followed by another two hitting their turret and hull. Multiple missiles can be sent over cover if target managed to survive the first hit as well. Likewise, it is possible to just send all 3 missiles through forest in hopes that they will be able to brute force the foliage and hit enemy tanks anyway. It is also possible to drive missiles into enemy ATGM tanks over hills when they are reloading, but it might be too difficult to time correctly, unless missile is guided next to the ground and you keep its position by tracking the light it emits onto the ground. Remember to immediately hide after such attacks and in general fire into enemy tank sides to avoid being countersniped.

In any case be very wary of your reload timings - locate targets, gain as much of unfair advantage over them, like tall cover you can fire over and they cannot, as possible, then fully commit to your attack when they seem to lose focus. Each shot forces a 0.6 second "reload" and in that time you must point missile on your first target and decide who needs to be destroyed next, then fire next missile. If the enemy group is very spread out, guide each missile till the very end and focus on enemies which clearly noticed that they are being attacked and start turning towards you. After firing three shots, back off into cover before anyone decided to fire back. If enemy managed to destroy the launcher, turn around and make a complete retreat, especially if it was already empty, as repair will take at least 5 seconds and reload after this will take from 15 to 20 seconds, making you unable to recover from that kind of damage fast enough.

Overall, in AB the {{PAGENAME}}'s efficiency depends on a lot of factors outside of players control - if everyone will focus on it, you will not be able to do much, especially from long range, as it takes just one or two good hits of virtually any weapon to destroy the {{PAGENAME}}, but you should be already used to play around enemy with aim assist at this point.

'''Notable enemies'''

* Proximity missile carriers: avoid gaining attention of the a vehicle with TOW-2B or [[Rbs 56|BILL]] missiles since their missiles can explode above enemy tanks and the {{PAGENAME}}'s armour is too thin to survive overpressure damage. Locate and destroy them immediately, if you can, or run very far away, as simple cover of a hill or a wall won't save against them. If forced to fight them head-on (preferable in AB only): ensure that your launcher is fully loaded, position yourself as far away from them as possible and put the hull low behind cover to avoid being obliterated by a gun, but high enough to be visible. Natural reaction to this for most such light tanks is to start spamming ATGMs at you, this is where the 3-shot magazine of the ZT3A2 comes into play. Since proximity missiles have the tendency to react to anything they fly next to, your answer should be firing a missile of your own. Once they are out of ammo, drop the third shot straight into their turret or run.

* Wheeled light tanks: the ZT3A2 is on average two times slower than light tanks on wheels at the same rank due to its negligible offroad speed, as it averages at a speed of a fast medium tank or slower light tanks even with the best player effort. It is too likely to meet a player, that can and will fire their guns while driving at a full 90+ km/h, but maybe you will be able to do an emergency stop and destroy them (or at least destroy eachother). It is even more likely to meet 4 of such tanks already standing next to a capture point that you were intending to attack, so don't be overconfident and be careful with rushing attacks into capture points with lots of low cover (which the ZT3A2 can't use as it's too tall). Do not act as if you are the only person who can rush, as otherwise the ZT3A2 will get gunned down before even doing anything, since it can't fire on the move.

* [[XM-1 (GM)]]: this tank has NERA screen in the turret, and is as fast as a light tank. Try to hit it in the hull or at least angle the missile down before it lands on the turret, if you use the default missile. Tandem missile should be able to penetrate it regardless. Avoid engaging it directly, as it has way too many machine guns.

* [[IT-1]]: This tank is more dangerous than it seems, as it can fire on the move and is difficult to hit. Try to not park next to trees or walls when fighting it to avoid being overpressured. Fortunately, due to the insane overpressure damage of the ZT3A2, it is possible to destroy IT-1 by hitting its missile or the fake panel on the turret's front that allows it to reload, as it's only 25 mm thick. Therefore, it's best to attack when IT-1 is about to reload - since their missile rack does not explode from damage, they are often very arrogant and are unlikely to try and dodge your shot, instead they will move in to fire. Another opportunity to hit them is to fight them over a hill and abuse strong vertical drives of your missiles to hit them as they retreat, but it's less feasible in RB/SB.

*[[T-55AMD-1]]: this tank is annoying, as if it is looking in your direction, this means that it can shoot down your ATGM with its active protection system. There are at least 2 guns with 2 shots each covering each 20 degrees in front of the turret. Fortunately, the protection arc is quite narrow, its reaction time is not great, it seems to not understand if there are multiple missiles flying after one another, and there are blind spots on the lower half. Generally, the system shoots down missiles high in the sky, but fails to hit missiles that go along the ground, and it will fail to stop any missiles suddenly appearing from behind an obstacle (for example, if the tank doesn't fully expose the turret over a hill). To straight up obliterate it frontally, launch at least two missiles and guide them to a single side of the tank to overload APS (do not shake them horizontally or APS on both sides of the turret might fire) and crush the tank.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Is able to use tandem missiles, which penetrate ERA at almost any angle of attack and also have a chance of penetrating the [[IPM1]]'s turret frontally if user controls them well
* Missiles can cause overpressure damage through more armour than normal HEAT ATGM, meaning it's possible to destroy tanks by hitting their cupolas, even if they try to avoid fighting you
* Has a three-shot launcher, which is a step down from the [[Striker]], but it can guide all three missiles simultaniously
* Missiles are immune to jammers
* Can relocate fast on maps with a lot of paved roads after having researched mobility upgrades and often can get to the advantageous position in the beginning of the match before being sniped
* Missiles have reasonable vertical mobility, though this is often irrelevant in RB due to mediocre camera depression
* While clumsy, the {{PAGENAME}}'s chassis are able to climb at very sharp angles (60-70 degree inclination even when stock in AB) and it can get on top of certain objects the [[Striker]] or other ATGM tanks would not be able to climb
* Tall profile allows it to fire directly over certain cover which other tanks normally see as a full cover or an indestructible wall, for example, destroyed building debris, cargo containers or a church, potentially surprising some enemies

'''Cons:'''

* Missiles do not turn well in horizontal plane and are especially unresponsive in RB, can easily overshoot during a turn if used incorrectly
* Vertical depression is not too great on the launcher, and missiles tend to crash into the carrier's own cover, which can limit launch options from high ground in RB or at point blank range in any mode (not as much of an issue in AB)
* In SB, the hull must be exposed to make a direct shot and almost any responding shot to the top of the hull will destroy weapon, ammo rack, or enough crew to count as crew knockout, even a single glancing hit from [[ZSU-57-2]] may be enough. In AB/RB it still have to be careful, as any direct hit to the missiles will make them explode the carrier
* Slow when drives offroad and in general drives more like a bus rather than a tank or a regular armoured car
* Must make a complete stop to fire, which makes it incapable of fighting any kind of light tanks or SPAA directly
* Missiles are only 20-40 m/s faster than MILAN.
* Reloads only after spending all three shots (but reloads all three at once), does not automatically reload during rearm like the [[Striker]]
* Has obsolete smoke grenades and only has one group of them
* Too tall to drive under bridges on most maps (on some maps, cannot attack a capture point with others)

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7059-development-ratel-zt3-a2-the-sharpshooting-honey-badger-en|Devblog]] ===
In the early 1960s, the South African military already identified the need for anti-tank missile capabilities. Subsequently, this led to South Africa procuring the MILAN ATGM in the early to mid 1970s. However, early use experience with the MILAN highlighted the weapon's unsuitability for the African tropical conditions.

Being a wire-guided missile, the MILAN's control wire had a tendency to get caught up in the thick African bush and get severed, causing the missile to go off target and making engaging moving targets even more challenging. As a result, the decision was made to procure a laser-guided missile. However, as international arms embargoes were imposed on South Africa, simply acquiring an existing weapon off the export market wasn't possible. Therefore, South African engineers at the Kentron company went about designing their own laser-guided ATGM in the late 1970s.

The result of this undertaking was the creation of the ZT3 missile system. By the time the ZT3 system had been ready for production in 1986, plans were being drawn up for a modified Ratel 20 housing the newly developed ZT3 missile launcher in a modified Ratel 60 turret. The modified Ratel with the ZT3 missile system was developed in order to supplement the Ratel 90s in anti-tank operations as the latter often struggled to engage heavy armour in direct combat.

The Ratel ZT3-A1 entered production in 1987 and around 90vehicles of the type had been built by 1993. The ZT3-A2 was introduced in 2008 and continues its successful operation with SANDF units till the present day.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_ratel_zt3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 07.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


* [[Ratel (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7059-development-ratel-zt3-a2-the-sharpshooting-honey-badger-en|[Devblog] Ratel ZT3-A2 - The Sharpshooting Honey Badger]]

{{TankManufacturer Sandock-Austral}}
{{Britain tank destroyers}}

[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Flz Lwf LB 82

2023-07-23T18:13:16Z

U56862421: /* External links */

== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|hunter_f58_switzerland}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 210.47 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || TV
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 0.9 M
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 105 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 23 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 51.19 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Warhead type''' || HEAT
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 830 mm
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===

It is the same weapon as the [[AGM-65B|AGM-65B.]]

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

* https://www.gazette-online.ch/blog/nunc-tincidunt-elit-non-cursus-3-6-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-3-3-4-2__trashed-2-2-4-2-2-2/
{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Flz Lwf LB 82

2023-07-23T18:12:19Z

U56862421: /* Comparison with analogues */

== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|hunter_f58_switzerland}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Missile characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 210.47 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || TV
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 0.9 M
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 105 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 23 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 51.19 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Warhead type''' || HEAT
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 830 mm
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===

It is the same weapon as the [[AGM-65B|AGM-65B.]]

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

La-200

2023-07-21T10:06:19Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=la_200_toriy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit = cockpit_la_200_toriy.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,087 || 1,061 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.9 || 27.8 || 38.7 || 37.0 || rowspan="2" | 700
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,110 || 1,101 || 25.6 || 26.0 || 58.7 || 47.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 627 || 598 || 450 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 600 || < 700 || < 750 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Klimov VK-1 || 2
| colspan="2" | 7,700 kg || colspan="2" | 257 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 31m fuel
|-
| 892 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
| 8,456 kg || 9,363 kg || 10,269 kg || 12,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% (front / rear) || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 31m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 2,430 / 2,520 kgf || N/A
| 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.48 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 2,430 / 2,520 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.48 || 0.40
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|N-37D (37 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 3 x 37 mm N-37D cannons, chin-mounted (50 rpg = 150 total)

== Usage in battles ==


Speed is your greatest advantage. The La-200 can outrun every jet at its BR and even some jets at higher BRs. At the beginning of a match try to gather speed as soon as possible. In a game, if you accelerate up to about 1,000 km/h no one will catch you even if they dive on you. You can use your speed to zoom climb and surprise any climbing (or unsuspecting) players. Remember that other fighters will be more manoeuvrable and that you can't afford taking any hits (top speed drops horribly if you get hit). Always make sure that you have enough energy to run away from the enemy if you miss. And you will miss a lot, the 37 mm cannons are hard to lead and quite inaccurate, so it is not recommended to use them at long distances. They are, however, extremely effective when they hit (one shot is almost always enough) so it's possible to get many kills without landing.

===Radars===
{{main|Toriy}}
The La-200 is equipped with a [[Toriy]] search radar, located in the radome in the centre of the air intake.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | [[Toriy]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Guaranteed Detection Range|The range, below which, detection of a target is practically guaranteed}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
|-
| 15,000 m || 12,000 m || ±30° || ±32°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely high top speed for its battle rating
* Able to break the sound barrier in a dive
* Insane roll rate for Soviet standards, specially at high speeds
* Good acceleration up to 800 km/h
* Good climb rate and acceleration provides great zoom climb capability
* Hard-hitting guns with decent rate of fire
* Second pilot takes over if the first one is knocked out
* Effective airbrake
* Flaps can help turn (if used properly)
* Has access to a target detection radar with decent range

'''Cons:'''

* Horrible low speed performance
* Elevator locks up at high speeds, can lead to a crash if you're not careful
* Guns have some noticeable dispersion
* Guns have relatively low ammo count (50 shells for each gun, 150 total)
* Huge target with no armour
* No payload (no access to bombs/rockets)

== History ==


In 1948, Soviet high command issued a requirement for a two man, all-weather, twin -engined jet interceptor that would be capable of carrying a new type of radar system called "Toriy" (Thorium). All three Soviet design bureaus (Lavochkin, MiG, and Sukhoi) developed a prototype for testing.

Lavochkin's design, the La-200, had a long fuselage to accommodate its two turbojet engines, swept wings, and a large cockpit for two men. The La-200 took its maiden flight on September 9th, 1949. It was the only aircraft of the three designs to pass initial trials.

By the early 1950s, the La-200 was ready to enter production under the official designation La-17. However, due to the appearance of the Yak-120 (later known as Yak-25), which surpassed the La-200's performance in testing, the La-200 order was cancelled in favor of the Yakovlev design.

Only a single prototype of the La-200 was ever built, and it was modified several times during development to improve performance, correct flaws, and test other radar systems.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5319-development-la-200-the-high-speed-kite-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=la_200_toriy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|bZvHRgBda9s|'''La-200 vs M.D.452 IIA''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9VBAWLdfLcw|'''The Shooting Range #90''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:03 discusses the La-200.|t3xD7JpnHeI|'''Best aircraft for Boom & Zoom''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:21 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5319-development-la-200-the-high-speed-kite-en|[Devblog] La-200: The High-Speed Kite]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/402782-la-200-toriy/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Lavochkin}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Flz Lwf LB 82

2023-07-07T07:46:34Z

U56862421: /* General info */

== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|hunter_f58_switzerland}}

== General info ==
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" |'''Missile characteristics'''
|-
|''Mass''||210.47 kg
|-
|''Guidance''||TV
|-
|''Maximum speed''||0.9 M
|-
|''Missile guidance time''||105 secs
|-
|''Firing range''||23 km
|-
|''Explosive mass''||51.19 kg TNTeq
|-
|''Warhead type''||HEAT
|-
|''Armour penetration''||830 mm
|}
=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
It is the same weapon as the [[AGM-65A]].

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

ZSU-23-4

2023-06-27T15:34:24Z

U56862421: /* Description */

{{About
| about = Soviet SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = ZSU-23-4 (Israel)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_zsu_23_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. The "Shilka" presents a higher rate of fire than its predecessor [[ZSU-37-2]] and allows the user to saturate the airspace to increase the chance of hitting a low-flying aircraft.

The Shilka preforms more or less like a roided up Wirbelwind, minus the tank hunting ability. As such, the fewer the planes that know your location the better. If one is headed your direction, let them get as close as possible (within reasonable safety, of course) before opening up, to guarantee a hit. The few props and lower rank jets that occur at top rank are easy pickings at most distances due to the wide spread of the 23mm river, but 9.0 jets are trickier to hit, even at medium ranges, so the more of an element of surprise you have, the better.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9.4 mm (57°) || 9.4 mm || 9.4 mm (46°) ''Upper'' 9.4 mm (22°) ''Lower'' || 9.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 8.9 mm (23°) || 8.9 mm (8-10°) || 8.9 mm (1°) || 8.9 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 9.4 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=398|rbMinHp=248}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|AZP-23 (23 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|23 mm AZP-23]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 2,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 850 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 61.6 || 85.3 || 103.6 || 114.6 || 121.9 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 41.6 || 49.0 || 59.5 || 65.8 || 70.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEFI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:AZP-23 (23 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, API-T, HEFI-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Radars ===
{{main|1RL33}}
The ZSU-23-4 is equipped with a [[1RL33]] search and tracking radar, mounted on top of the turret, at the rear. The radar system lacks track while scan, but can track targets in a full 360° area around the turret (instead of just to the front of the turret). The radar has very slow scan speed.
{{Notice|By default the radar will scan a 60° arc, this can be changed to a 360° scan if desired, using the "change radar search mode" key.}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| 20,000 m || 100 m || ±30° (optionally 360°) || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| 16,000 m || 100 m || 360° || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZSU-23-4 should be played entirely as an AA vehicle. Do not go tank hunting in this vehicle, as you do not have the armour or the penetration. Focus on keeping the skies clear, something that this vehicle does very well. A high rate of fire and very fast turret traverse means that you should be able to target and destroy even the fastest jets.

You have a high ammo count with this vehicle, meaning that you can afford to find a good spot away from the main fight in order to pick off enemy planes. Unless you need to reload your ammo, avoid spawn points. They are usually the hub of most of the fighting and going to them will put you in the firing line.

While it is fully enclosed, the ZSU-23-4 has armour which makes the M18 Hellcat look like a heavy tank. Even 7.62mm machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. This makes you a primary target for aircraft, which at this vehicles BR are usually armed with cannons or high penetration machine guns, which will easily take you out.

Top rank helicopters and the FJ-4B VMF 232 are the greatest threat to your existence. They are both capable of sitting comfortably outside your firing range while firing lethal ATGMs at you. Hide from them until they are either dealt with by an allied plane or they come close enough to be dealt with by your 23 mm cannons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire; allows for area saturation
* Relatively high top speed
* High ammo count
* Fast turret traverse
* Can penetrate lightly armoured vehicles (other SPAAs)
* Radar-assisted fire control; a lead indicator is shown in Realistic.

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour; aircraft cannons will cause severe damage
* Low power to weight ratio; struggles with slopes and off-road
* Low penetration for 23 mm cannons; means troubles penetrating certain MBTs from the side
* Radar has very low scan speed

== History ==


===Development===
The main Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle [[ZSU-57-2]], in service since 1955, did not perform satisfactory due to the lack of radar tracking, low rate of fire, and small ammo count for its high-power autocannons. Its firepower was supplemented by the ZPU and ZU series of anti-aircraft mounts using the 14.5 mm and 23 mm armaments respectively. The ZPU and ZU were towed or truck-mounted and had a high rate of fire, but suffered from low mobility when not on a truck and lack of protection if mounted on a truck for a mobile role. It became desirable to combine the traits of these two type of anti-aircraft weaponry together for a tracked anti-aircraft vehicle to be protected, have good mobility, contain a good amount of ammo, and deliver a high rate of fire with heavy-hitting calibre.

Development started in 1957 for this vehicle, ready to be evaluated in 1962. The vehicle went under the name '''ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"''', named after the Shilka River in South-Eastern Russia. The first set of digits signifies the calibre, 23 mm, and the second signifies the number of cannons, 4. Equipped with four water-cooled 23 mm autocannons, the ZSU-23-4 is aimed via manual optics or with a radar that can track aircraft up to 6 km away and guide the armaments to a estimated coordinate. The vehicle can carry up to 2,000 rounds of 23 mm ammunition and each cannon has a fire rate of between 850-1,000 rpm. The ZSU-23-4 was built on a GM-575 chassis, which itself is based off the [[PT-76B|PT-76]]. It was accepted for service by the Soviet Army in 1965 and proceeded to replace all the ZSU-57-2 still in stock by the 1970s. From the time period 1964 to 1982, up to 6,500 ZSU-23-4 were produced at the Mytishchi Engineering Works.

===Combat usage===
The Soviet Army used the ZSU-23-4 as their main anti-aircraft defense weapon. It was intended that the ZSU-23-4 only guard military bases and mechanized formations while the ZSU-37-2, a side development during the Shilka's development period, guard the low-altitude area unable to be hit by surface-to-air missiles. However, the ZSU-23-4 Shilka eventually replaced it to keep a logistics simple. From Soviet doctrine, the Shilkas were organized in anti-aircraft artillery batteries with two platoons of four vehicles each. Initially, one platoon was filled with ZSU-57-2's and the other with Shilkas, but the ZSU-57's were replaced in service by the Shilkas in the 1970s. In the 1970s, the batteries were also reorganized to one platoon of Shilkas and one platoon of anti-air missile systems, both meant to supplement the dead zone from the divisional surface-to-air missile systems. The Shilkas, being very lightly armoured, mainly stay behind the main forces and the front line, ranging between 400 to 1,000 m away from the fighting. Though each Shilka unit fought with their own radar system initially, the implementation of the PPRU-1 allowed for coordinated targeting between the Shilka and missile units against enemy aircraft. Despite their intended role as an anti-aircraft, the high rate of fire, heavy calibre, and ability to elevate the guns at a high angle made it a very popular ground support weapon. This utility made it a very useful weapon in the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, being able to fight the Mujaheddin ambushing from mountainous terrain. The Soviets also used it during the War against Chechnya, fighting the Chechens in the mountains. The ZSU-23-4 still sees use in the Russian Naval Infantry.

The ZSU-23-4 saw more usage in the hands of the Soviet Union's allies. 2,500 of the Shilkas produced were given out to up to 23 nations. It's most infamous records would come from the hands of the Arabs in the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Using the SA-6 surface-to-air missiles, they forced the Israeli planes to fly low to avoid missile detection and then blasted them away with the Shilkas. The Shilkas also saw use in the later part of the Vietnam War, where they are used nearly the same way by attacking aircraft forced low by missiles. Past that, the ZSU-23-4 saw usage in multiple conflicts in the Third World countries and are still in use today in the Syrian Civil War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_zsu_23_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


'''Similar role in USSR'''

* [[BTR-ZD]]

'''Analogues on other nations'''

* [[M163]]
* [[SIDAM 25]]
* [[AMX-30 DCA]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4243-development-zsu-23-4-shilka-river-of-fire-en/|[Devblog] ZSU-23-4 Shilka: River of Fire]]

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

ZSU-23-4

2023-06-27T15:33:44Z

U56862421: /* Description */

{{About
| about = Soviet SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = ZSU-23-4 (Israel)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_zsu_23_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]]. The "Shilka" presents a much higher rate of fire than its predecessor [[ZSU-37-2]] and allows the user to saturate the airspace to increase the chance of hitting a low-flying aircraft.

The Shilka preforms more or less like a roided up Wirbelwind, minus the tank hunting ability. As such, the fewer the planes that know your location the better. If one is headed your direction, let them get as close as possible (within reasonable safety, of course) before opening up, to guarantee a hit. The few props and lower rank jets that occur at top rank are easy pickings at most distances due to the wide spread of the 23mm river, but 9.0 jets are trickier to hit, even at medium ranges, so the more of an element of surprise you have, the better.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9.4 mm (57°) || 9.4 mm || 9.4 mm (46°) ''Upper'' 9.4 mm (22°) ''Lower'' || 9.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 8.9 mm (23°) || 8.9 mm (8-10°) || 8.9 mm (1°) || 8.9 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 9.4 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=398|rbMinHp=248}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|AZP-23 (23 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|23 mm AZP-23]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 2,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 850 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 61.6 || 85.3 || 103.6 || 114.6 || 121.9 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 41.6 || 49.0 || 59.5 || 65.8 || 70.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEFI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:AZP-23 (23 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, API-T, HEFI-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Radars ===
{{main|1RL33}}
The ZSU-23-4 is equipped with a [[1RL33]] search and tracking radar, mounted on top of the turret, at the rear. The radar system lacks track while scan, but can track targets in a full 360° area around the turret (instead of just to the front of the turret). The radar has very slow scan speed.
{{Notice|By default the radar will scan a 60° arc, this can be changed to a 360° scan if desired, using the "change radar search mode" key.}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| 20,000 m || 100 m || ±30° (optionally 360°) || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| 16,000 m || 100 m || 360° || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZSU-23-4 should be played entirely as an AA vehicle. Do not go tank hunting in this vehicle, as you do not have the armour or the penetration. Focus on keeping the skies clear, something that this vehicle does very well. A high rate of fire and very fast turret traverse means that you should be able to target and destroy even the fastest jets.

You have a high ammo count with this vehicle, meaning that you can afford to find a good spot away from the main fight in order to pick off enemy planes. Unless you need to reload your ammo, avoid spawn points. They are usually the hub of most of the fighting and going to them will put you in the firing line.

While it is fully enclosed, the ZSU-23-4 has armour which makes the M18 Hellcat look like a heavy tank. Even 7.62mm machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. This makes you a primary target for aircraft, which at this vehicles BR are usually armed with cannons or high penetration machine guns, which will easily take you out.

Top rank helicopters and the FJ-4B VMF 232 are the greatest threat to your existence. They are both capable of sitting comfortably outside your firing range while firing lethal ATGMs at you. Hide from them until they are either dealt with by an allied plane or they come close enough to be dealt with by your 23 mm cannons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire; allows for area saturation
* Relatively high top speed
* High ammo count
* Fast turret traverse
* Can penetrate lightly armoured vehicles (other SPAAs)
* Radar-assisted fire control; a lead indicator is shown in Realistic.

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour; aircraft cannons will cause severe damage
* Low power to weight ratio; struggles with slopes and off-road
* Low penetration for 23 mm cannons; means troubles penetrating certain MBTs from the side
* Radar has very low scan speed

== History ==


===Development===
The main Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle [[ZSU-57-2]], in service since 1955, did not perform satisfactory due to the lack of radar tracking, low rate of fire, and small ammo count for its high-power autocannons. Its firepower was supplemented by the ZPU and ZU series of anti-aircraft mounts using the 14.5 mm and 23 mm armaments respectively. The ZPU and ZU were towed or truck-mounted and had a high rate of fire, but suffered from low mobility when not on a truck and lack of protection if mounted on a truck for a mobile role. It became desirable to combine the traits of these two type of anti-aircraft weaponry together for a tracked anti-aircraft vehicle to be protected, have good mobility, contain a good amount of ammo, and deliver a high rate of fire with heavy-hitting calibre.

Development started in 1957 for this vehicle, ready to be evaluated in 1962. The vehicle went under the name '''ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"''', named after the Shilka River in South-Eastern Russia. The first set of digits signifies the calibre, 23 mm, and the second signifies the number of cannons, 4. Equipped with four water-cooled 23 mm autocannons, the ZSU-23-4 is aimed via manual optics or with a radar that can track aircraft up to 6 km away and guide the armaments to a estimated coordinate. The vehicle can carry up to 2,000 rounds of 23 mm ammunition and each cannon has a fire rate of between 850-1,000 rpm. The ZSU-23-4 was built on a GM-575 chassis, which itself is based off the [[PT-76B|PT-76]]. It was accepted for service by the Soviet Army in 1965 and proceeded to replace all the ZSU-57-2 still in stock by the 1970s. From the time period 1964 to 1982, up to 6,500 ZSU-23-4 were produced at the Mytishchi Engineering Works.

===Combat usage===
The Soviet Army used the ZSU-23-4 as their main anti-aircraft defense weapon. It was intended that the ZSU-23-4 only guard military bases and mechanized formations while the ZSU-37-2, a side development during the Shilka's development period, guard the low-altitude area unable to be hit by surface-to-air missiles. However, the ZSU-23-4 Shilka eventually replaced it to keep a logistics simple. From Soviet doctrine, the Shilkas were organized in anti-aircraft artillery batteries with two platoons of four vehicles each. Initially, one platoon was filled with ZSU-57-2's and the other with Shilkas, but the ZSU-57's were replaced in service by the Shilkas in the 1970s. In the 1970s, the batteries were also reorganized to one platoon of Shilkas and one platoon of anti-air missile systems, both meant to supplement the dead zone from the divisional surface-to-air missile systems. The Shilkas, being very lightly armoured, mainly stay behind the main forces and the front line, ranging between 400 to 1,000 m away from the fighting. Though each Shilka unit fought with their own radar system initially, the implementation of the PPRU-1 allowed for coordinated targeting between the Shilka and missile units against enemy aircraft. Despite their intended role as an anti-aircraft, the high rate of fire, heavy calibre, and ability to elevate the guns at a high angle made it a very popular ground support weapon. This utility made it a very useful weapon in the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, being able to fight the Mujaheddin ambushing from mountainous terrain. The Soviets also used it during the War against Chechnya, fighting the Chechens in the mountains. The ZSU-23-4 still sees use in the Russian Naval Infantry.

The ZSU-23-4 saw more usage in the hands of the Soviet Union's allies. 2,500 of the Shilkas produced were given out to up to 23 nations. It's most infamous records would come from the hands of the Arabs in the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Using the SA-6 surface-to-air missiles, they forced the Israeli planes to fly low to avoid missile detection and then blasted them away with the Shilkas. The Shilkas also saw use in the later part of the Vietnam War, where they are used nearly the same way by attacking aircraft forced low by missiles. Past that, the ZSU-23-4 saw usage in multiple conflicts in the Third World countries and are still in use today in the Syrian Civil War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_zsu_23_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


'''Similar role in USSR'''

* [[BTR-ZD]]

'''Analogues on other nations'''

* [[M163]]
* [[SIDAM 25]]
* [[AMX-30 DCA]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4243-development-zsu-23-4-shilka-river-of-fire-en/|[Devblog] ZSU-23-4 Shilka: River of Fire]]

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

F-80A-5

2023-06-26T10:09:15Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about= American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= the other version
|link= F-80C-10
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-80a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f-80a.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.39]]. The plane was redesignated from the P-80A-5 to the F-80A-5 in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

The main purpose of the F-80 is to teach a pilot how to fly jets in general. If a pilot is doing well in the F-80, he's ready to move to higher-ranked jets. Never give up your speed: it is the plane's insurance. Only trade it for the altitude in zoom climbs.

Be careful that the jet is up-tiered quite a lot. When this happens, strictly adhere to the rules set forth in this article or you will be at a great disadvantage.

One thing to take note of is the M2 Brownings. Sadly, they are insufficient for high-speed combat due to the low rate of fire and subsequently limited damage output; be aware, however, that they still pack a punch in partial head-ons with 262s, 229s, and the like. The issue is later on fixed with the [[Browning M3 (12.7 mm)|M3 Browning]] on the successor [[F-80C-10|F-80C ''Shooting star'']], but the ammunition load still remains low, like on the [[P-51D-5|P-51D]]. As for piston planes: they are capable of setting enemy piston planes on fire in a short burst. All of the guns are mounted in the nose, making them deadly accurate when performing head-ons, especially once the "new 12 mm MGs" modification is installed. For ground attack, there is the usual complement of ordnance for the USAF: [[HVAR]] rockets and standard 1,000 lb bombs.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 854 || 829 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.3 || 24.8 || 19.1 || 18.0 || rowspan="2" | 950
|-
! Upgraded
| 899 || 882 || 21.9 || 23.0 || 28.5 || 23.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 535 || 505 || 360 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 482 || < 600 || < 640 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Allison J33-A-17 || 1
| colspan="2" | 4,093 kg || colspan="2" | 243 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 850 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
| 4,475 kg || 4,937 kg || 5,368 kg || 6,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 1,651 kgf || N/A
| 0.37 || 0.33 || 0.31 || 0.25
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,651 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.37 || 0.33 || 0.31 || 0.25
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 10 mm Steel - Fore cockpit armour
* 12.7 mm Steel - Behind pilot's seat
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

As with most early jets, the acceleration is sub-par, so Compressor and Engine should be focused on first, then a choice between Airframe, New Boosters or the Offensive 12 mm. Wings Repair is recommended to help with the F-80's average manoeuvrability. Afterwards, the G-Suit upgrade will come in handy. Fuselage Repair and Cover are not really useful and can be ignored until the very end, although Airframe can be used to help the mediocre durability (the tail control will burn away instantly when you catch on fire unless you have Airframe).

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 6 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|HVAR}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 8 x HVAR rockets
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==


This F-80 must be flown strictly as Boom-and-Zoom, or Boom-and-Run. Anything else does not work due to the aircraft's inferior acceleration compared to props and some Axis jets at certain speeds. While its manoeuvring energy retention (MER) is relatively poor - as with most early jets - its vertical and horizontal energy retention (ER) is decent.

At the beginning of the match, the F-80 should climb away from the potential combat zone. Two climbs can be used; a standard steady-state climb, keeping the aircraft at a fixed angle or speed, optimally no greater than 10-12 degrees; or, ideally, a zoom climb. To accomplish this, take off, and away from the centre of the battlefield, as you would to start a normal side-climb. However, the Shooting Star should be kept relatively level, an angle of no greater than 5-7 degrees should be maintained, preferably lower. To reach well over 3 km (10,000 ft), build your speed to approximately 800 km/h (500 mph), and only then place the F-80 in a 10-20 degree climb. If you need or want to get into the battle quicker, before you begin the zoom-climb, execute a diving-turn towards the centre of the battlefield (so as to maintain as much of your built-up airspeed as possible), then put yourself into the zoom-climb (this is slightly riskier, as you'll be entering a low energy state as you enter the centre of the battlefield; if an enemy aircraft has managed to climb above you, this may leave you in a precarious position). To reach around 2,500-2,750 m (8,000-9,000 ft), reaching 485-540 km/h (300-400 mph) is ideal.

For ground strike, the F-80 is a decent aircraft, carrying the USAF standard of bombs, rockets, and ground attack belts. However, it is not recommended to hit ground targets, this is a fighter and not a lumbering attacker, and should be used as an air-superiority fighter.

In air combat, the F-80 performs admirably if flown to its strengths, i.e. boom-and-zoom. Dive on enemy targets, take a shot, and then execute a shallow to medium zoom climb. While the six nose-mounted .50 calibre M2 Brownings are beginning to show their age, they are still more than equal to the task, especially at the F-80's BR. Early jet engines do not take kindly to any sort of damage, and a slew of .50 calibre rounds are more than enough to wreak havoc on small-to-medium airframes. While its biggest con is simply lacking the hitting-power of HE-filled cannon rounds, the six HMGs have enough pros to make up for this shortcoming. First off, with some trigger discipline, a good marksman can down 4, or even 5 enemy aircraft, due to your relatively plentiful ammunition. Secondly, the high velocity of the rounds serve well with the increasing speeds of the jet age; Some cannon rounds can be difficult to hit fast-moving targets with due to their lower velocity. Lastly, all six guns are nose-mounted, packing the shot-grouping into a relatively small area. This means that a burst-mass of 7.34 lbs or 3.3 kg per second cam impact said relatively small area.

Utilizing its amazing boom and zoom capabilities, the F-80A-5 can easily outspeed enemy targets from the dive initiated, paired with its amazing energy retention, one can do very well in bringing down enemy aircraft. However, when at low speeds, the F-80 is in a dangerous position so one should pull off from an assault by zoom climbing back to a preferable altitude over the battle. One can dive back on the enemy when they are spread out, low and slow. Always remember to keep your speed up, as enemies close by can easily catch you off guard when attacking.

Tracer belts are an excellent choice. Although with the advent of jets, we see the introduction of all-metal airframes across nations, the fire-starting (and armour-piercing) ability of the M20 API-T round is still nothing to be trifled with. Tracers are inherently easier to aim, as well, and the penetration capability of the M20 API-T is only slightly less than that of the M2 AP round. The stealth belt is another good choice, with a 50/50 combination of M8 AP-I and M23 Incendiary rounds.

The F-80 is one of the fastest aircraft at its rank. However, due to its bad acceleration it must maintain energy discipline. Hard turns are taboo due to its poor MER. One should turn to engage, not to follow. Opponents like the [[Ho 229 V3|Ho 229]] can potentially outrun the F-80. However, due to the F-80A-5's higher acceleration at 650-750 km/h IAS compared to a Horten, it is possible to keep up with one for a while.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great energy retention compared to piston planes and the Me 262 it commonly faces
* Great zoom climb capability compared to piston planes
* Higher top speed than any piston plane or early Axis jet
* M2 Browning machine guns have high muzzle velocity and carry a lot of ammo

'''Cons:'''

* M2 Brownings offer limited damage output
* Four large fuel tanks on each wing
* Roll rate locks up at about 500 km/h IAS

== History ==


[[File:XP-80A Gray Ghost.jpg|thumb|XP-80A Prototype "Gray Ghost" in flight.]]
The F-80 Shooting Star was an American straight-wing jet aircraft. It was the first American-designed jet fighter to enter service, and served for a short time in the Korean war before being replaced by the more capable F-86 Sabre. The aircraft was designed in just 143 days<ref name=":0">Dwyer, L (2002)</ref>, and as a result, suffered from many critical issues; the aircraft was responsible for the deaths of several test pilots, including [[Bong's P-38J-15|Richard Bong]], America's highest scoring WWII ace<ref name=":1">Agle, D (2014)</ref>. The aircraft, originally intended to fight the Me-262 over the skies of Europe, arrived too late to see service in the Second World War. However, the plane would go on to serve in the Korean War, where it was the first American jet to see combat.

====== Design and development ======
The F-80 Shooting Star was the product of a design project started in mid-1943. At the time, Lockheed had been asked to produce an aircraft using the de Havilland Halford jet engine, capable of fighting the Me 262 ''Schwalbe'' on more-than-equal terms. As a result, a production prototype (see photo) was developed in just 143 days. This was a huge feat, as the aircraft was a full-scale prototype with functional armament. The aircraft was produced in a large tent in complete secrecy, while the team responsible for its production would become the predecessor to Lockheed's famous 'Skunk Works'<ref name=":0" />.

Though the aircraft design was promising, it soon became evident that the aircraft's rushed development had led to a variety of design flaws. The aircraft was hypersensitive in pitch, had engine and flap issues, and even baked the pilot as the cockpit temperature rose to a sweltering 180 degrees Fahrenheit (82 degrees Celsius) during flight<ref name=":1" />. However, following a large funding boost, the major issues (including the cooked pilot) were solved. By late 1944, the P-80 program was a similar priority level as the B-29, and 1,000 aircraft had already been ordered. This massive rush resulted in many fatalities - Lockheed's chief test pilot was killed following an engine failure, while four additional pilots (including Major Richard Bong) were killed in various accidents. The rising number of fatalities brought the P-80 program to a halt - as a result, the aircraft was given a large number of safety modifications to improve its reliability in flight<ref name=":1" />. However, the biggest hit came in September of 1945, with the end of WWII. The USAF, looking to reduce costs, cut the total orders from 5,000 to 2,000. Nevertheless, the P-80 entered production.

====== Production and service history ======
The first pre-production YP-80 aircraft were ready just before the end of the war, but failed to see operational service. However, nearly 1,700 P-80s were produced between 1946 and 1948, 924 being of the P-80A and P-80B variants. These aircraft had been re-engined with the Allison J-33, producing more power thus increasing the aircraft's combat capabilities. Starting from 1947 following the separation of the USAF, the P-80 was renamed the F-80 in accordance to new designation guidelines<ref name=":0" />.

The newly-introduced aircraft soon began to set records. In 1946, the aircraft became the first jet to cross the continental United States, from Long Beach to New York. In 1947, a specially modified F-80 set a new aviation speed record of 1,002 km/h (623 mph), which it held for a very short duration of time<ref>Roblin, S (2019)</ref>.

The F-80A had a short service life, having been replaced by newer F-80B and F-80C aircraft. As a result, the F-80A variants would never see combat, having been relegated to advanced training roles before the start of the Korean War. The F-80C was luckier, and saw combat over the Korean Peninsula as a fighter-bomber. By the end of the Korean war, the F-80 had flown almost 100 thousand sorties, dropped 41 thousand tonnes of bombs and destroyed 58 aircraft<ref name=":1" />. Quite an impressive track record for an aircraft built in a circus tent.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An all-metal, single-seat fighter-bomber with one turbojet engine. The aircraft was created by a group of Lockheed engineers (headed by Clarence "Kelly" Johnson) in only 143 days.

The first flight of the XP-80 prototype was performed in January 1944. The first production version, designated the P-80A Shooting Star, entered service in 1946. The P-80 became the first combat-capable jet aircraft to enter service with the USAAF.

1947 saw the appearance of the next production version of the aircraft, the P-80B. The ninth production P-80A-1 was converted to a new prototype, designated the XP-80B. It had an Allison J33-A-17 turbojet engine producing 1,816 kg of thrust, equipped with a methanol-water injection system. The airfoil was thinner, but the skin's thickness was increased. To install a water mixture tank, the plane's fuel quantity had to be sacrificed by reducing it from 1,781 to 1,610 litres. The aircraft also received a Lockheed-designed ejection seat and a cockpit air-conditioning system.

The plane's armament consisted of six 12.7 mm Colt-Browning M3 machine guns with 300 rounds each in the forward fuselage. One 1,000 lb (454 kg) bomb or ten 5-inch (127 mm) unguided HVAR missiles could be suspended under each wing panel.

A total of 240 P-80B fighter-bombers were built from March 1947 to March 1948, including P-80B-1s and 31 P-80B-5s. The B-5 variant was intended to be operated in Arctic conditions; its heated canopy prevented icing. In addition, special types of oil and special rubber were used to operate the aircraft in low temperature conditions.

At least five P-80Bs were equipped with a guidance system for Bell GAM-63 RASCAL air-to-surface missiles. Externally, these aircraft differed in the shape of the forward fuselage and the wing-mounted tanks. Also, they were fitted with extra spoilers on the upper and lower wing surfaces.

In June 1948, when the US military aircraft designation system was changed, the P-80B was renamed to the F-80B.

When the Korean War started, F-80Bs were stationed in the USA and in Europe, being used by the USAAF mainly for training purposes. Later, 117 F-80Bs were brought up to the F-80C's standards and re-designated "F-80C-12". The remaining F-80Bs were withdrawn from service by the end of 1951.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-80a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lyVSK_mI9T8|'''F-80A-5 Shooting Star (The Wishing Well!)''' - ''Jengar''|1PkB1QZDZT8|'''War Thunder F-80A-5 - Wingbreaker''' - ''Adam514''|yZsd7JhoRWk|'''RB Gameplay - P-80A-5 - Early Jet Tutorial!''' - ''theOrangeDoom''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Bell [[P-59A|P-59]] Airacomet
* de Havilland [[Vampire FB 5|Vampire]]
* Gloster [[Meteor (Family)|Meteor]]
* Messerschmitt [[Me 262 (Family)|Me 262]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-9]]
* Yakovlev [[Yak-23]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/264990-lockheed-p-80a-5/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

===References===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Dwyer, L. (2002, June 3). P-80 Shooting Star. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from [http://www.aviation-history.com/lockheed/p80.html Website]
* Agle, D. (2014, September 24). Shooting Star. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from [https://www.airspacemag.com/history-of-flight/shooting-star-180952799/?page=3 Website]
* Roblin, S. (2019, January 03). Meet the F-80 Shooting Star: The First U.S. Jet Fighter That Went to War Against North Korea. Retrieved November 13, 2020, from [https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/meet-f-80-shooting-star-first-us-jet-fighter-went-war-against-north-korea-40417 Website]

{{AirManufacturer Lockheed}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

MiG-23BN (Germany)

2023-06-21T09:37:34Z

U56862421: /* Description */

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-23 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_23bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Flogger-H) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

MiG-23BN was based on its previous model MiG-23B which a dedicated attacker, where MiG-23B was based on the airframe of 1st generation MiG-23S interceptor. While it looks exactly like previous MiG-23s in-game, all the bombs, AGMs, and rocket pods will certainly tell another story to the targets on the ground while excelling at fast speed to leave the combat area. Alternatively, it can take down aircraft with its gunpods and a similar mobility to the MiG-23 interceptor variants.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

At first glance, aside from having the LSK's emblem (East German Air Force), the MiG-23BN looks exactly like any other Flogger. A closer inspection on its nose gives its identity away: as an attacker, MiG revised the nose with a flat bottom for the B variants; but the BN removed the optical equipment for this exact job. Since it was based on the first-generation MiG-23 but with a R-29B-300 engine, the overall flight performance is very similar to the [[MiG-23M]] in the Soviet tech tree but without AAMs. Experienced players might take the use of its iconic variable swept wing for dogfights, but do keep in mind that a major problem of these 1st generation Floggers were exactly the wings, it might be sufficient to take down heavier jets like Phantoms if utilized the wings well, but having only guns for air-to-air operations makes it a huge target for other jets. Any extra ordnance ranging from bombs up to AGMs affects the flight model severely, so utilize its speed in missions and avoid dogfights unless in dire situation.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,182 || 2,172 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.6 || 37.0 || 132.5 || 125.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,220 || 2,200 || 35.4 || 36.0 || 179.3 || 155.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,154 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 508 || 473 || ~__ || ~__
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,417 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 665 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-29B-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 11,305 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel
|-
| 1,780 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 12,666 kg || 13,612 kg || 14,765 kg || 15,835 kg || 18,905 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,950 kgf || 10,208 kgf
| 0.81 || 0.75 || 0.69 || 0.64 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,282 kgf (1,417 km/h) || 12,633 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.86 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The MiG-23BN has only a pair of 16 mm steel plates on the side of the cockpit as extra protection against other targets. If it has to commit to a head-on fight or even a dogfight, it might not have sufficient survivability to leave the combat in one piece.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|Kh-23M|S-5K|S-8KO|S-24B|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 128 x S-5K rockets
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 4 x S-24B rockets
* 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (3,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="20%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| 4 || 1 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 4
|-
! 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16, 32 || || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || || 16, 32
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| 20 || || 20 || 20 || || 20
|-
! S-24B rockets
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! Kh-23M missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 3,050 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 750 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

For players who jumped from the subsonic [[G.91 R/3 (Germany)|G.91 R/3]] into the MiG-23BN, not only it is supersonic and goes up to mach 2.0, it also carries as much ordnance as its TT predecessor [[IL-28 (Germany)|IL-28]]. For players of MiG-27 or MiG-23 variants, the flight performance is very similar as they were built under similar airframe but with some revision differences per blocks (batches). Some players might want to take it for a dogfight for its manoeuvrability as well as the variable swept-wing; but as an attacker, it doesn't have any AAM at disposal, the only viable option is the 23 mm gun for gunning down enemy jets with its fast rate of fire and sufficient damage. Additional 23 mm cannons can be mounted as wing-mount gunpods. The MiG-23BN doesn't have countermeasures either, the airframe is also rather unprotected other than 2 steel plates on the sides of the cockpit, so avoid enemies at all cost and only fight enemies when there's only one of them- any more than this number means the MiG-23BN will become an easy prey for the enemies due to its enormous size.

But there are some good news for the jet though: it is a very fast attacker in-game (only slower than its [[Su-22UM3K (Germany)|Sukhoi counterpart]]) and the payload is sufficient to deal devastating damage to enemies. It might not be as much as USAF's [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]] or British's [[Buccaneer S.2|Buccaneer]], but the varietiy of bombs or AGMs will fit the player's playstyle one way or another. For players who demand a fireworks show on the ground and create as many craters as possible, conventional and incendiary bombs are at your disposal. While for a safer approach or for those who are not used with manual-guided missiles like the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] or the [[AS-20 Nord|AS-20]], it does comes with a pair of Kh-23M AGMs using mouse control with devastating damage. If the enemy SPAAGs, interceptors or in some occasion, helicopters with AAMs (namely, [[TY-90|TY-90s]] found on PLAGF helicopters) are in business, the excellent speed of the MiG-23BN will certainly help you to get away from trouble since there are few jets that can catch up with your mach 2.0 top speed (but in high-altitude). Speed is what makes MiG-23BN unique among jet attackers of its era and BR; any prolonged fight in the combat area hugely increase its risk of meeting its end.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Great top speed
* Great acceleration
* Great energy retention
* Sufficient payload for ground-attack
* Variable swept-wing makes it manoeuvrable
* Equipped with RWR

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks flares
* Lacks AAMs
* Relatively small ammo pool for the fixed 23 mm cannon
* Rather large size makes it easier to hit
* RWR only shows radar pings and locks from 4 sides
* Due to swept wing design it is hard to aim at high speeds
* The plane can only reach up to mach 1 below 5000 meters
* At high altitudes the engine's performance drops significantly

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_23bn Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HqDtRttvNBk|'''The Shooting Range #331''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

MiG-23BN (Germany)

2023-06-15T19:05:04Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-23 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_23bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Flogger-F) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

MiG-23BN was based on its previous model MiG-23B which a dedicated attacker, where MiG-23B was based on the airframe of 1st generation MiG-23S interceptor. While it looks exactly like previous MiG-23s in-game, all the bombs, AGMs, and rocket pods will certainly tell another story to the targets on the ground while excelling at fast speed to leave the combat area. Alternatively, it can take down aircraft with its gunpods and a similar mobility to the MiG-23 interceptor variants.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

At first glance, aside from having the LSK's emblem (East German Air Force), the MiG-23BN looks exactly like any other Flogger. A closer inspection on its nose gives its identity away: as an attacker, MiG revised the nose with a flat bottom for the B variants; but the BN removed the optical equipment for this exact job. Since it was based on the first-generation MiG-23 but with a R-29B-300 engine, the overall flight performance is very similar to the [[MiG-23M]] in the Soviet tech tree but without AAMs. Experienced players might take the use of its iconic variable swept wing for dogfights, but do keep in mind that a major problem of these 1st generation Floggers were exactly the wings, it might be sufficient to take down heavier jets like Phantoms if utilized the wings well, but having only guns for air-to-air operations makes it a huge target for other jets. Any extra ordnance ranging from bombs up to AGMs affects the flight model severely, so utilize its speed in missions and avoid dogfights unless in dire situation.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,182 || 2,172 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.6 || 37.0 || 132.5 || 125.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,220 || 2,200 || 35.4 || 36.0 || 179.3 || 155.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,154 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 508 || 473 || ~__ || ~__
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,417 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 665 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-29B-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 11,305 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel
|-
| 1,780 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 12,666 kg || 13,612 kg || 14,765 kg || 15,835 kg || 18,905 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,950 kgf || 10,208 kgf
| 0.81 || 0.75 || 0.69 || 0.64 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,282 kgf (1,417 km/h) || 12,633 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.86 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The MiG-23BN has only a pair of 16 mm steel plates on the side of the cockpit as extra protection against other targets. If it has to commit to a head-on fight or even a dogfight, it might not have sufficient survivability to leave the combat in one piece.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|Kh-23M|S-5K|S-8KO|S-24B|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 128 x S-5K rockets
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 4 x S-24B rockets
* 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (3,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="20%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| 4 || 1 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 4
|-
! 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16, 32 || || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || || 16, 32
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| 20 || || 20 || 20 || || 20
|-
! S-24B rockets
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! Kh-23M missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 3,050 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 750 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

For players who jumped from the subsonic [[G.91 R/3 (Germany)|G.91 R/3]] into the MiG-23BN, not only it is supersonic and goes up to mach 2.0, it also carries as much ordnance as its TT predecessor [[IL-28 (Germany)|IL-28]]. For players of MiG-27 or MiG-23 variants, the flight performance is very similar as they were built under similar airframe but with some revision differences per blocks (batches). Some players might want to take it for a dogfight for its manoeuvrability as well as the variable swept-wing; but as an attacker, it doesn't have any AAM at disposal, the only viable option is the 23 mm gun for gunning down enemy jets with its fast rate of fire and sufficient damage. Additional 23 mm cannons can be mounted as wing-mount gunpods. The MiG-23BN doesn't have countermeasures either, the airframe is also rather unprotected other than 2 steel plates on the sides of the cockpit, so avoid enemies at all cost and only fight enemies when there's only one of them- any more than this number means the MiG-23BN will become an easy prey for the enemies due to its enormous size.

But there are some good news for the jet though: it is a very fast attacker in-game (only slower than its [[Su-22UM3K (Germany)|Sukhoi counterpart]]) and the payload is sufficient to deal devastating damage to enemies. It might not be as much as USAF's [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]] or British's [[Buccaneer S.2|Buccaneer]], but the varietiy of bombs or AGMs will fit the player's playstyle one way or another. For players who demand a fireworks show on the ground and create as many craters as possible, conventional and incendiary bombs are at your disposal. While for a safer approach or for those who are not used with manual-guided missiles like the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] or the [[AS-20 Nord|AS-20]], it does comes with a pair of Kh-23M AGMs using mouse control with devastating damage. If the enemy SPAAGs, interceptors or in some occasion, helicopters with AAMs (namely, [[TY-90|TY-90s]] found on PLAGF helicopters) are in business, the excellent speed of the MiG-23BN will certainly help you to get away from trouble since there are few jets that can catch up with your mach 2.0 top speed (but in high-altitude). Speed is what makes MiG-23BN unique among jet attackers of its era and BR; any prolonged fight in the combat area hugely increase its risk of meeting its end.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Great top speed
* Great acceleration
* Great energy retention
* Sufficient payload for ground-attack
* Variable swept-wing makes it manoeuvrable
* Equipped with RWR

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks flares
* Lacks AAMs
* Relatively small ammo pool for the fixed 23 mm cannon
* Rather large size makes it easier to hit
* RWR only shows radar pings and locks from 4 sides
* Due to swept wing design it is hard to aim at high speeds
* The plane can only reach up to mach 1 below 5000 meters
* At high altitudes the engine's performance drops significantly

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_23bn Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HqDtRttvNBk|'''The Shooting Range #331''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

MiG-23BN (Germany)

2023-06-15T19:02:51Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-23 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_23bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Flogger-F) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

MiG-23BN was based on its previous model MiG-23B which a dedicated attacker, where MiG-23B was based on the airframe of 1st generation MiG-23S interceptor. While it looks exactly like previous MiG-23s in-game, all the bombs, AGMs, and rocket pods will certainly tell another story to the targets on the ground while excelling at fast speed to leave the combat area. Alternatively, it can take down aircraft with its gunpods and a similar mobility to the MiG-23 interceptor variants.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

At first glance, aside from having the LSK's emblem (East German Air Force), the MiG-23BN looks exactly like any other Flogger. A closer inspection on its nose gives its identity away: as an attacker, MiG revised the nose with a flat bottom for the B variants; but the BN removed the optical equipment for this exact job. Since it was based on the first-generation MiG-23 but with a R-29B-300 engine, the overall flight performance is very similar to the [[MiG-23M]] in the Soviet tech tree but without AAMs. Experienced players might take the use of its iconic variable swept wing for dogfights, but do keep in mind that a major problem of these 1st generation Floggers were exactly the wings, it might be sufficient to take down heavier jets like Phantoms if utilized the wings well, but having only guns for air-to-air operations makes it a huge target for other jets. Any extra ordnance ranging from bombs up to AGMs affects the flight model severely, so utilize its speed in missions and avoid dogfights unless in dire situation.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,182 || 2,172 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.6 || 37.0 || 132.5 || 125.5 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,220 || 2,200 || 35.4 || 36.0 || 179.3 || 155.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,154 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 508 || 473 || ~__ || ~__
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,417 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 665 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-29B-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 11,305 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel
|-
| 1,780 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 12,666 kg || 13,612 kg || 14,765 kg || 15,835 kg || 18,905 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,950 kgf || 10,208 kgf
| 0.81 || 0.75 || 0.69 || 0.64 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,282 kgf (1,417 km/h) || 12,633 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.86 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The MiG-23BN has only a pair of 16 mm steel plates on the side of the cockpit as extra protection against other targets. If it has to commit to a head-on fight or even a dogfight, it might not have sufficient survivability to leave the combat in one piece.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|Kh-23M|S-5K|S-8KO|S-24B|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 128 x S-5K rockets
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 4 x S-24B rockets
* 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (3,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="20%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| 4 || 1 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 4
|-
! 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16, 32 || || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || || 16, 32
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| 20 || || 20 || 20 || || 20
|-
! S-24B rockets
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! Kh-23M missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 3,050 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 750 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

For players who jumped from the subsonic [[G.91 R/3 (Germany)|G.91 R/3]] into the MiG-23BN, not only it is supersonic and goes up to mach 2.0, it also carries as much ordnance as its TT predecessor [[IL-28 (Germany)|IL-28]]. For players of MiG-27 or MiG-23 variants, the flight performance is very similar as they were built under similar airframe but with some revision differences per blocks (batches). Some players might want to take it for a dogfight for its manoeuvrability as well as the variable swept-wing; but as an attacker, it doesn't have any AAM at disposal, the only viable option is the 23 mm gun for gunning down enemy jets with its fast rate of fire and sufficient damage. Additional 23 mm cannons can be mounted as wing-mount gunpods. The MiG-23BN doesn't have countermeasures either, the airframe is also rather unprotected other than 2 steel plates on the sides of the cockpit, so avoid enemies at all cost and only fight enemies when there's only one of them- any more than this number means the MiG-23BN will become an easy prey for the enemies due to its enormous size.

But there are some good news for the jet though: it is a very fast attacker in-game (only slower than its [[Su-22UM3K (Germany)|Sukhoi counterpart]]) and the payload is sufficient to deal devastating damage to enemies. It might not be as much as USAF's [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]] or British's [[Buccaneer S.2|Buccaneer]], but the varietiy of bombs or AGMs will fit the player's playstyle one way or another. For players who demand a fireworks show on the ground and create as many craters as possible, conventional and incendiary bombs are at your disposal. While for a safer approach or for those who are not used with manual-guided missiles like the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] or the [[AS-20 Nord|AS-20]], it does comes with a pair of Kh-23M AGMs using mouse control with devastating damage. If the enemy SPAAGs, interceptors or in some occasion, helicopters with AAMs (namely, [[TY-90|TY-90s]] found on PLAGF helicopters) are in business, the excellent speed of the MiG-23BN will certainly help you to get away from trouble since there are few jets that can catch up with your mach 2.0 top speed (but in high-altitude). Speed is what makes MiG-23BN unique among jet attackers of its era and BR; any prolonged fight in the combat area hugely increase its risk of meeting its end.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Average top speed
* Average acceleration
* Great energy retention
* Sufficient payload for ground-attack
* Variable swept-wing makes it manoeuvrable
* Equipped with RWR

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks flares
* Lacks AAMs
* Relatively small ammo pool for the fixed 23 mm cannon
* Rather large size makes it easier to hit
* RWR only shows radar pings and locks from 4 sides
* Due to swept wing design it is hard to aim at high speeds

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_23bn Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HqDtRttvNBk|'''The Shooting Range #331''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

9M133FM3

2023-05-13T10:58:01Z

U56862421: /* General info */

{{About
| about = Soviet ATGM '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link =9M133M-2
}}
== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|ucav_orion}}

== General info ==
The 9M133FM3 has longer range than the [[9M133M-2]], but doesn't have an Anti-tank warhead.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|Mass
|28 kg
|-
|Guidance
|Beam riding
|-
|Maximum speed
|320 m/s
|-
|Firing range
|10 km
|-
|Missile guidance time
|60 secs
|-
|Explosive mass
|9.24 TNT equivalent
|-
|Warhead type
|HE
|-
|Armour penetration
|61 mm
|}
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the missile.''

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
[[Drones]]

[[Orion]]

* [[9M133M-2]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

9M133M-2

2023-05-13T10:57:34Z

U56862421: /* General info */

{{About
| about = Soviet ATGM '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link =9M133FM3
}}
== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|ucav_orion}}

== General info ==
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|Mass
|26 kg
|-
|Guidance
|Beam riding
|-
|Maximum speed
|300 m/s
|-
|Firing range
|8 km
|-
|Missile guidance time
|50 secs
|-
|Explosive mass
|6.16 kg TNT equivalent
|-
|Warhead type
|HEAT(tandem)
|-
|Armour penetration
|1200 mm
|}
=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
[[Drones]]

[[Orion]]

* [[9M133FM3]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

9M133FM3

2023-05-13T10:55:04Z

U56862421: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Soviet ATGM '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link =9M133M-2
}}
== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|ucav_orion}}

== General info ==
The 9M133FM3 has longer range than the 9M133M-2, but doesn't have an Anti-tank warhead.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|Mass
|28 kg
|-
|Guidance
|Beam riding
|-
|Maximum speed
|320 m/s
|-
|Firing range
|10 km
|-
|Missile guidance time
|60 secs
|-
|Explosive mass
|9.24 TNT equivalent
|-
|Warhead type
|HE
|-
|Armour penetration
|61 mm
|}
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the missile.''

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
[[Drones]]

[[Orion]]

* [[9M133M-2]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

9M133FM3

2023-05-13T10:53:44Z

U56862421: /* General info */

{{About
| about = Soviet ATGM '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link =9M133M-2
}}
== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|ucav_orion}}

== General info ==
The 9M133FM3 has longer range than the 9M133M-2, but doesn't have an Anti-tank warhead.
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="2" |Missile characteristics
|-
|Mass
|28 kg
|-
|Guidance
|Beam riding
|-
|Maximum speed
|320 m/s
|-
|Firing range
|10 km
|-
|Missile guidance time
|60 secs
|-
|Explosive mass
|9.24 TNT equivalent
|-
|Warhead type
|HE
|-
|Armour penetration
|61 mm
|}
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the missile.''

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of missile (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

== Media ==
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the weapon;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

T-55AM-1

2023-05-02T16:18:23Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-54/55 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_55_am
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|store=6385
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced as a [[wt:en/news/5712-shop-pre-order-bundles-and-packs-for-major-update-1-81-en|premium pack]] in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


The T-55, which this tank was based upon, used exclusively rolled homogeneous armour, which proved to be useless against advanced chemical warheads. The Soviet Union, in an attempt to modernize and extend the service life of the T-55, conceived the AM-1 upgrade kit for the tank. The upgrade kit consists bolted-on blocks of metal-polymer plates, which are essentially plates of metal sandwiching polymer fillings. This solution was cheap and easy to implement, though its effectiveness was debatable. Compared to the original T-55A, the armour protection was greatly improved, but still prove to be insufficient against certain weapons.

The turret cheeks are fitted with the add-on metal-polymer blocks, which grants immunity to every HEAT warhead in-game except the HOT missiles. The Leopard's 120 mm HEATFS occasionally penetrates the cheeks, and in that case, very minimal damage is caused. The turret armour against APDS is highly effective, given that the projectile impacts the add-on armour. However, the armour is mostly useless against APFSDS, and in case of penetration, will cause extensive damage. The add-on armour on the upper front plate is somewhat effective as it can nullify HEAT warheads with less than 450 mm penetration. Most APFSDS will seamlessly penetrate the hull. Most APDS will bounce.

Do note that the gun breech area is very poorly protected by some 200 mm of cast homogeneous armour, making its protection useless against everything. So do try to angle your turret by facing your cheeks. When doing so, use the right side of your turret to "catch" rounds, as even if it penetrates, only your loader will be knocked out, so no big deal.

Also note that the add-on armour block can be blown off your tank. For example, HOT missiles will have very high chance of taking off armour, and direct hit from artillery shell (assuming it hits the armour and doesn't destroy you) will take off the armour.

In regards to ammo storage, your ready rack is stored within your fuel tank. This wet ammo storage will prevent ammo detonation from HEAT, but a well placed APFSDS will nonetheless cause ammo cook-off.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100* mm (59°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm || 45 mm (16°) ''Upper'' 20 mm (71°) ''Lower'' || 30 mm 20 mm ''Hatches'' 45 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 130-200* mm (0-75°) || 90-160 mm (9-62°) || 66 mm (4-41°) || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 100 mm (conical) ''Base'' 30 mm (spherical) ''Hatch'' || 100 mm (conical) ''Base'' 30 mm (spherical) ''Hatch''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick
* Front belly armour is 20 + 20 mm thick, with the rest of the belly armour being just 20 mm thick.
*<nowiki>*</nowiki> - Composite armour present

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,069|rbMinHp=610}}

The mobility is only bested by the [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]]. It will out-run most, if not all, its friendlies and adversaries. Its pivoting capabilities are comparable to the very capable neutral steering system on the [[Leopard A1A1 (L/44)|Leopard L/44]]. The tank will reach around 30-40 km/h off-road, and -10 km/h in reverse. The so-called "stabilized" gun is only operable reliably under 35 km/h.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|D-10T2S (100 mm)}}

The 100 mm rifled gun seems like an oddity at this BR, not in its calibre or whatnot, but its unparalleled versatility. The gun can fire APDS, APFSDS, HEATFS, HE, APCBC, ATGM and smoke. In fact, it can fire every type of munition available in-game with the exception of HESH. Though very versatile, it is quite useless as the APDS, APFSDS and HEATFS are terribly under-performing compared to its adversaries. The few offensive munitions worth carrying are the APFSDS, APCBC and ATGM. The APCBC is extremely capable: it will destroy most enemy vehicles it faces with one shot, given proper shot placement and successful penetration. At this rank, most your opponents are poorly armoured, like the [[Leopard I|Leopard 1]], [[MBT-70|MBT]]/[[KPz-70]] and XM-1, so the 200 mm penetration on the APCBC will penetrate and will result in the instant destruction of your enemies.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-10T2S (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T2S]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+16° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 14.28 || 19.76 || 24.00 || 26.55 || 28.24 || rowspan="2" | 11.05 || rowspan="2" | 9.78 || rowspan="2" | 9.01 || rowspan="2" | 8.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.92 || 10.50 || 12.75 || 14.10 || 15.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-10T2S (100 mm)/Ammunition|3BM-8, 3D3, BR-412D, 3BM25, 3BK17M, OF-412, 9M117}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x200px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 41 ''(+1)'' || 37 ''(+5)'' || 33 ''(+9)'' || 21 ''(+21)'' || 19 ''(+23)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* If you pack 19 ''(+24)'' shells, it will fill only the frontal wet stowage ready rack.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 18 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
** This rack is also emptied early: the depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 5.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (50) || 600 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The {{PAGENAME}} is a tank that [[T-55A]] users are familiar with, but now with extra features such as:

* The ammo option of a gun-launched 9M117 missile
* Composite armour added to the front of the hull and turret
* More powerful engine
* Smoke grenades availability

Aside from these differences, the usage of the {{PAGENAME}} will be quite similar to any T-54/55 tank models in the Soviet tech tree.

;Offensive

Using the {{PAGENAME}} in the offensive role is ideal given the technical characteristics of the tank. The relatively low profile construction of the tank, plus the added composite armour at the front, can make the {{PAGENAME}} more likely to survive a contested battlefield. The stabilised 100 mm gun also gives a nice, steady field of view at selected enemy target to engage while moving. However, one should take care not to be hit as despite the composite armour additions to the tank, they only have significant effect against chemical rounds (with an effective protection of around 450 mm), and its effect on kinetic rounds is negligible enough that even APDS rounds on certain tanks can pierce the hull at closer ranges.

When moving towards the enemy, try to utilise the terrain for cover to protect the vulnerable parts of the hull. Only the front have the added composite armour so make sure these are presented so to maximize survival should the {{PAGENAME}} be hit. Avoid traveling over hills when moving, as the -5 degree gun depression restricts the {{PAGENAME}}'s firing arc. Focus on going around obstacles in a manner that the gun can be brought to bear while eliminating any possible exposure of the side armour. The gun should always be pointed where the enemy is expected to be coming, as the traverse speed is slow and can be detrimental when reacting to a surprise encounter.

For the attack, the {{PAGENAME}} should try not to be in the lead due to the spotty armour design, but it should follow a squad where a lead tank attracts the enemy gun fire, and the {{PAGENAME}} supports the lead tank by firing at its opposition while repositioning to a good firing angle. The higher mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} also means the tank could also attempt a wide flanking manoeuvre around the battlefield and hit the enemy's sides.

;Defence

Defence can be done with the {{PAGENAME}}, though the options are limited as it is difficult to take up ideal hull-down positions due to both the -5 degree gun depression and weaker turret armour even with the composite (although the gun mantlet may cause incoming shells to ricochet at the cost of the gun modules). The ideal way to use the {{PAGENAME}} in the defensive is to hide behind larger covers such as buildings and wait for the enemy to attempt to cross into the 100 mm gun's path. The variety of ammunition available allows the {{PAGENAME}} to deal with a variety of enemy threats, such as an APCBC round to penetrate and explode behind delicate side armour, and the 9M117 missile for longer-ranged targets.

No matter the case, the most important aspect to consider when choosing a cover position to fire from is how fast the {{PAGENAME}} can acquire and fire at targets, as the turret's slow traverse rate and the gun's rather slow reload rate can mean a significant amount of down time if shot is missed and the enemy continues speeding down the firing line. Also be wary of enemies that are aware of the {{PAGENAME}}'s position and attempt to root it out via flanking or aerial attacks, so keep an exit strategy to quickly egress from the area.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Access to APFSDS ammunition and ATGM
* One of the few top rank tanks with APCBC, great for single-shot knock-outs
* Favourable matchmaking that won't face top rank tanks
* Respectable mobility
* Laser rangefinder enables long range targeting
* Decent armour, especially vs chemical munitions
* Roof-mounted DShK 12.7 mm MG is great for taking out low flying helicopters
* Wet ammo storage in the front fuel tank may prevent ammo detonation
* Adequate back-up for a top-rank Soviet line-up, as it can even take out an Abrams in a single blow with an APCBC shell, given proper shot placement
* Efficient APFSDS

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is completely ineffective against APFSDS and 120 mm APDS
* Below average reload time, many enemies will have a faster reload
* Poor reverse speed that won't help get out of dangerous situations
* Ammo stored all around the Hull, a penetration will most likely result in an ammo detonation

== History ==


The T-54/55 went on a modernization program in the late 70s and mid 80s, featuring mainly an increase in combat capacity to fight against more modern tanks, and newer, more powerful ammunition. This resulted in the T-55AM, with major upgrades in all departments, mainly firepower and protection.

;Firepower

The T-55AM features the "Volna" Fire Control System, an upgrade to the Gunner Main Purpose Sight, ballistics computer, horizontal and vertical guidance mechanisms. The first modification made to the T-55AM regarding "Volna" was the addition of the TShSM-32PV GPS. The main difference of the TShSM-32PV with the TSh2B-32P (past sight of the T-55A) is its targeting capabilities. The T-55AM had the 1K13-2 sight, meaning it got missile firing capabilities. This sight was mounted on top of the main gun just above the first portion of the barrel, close to the turret mantlet. Inside, the 1K13-2 was mounted right next to the GPS. This also replaced the TPN-1-22-11 night vision GPS, the sight that was used in previous T-54 and 55 models, more specifically T-54B and T-55A. 1K13-2 was a slightly improvement over the TPN-1-22-11 sight as it had greater zooming in day and night mode and enhanced image quality on night mode but since it was not part of the "Volna" FCS, its capabilities were somewhat limited.

The T-55AM also got an improvement ballistics-wise, featuring a 100 mm D-10T2 rifled gun with thermal sleeve and bore extractor, the first cannon of this calibre with this technology fielded in Soviet service.

;Ammunition

The T-55AM kept the same firing capabilities of the ammunition fired by previous models, including HE, APCBC, APCR, APDS, HEATFS, shrapnel and a new steel core APFSDS-T. Steel core was the most rudimentary and unused core in dart ammunition, primarily due to the fact that it had less density, brittleness and hardness numbers were lower than tungsten carbide. This round is the 3UBM7 round which contained the 3BM19 dart. It is unclear as to why full steel alternatives were made at the time (T-62 also had steel core darts) despite the existence of fielded tungsten carbide core darts like the 3BM20. Strangely enough, the 3BM19 was not tagged as a practice round but a combat round. 3BM19 and 20 shared the same case, propellant, fins, cap, tracer and sabot but different core, for this reason, despite both travelling at the same speed, the penetration capabilities were different as the densities of tungsten and steel are significantly different.

;Protection

The T-55AM kept the same turret and hull design with its complex range of sloping angles that ensured that the height of the turret had an equal thickness in steel. The cause of this was to withstand full calibre rounds such as APCBC and APCR. The T-55AM features the BDD "Metal-Polymer Armour" (no official name was given). It had what is known as "Brows" (like eye brows) which covered the whole 140° frontal arc of turret and glacis and covered the turret critical components at 30° in a side angle, still less protected. The block had a thickness of 500 mm when measured from center (the thickest part of the block including the air gap). The armour package starts with a relatively thin armour layer at the bottom and gradually grows as it progresses upwards, this was to compensate the turret's round shape. At the bottom of the armour block is where the cast turret armour is the thickest but the block is the thinest and gradually increases and decreases in an equal ratio towards the top. The block itself was 280 mm thick with two different obliquities: at the top half, the armour is angled in a 30°. The bottom half is angled at 15°. This package is also seen in the T-62M although the geometry is different as turret shape varies as well as the air gap between the block and the turret. This air layer is a critical component when facing KE (kinetic energy penetrators, mainly subcalibre rounds like APFSDS) and CE (chemical energy penetrators also known as super plastic jets seen in HEAT warheads). When facing KE, this air layer helps fracture the rod. Due to the stress made on the rod while penetrating the BDD block, the rod acquires a "mushroom" tip shape since it erodes the armour (this does not happen with depleted uranium cores, only with steel and tungsten carbide cores). The rod expands and loses firmness, wobbling inside the armour. When it meets the air layer, it shatters and deforms (often acquiring a 'J' shape) reducing the penetration which will then be stopped by the inner cast armour of the turret. When facing CE, the air layer disrupts with the remaining jet which penetrated the block by making it expand and scatter as well as losing velocity, reducing the overall effectiveness of the jet which can then be stopped by the cast turret.

The hull was also improved with the same type of armour added on top of the standard T-55 frontal plate. It added a 150 mm add-on BDD plate angled at 60° following the same hull armour obliquity. Due to the increased weight, the T-55AM got multiple upgrades regarding suspension, more in concrete tracks and engine. The OMSh tracks were replaced by the RMSh tracks, shown in the first models of the T-55A which had an internat rubber plate sandwiched between steel plates to increase durability. This made the tracks capable of withstanding more weight and roughness in terrain without losing traction, sinking or flipping. It kept the same dimension of the past OMSh tracks. It also carried a 420 hp V-55U engine.

'''T-55AM-1'''

The suffix "-1" was added to later models which featured the 691 hp V-46-5M engine, a derivation of the T-72's 780 hp V-46-6 engine.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_55_am Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B6ZsuPjSuNo|'''T-54/T-55 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:06 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|JarjjjncdWY|'''Should You Buy The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|SkFwQIxspos|'''Premium Vehicles: {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''|Kq1KDHVjz9w|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T-62 (Family)]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USSR medium tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Leopard 2 PL

2023-04-30T17:31:36Z

U56862421: /* Ammunition */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2pl
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2PL Heat vs gps.png|thumb|Due to volumetric armour, HEATFS rounds are not able to penetrate the GPS]]
[[File:Leopard 2PL Dart vs gps.png|thumb|APFSDS dart is able to penetrate the Gunner Primary Sight taking out both gunner and commander. However the add-on armour reduces the chances of killing them both in a single shot.]]

The Leopard 2PL features the strongest and most armoured turret for the Leopard 2 series tanks seen in game so far. It features a stronger turret armour compared to all the Leopard 2 seen in game but has no add-on hull protection as the [[Strv 122A]] and the [[Strv 122B PLSS]]. This version is based on the 2A4 series, and so features the same problems with the hull armour, barely enough to stop rounds seen in game. However, it completely removes the armour issues from the turret. At first sight, the GPS (Gunner Primary Sight) can be seen as the main weak point since it is the same weak spot the 2A4 has. However, taking into consideration the new armour package, hitting the GPS makes is far harder without hitting add-on armour first. As seen in the image, the GPS is mostly safe from HEATFS and other chemical shells due to the volumetric armour, meaning they will either prematurely explode, or simply not be able to penetrate the 500+ mm of protection offered by the add-on armour package. However, for sub-calibre rounds like APFSDS, the composite armour offers less protection. As seen in the Leopard 2A4, any hit to the GPS means both gunner and commander will be knocked out. However, chances of hitting the GPS in the exact place for it to disable both crew members is reduced immensely thanks to the add-on armour. Most of the time, any hit to the GPS will result in the knock-out of the commander only with partial damage to the gunner. As seen in picture, the area highlighted is the place in which both the gunner and commander can be killed with a single shot (more specifically the lower section of the rectangular optic in the GPS).

[[File:Leopard 2PL HEAT-FS vs turret sides.png|thumb|MILAN ATGM is unable to penetrate the turret sides.]]
[[File:Leopard 2PL DM53 vs add-on.png|left|thumb|346x346px|DM53 round is unable to penetrate the add-on armour.]]

The 2PL is also the first tank in game to be able to withstand more than one hit of CL3143, DM53 and 9M119 to the turret. Previous Leopards (specifically the 2A5 and 2A6 including the Strv 122) can withstand 9M119 to the turret. However, the wedge panels of these tanks are exploded with a single hit, which means the turret is exposed to further enemy fire. This changes with the 2PL. Due to the fact that the armoured add-on package is a permanent part of the tank, it is able to withstand up to 4 9M119 hits and continuous firing of the CL3143 and DM53 at any ranges. Despite this, all of them are able to penetrate the gun mantlet with no issues at all. However, for your enemies it is rather tricky to achieve this since if they are aiming at the turret's front, you can also kill them as well. Moving to turret's add-on side armour, it is able to withstand all types of HEATFS and chemical shells seen in game. However, the armour protection is increased gradually as we move to the turret front. The first section of the side armour (the one covering the smoke launchers) is relatively weak and is able to be penetrated by all ammunition seen at this battle rating. The second section (covering the first half of the sides of the crew compartments) is able to withstand all HEATFS in game and [[MILAN]] ATGM (meaning is able to withstand up to 580 mm of penetration). The third section of the side armour (covering the second half of the crew compartment) is able to withstand all penetration up to 800 mm of CE (Chemical). When we talk about KE (Kinetic) protection, the side armour offers little to no protection whatsoever, and can be penetrated by nearly all high-calibre weapons at its battle rating.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || {{Annotation|Composite Armour|35 mm High hardness rolled armour + 520 mm External composite armour with NERA elements + 45 mm Rolled homogeneous armour}} ''Upper Glacis'' 35 mm (53°) || 20 mm ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm || 20 - 35 mm
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 35 mm ''Gun mantlet'' Variable thickness add-on armour || 15 - 35 mm 300 mm Composite Screen Variable thickness add-on armour || 25 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''''Upper+Lower glacis''''' 400 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 mm ''Chemical''|| N/A
|-
|Turret || '''''Turret cheeks''''' 1010 mm ''Kinetic'' 1,520 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet (Center)''''' 478 - 615 mm ''Kinetic'' 730- 1,400 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet (Outer)''''' 524 - 915 mm ''Kinetic'' 535 - 1,520 mm ''Chemical'' || '''''Side armour''''' 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 230 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Upper hull and Lower rear hull overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
* Upper mantlet add-on and Mantlet armour overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
* Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


The Leopard 2PL features a similar mobility to the rest of the Leopard 2 series (with exception of 2K). Has no particular upgrade or drawback compared to 2A4, 2A5 or 2A6. It should be noted, as the rest of Leopard 2 series, it features a relatively low acceleration in neutral steering.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}


The Leopard 2PL is fitted with the powerful Rh120 L/44 120 mm gun, a gun that has been seen since the Leopard 2K. This gun features the same ballistics of the Leopard 2A4 and 2A5 using the same darts, meaning the gun handling is the same and it should not be a hassle when firing.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The 2PL has access to all the ammunition seen in Leopard 2 series past 2A4 with exception of DM53. It has access to a unique round, DM11, time fuze HE shell. All are capable rounds which are not new and have same handling.

'''DM12A1; HEATFS''' - The DM12A1 is the first round the 2PL has access to, it can be considered a mediocre round as most of the enemies which will be faced will be able to withstand it due to composite armour. However, it is particularly useful when facing light armoured vehicles which are prompt to get overpressurised (SPAA, light tanks, etc) and useful when facing enemy helicopters as it has enough explosive mass and flight speed to be competitive as last resort. As a hollow charge, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. This makes the round difficult to use when in long range engagements as some field elements may not be rendered.

'''DM33 & DM43; APFSDS''' - The 2PL has access to 2 types of APFSDS: the DM33 and DM43. The DM33 is a decent round with decent penetration and stopping power. While it lacks penetration to frontally penetrate some MBTs, it is enough to hit and cause critical damage in weak spots and side shots. DM43 however has much more penetration, but it still isn't enough to penetrate an MBT frontally.

'''DM11; HE''' - The DM11 is the a new HE-TF shell for germany. It is pretty much useless against non lightly armoured vehicles (even 20 mm roofs will stop the spalling if an air explosion is done) but can be devastating against helicopters as there will be no need for direct hit in order to cause critical damage.

{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12A1, DM11, DM33, DM43}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|}
Notes:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is 2 - 1.
* If you pack 16 ''(+26)'' shells, it will keep the frontal hull rack empty.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The 2PL playstyle is identical to the 2A4 (and also subsequent German MBTs). One of the key differences between the 2PL over the rest is the stronger turret armour. In terms of armament, the 2PL has the powerful Rh120 L/44 which German tankers are already familiar with.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

*[[M1 Abrams (Family)|M1 Abrams]]: Turret frontal plates are very strong, ensure an angle within 45° when using DM33.
*[[Leopard 2A4]]/[[Strv 121]]: UFP and turret frontal plates can be penetrated by DM33.
*[[Leopard 2A5]]/[[Leopard 2A6]]: UFP and turret frontal plates can be penetrated by DM33. Turret wedges should be blown out first in order to penetrate the turret frontal plate.
*[[Strv 122A]]/[[Strv 122B PLSS]]: UFP impenetrable by DM33 unless MEXAS armour package is destroyed. Turret wedges should be blown out first in order to penetrate the turret frontal plate.
*[[Leclerc]]/[[Leclerc S2]]: Leclerc front is impenetrable by all rounds unless shots are made entirely into the lower half of the LFP, DM43 is advised.
*[[Challenger 2]]: Front impenetrable by all rounds unless shots are made to driver's port.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good turret armour
* Good gun
* Good mobility, due to its powerful engine
* Has access to the DM11 HE-TF round that can counter helicopters
* Has access to 2nd generation thermals for both the gunner and commander

'''Cons:'''

* Nearly no gun mantlet armour
* Hull armour is also not so good, is based on the Leopard 2A4
* Gunner Primary Sight is a big weak spot
* Slow reload compared to other top tier MBTs

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7071-development-squadron-vehicles-leopard-2pl-polish-cavalry-en|Devblog]] ===
The Leopard 2PL is an ongoing joint project for the modernization of the Leopard 2A4 tanks in service with the Polish army, currently being carried out by the German company Rheinmetall AG and the Polish state-owned Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa. The aim of the program is to improve the combat efficiency of the elderly Leopards to 3rd generation plus level main battle tanks.

The main areas of modernization are improving the tank's protection and firepower. The Leopard 2PL has additional modular turret armour (forehead and sides), enhanced protection of the gun mantlet. On the turret's rear, massive boxes appeared, which under some circumstances can work as spaced armour for protection against HEAT shells. The L44 cannon remains the same, but the upgraded fire control system has modern thermal imaging equipment and is adapted for firing more powerful rounds. Since the power plant and chassis of the Leopard 2A4 remained unchanged, the additional protection of the hull had to be abandoned, as the weight of the tank approached 60 tons. In total, 128 Leopard 2A4's in service are to be upgraded under the Leopard 2PL program.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2pl Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;[[Leopard 2 (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Leopard 2A4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7071-development-squadron-vehicles-leopard-2pl-polish-cavalry-en|[Development] Squadron vehicles: Leopard 2PL: Polish cavalry]]
* [https://www.defence24.com/leopard-2pl-programme-showcased-modernization-package-for-the-polish-main-battle-tanks [Defence24<nowiki>.com]</nowiki> Leopard 2PL Programme Showcased. Modernization Package For The Polish Main Battle Tanks.]

{{Germany medium tanks}}
{{Squadron ground vehicles}}

Leopard 2 PL

2023-04-30T17:28:02Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2pl
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:Leopard 2PL Heat vs gps.png|thumb|Due to volumetric armour, HEATFS rounds are not able to penetrate the GPS]]
[[File:Leopard 2PL Dart vs gps.png|thumb|APFSDS dart is able to penetrate the Gunner Primary Sight taking out both gunner and commander. However the add-on armour reduces the chances of killing them both in a single shot.]]

The Leopard 2PL features the strongest and most armoured turret for the Leopard 2 series tanks seen in game so far. It features a stronger turret armour compared to all the Leopard 2 seen in game but has no add-on hull protection as the [[Strv 122A]] and the [[Strv 122B PLSS]]. This version is based on the 2A4 series, and so features the same problems with the hull armour, barely enough to stop rounds seen in game. However, it completely removes the armour issues from the turret. At first sight, the GPS (Gunner Primary Sight) can be seen as the main weak point since it is the same weak spot the 2A4 has. However, taking into consideration the new armour package, hitting the GPS makes is far harder without hitting add-on armour first. As seen in the image, the GPS is mostly safe from HEATFS and other chemical shells due to the volumetric armour, meaning they will either prematurely explode, or simply not be able to penetrate the 500+ mm of protection offered by the add-on armour package. However, for sub-calibre rounds like APFSDS, the composite armour offers less protection. As seen in the Leopard 2A4, any hit to the GPS means both gunner and commander will be knocked out. However, chances of hitting the GPS in the exact place for it to disable both crew members is reduced immensely thanks to the add-on armour. Most of the time, any hit to the GPS will result in the knock-out of the commander only with partial damage to the gunner. As seen in picture, the area highlighted is the place in which both the gunner and commander can be killed with a single shot (more specifically the lower section of the rectangular optic in the GPS).

[[File:Leopard 2PL HEAT-FS vs turret sides.png|thumb|MILAN ATGM is unable to penetrate the turret sides.]]
[[File:Leopard 2PL DM53 vs add-on.png|left|thumb|346x346px|DM53 round is unable to penetrate the add-on armour.]]

The 2PL is also the first tank in game to be able to withstand more than one hit of CL3143, DM53 and 9M119 to the turret. Previous Leopards (specifically the 2A5 and 2A6 including the Strv 122) can withstand 9M119 to the turret. However, the wedge panels of these tanks are exploded with a single hit, which means the turret is exposed to further enemy fire. This changes with the 2PL. Due to the fact that the armoured add-on package is a permanent part of the tank, it is able to withstand up to 4 9M119 hits and continuous firing of the CL3143 and DM53 at any ranges. Despite this, all of them are able to penetrate the gun mantlet with no issues at all. However, for your enemies it is rather tricky to achieve this since if they are aiming at the turret's front, you can also kill them as well. Moving to turret's add-on side armour, it is able to withstand all types of HEATFS and chemical shells seen in game. However, the armour protection is increased gradually as we move to the turret front. The first section of the side armour (the one covering the smoke launchers) is relatively weak and is able to be penetrated by all ammunition seen at this battle rating. The second section (covering the first half of the sides of the crew compartments) is able to withstand all HEATFS in game and [[MILAN]] ATGM (meaning is able to withstand up to 580 mm of penetration). The third section of the side armour (covering the second half of the crew compartment) is able to withstand all penetration up to 800 mm of CE (Chemical). When we talk about KE (Kinetic) protection, the side armour offers little to no protection whatsoever, and can be penetrated by nearly all high-calibre weapons at its battle rating.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || {{Annotation|Composite Armour|35 mm High hardness rolled armour + 520 mm External composite armour with NERA elements + 45 mm Rolled homogeneous armour}} ''Upper Glacis'' 35 mm (53°) || 20 mm ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm || 20 - 35 mm
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 35 mm ''Gun mantlet'' Variable thickness add-on armour || 15 - 35 mm 300 mm Composite Screen Variable thickness add-on armour || 25 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Front !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''''Upper+Lower glacis''''' 400 mm ''Kinetic'' 600 mm ''Chemical''|| N/A
|-
|Turret || '''''Turret cheeks''''' 1010 mm ''Kinetic'' 1,520 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet (Center)''''' 478 - 615 mm ''Kinetic'' 730- 1,400 mm ''Chemical'' '''''Gun mantlet (Outer)''''' 524 - 915 mm ''Kinetic'' 535 - 1,520 mm ''Chemical'' || '''''Side armour''''' 260 mm ''Kinetic'' 230 - 600 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Upper hull and Lower rear hull overlap (10 + 20 mm thick)
* Upper mantlet add-on and Mantlet armour overlap (30 + 400 mm thick)
* Holes in the engine deck are covered by 8 mm of mesh

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


The Leopard 2PL features a similar mobility to the rest of the Leopard 2 series (with exception of 2K). Has no particular upgrade or drawback compared to 2A4, 2A5 or 2A6. It should be noted, as the rest of Leopard 2 series, it features a relatively low acceleration in neutral steering.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}


The Leopard 2PL is fitted with the powerful Rh120 L/44 120 mm gun, a gun that has been seen since the Leopard 2K. This gun features the same ballistics of the Leopard 2A4 and 2A5 using the same darts, meaning the gun handling is the same and it should not be a hassle when firing.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 42 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The 2PL has access to all the ammunition seen in Leopard 2 series past 2A4 with exception of DM53. It has access to a unique round, DM11, proximity fuze HE shell. All are capable rounds which are not new and have same handling.

'''DM12A1; HEATFS''' - The DM12A1 is the first round the 2PL has access to, it can be considered a mediocre round as most of the enemies which will be faced will be able to withstand it due to composite armour. However, it is particularly useful when facing light armoured vehicles which are prompt to get overpressurised (SPAA, light tanks, etc) and useful when facing enemy helicopters as it has enough explosive mass and flight speed to be competitive as last resort. As a hollow charge, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. This makes the round difficult to use when in long range engagements as some field elements may not be rendered.

'''DM33 & DM43; APFSDS''' - The 2PL has access to 2 types of APFSDS: the DM33 and DM43. The DM33 is a decent round with decent penetration and stopping power. While it lacks penetration to frontally penetrate some MBTs, it is enough to hit and cause critical damage in weak spots and side shots. DM43 however has much more penetration, and can typically penetrate all tanks from all sides.

'''DM11; HE''' - The DM11 is the a new HE-VT proxy shell for germany. It is pretty much useless against non lightly armoured vehicles (even 20 mm roofs will stop the spalling if an air explosion is done) but can be devastating against helicopters as there will be no need for direct hit in order to cause critical damage. The round has to fly at least 400 m to arm the fuse. It has a trigger radius of 10m.

{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12A1, DM11, DM33, DM43}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 16 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+41)'' || No
|}
Notes:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been loaded.
* Rack 2 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 15 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is 2 - 1.
* If you pack 16 ''(+26)'' shells, it will keep the frontal hull rack empty.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The 2PL playstyle is identical to the 2A4 (and also subsequent German MBTs). One of the key differences between the 2PL over the rest is the stronger turret armour. In terms of armament, the 2PL has the powerful Rh120 L/44 which German tankers are already familiar with.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

*[[M1 Abrams (Family)|M1 Abrams]]: Turret frontal plates are very strong, ensure an angle within 45° when using DM33.
*[[Leopard 2A4]]/[[Strv 121]]: UFP and turret frontal plates can be penetrated by DM33.
*[[Leopard 2A5]]/[[Leopard 2A6]]: UFP and turret frontal plates can be penetrated by DM33. Turret wedges should be blown out first in order to penetrate the turret frontal plate.
*[[Strv 122A]]/[[Strv 122B PLSS]]: UFP impenetrable by DM33 unless MEXAS armour package is destroyed. Turret wedges should be blown out first in order to penetrate the turret frontal plate.
*[[Leclerc]]/[[Leclerc S2]]: Leclerc front is impenetrable by all rounds unless shots are made entirely into the lower half of the LFP, DM43 is advised.
*[[Challenger 2]]: Front impenetrable by all rounds unless shots are made to driver's port.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good turret armour
* Good gun
* Good mobility, due to its powerful engine
* Has access to the DM11 HE-TF round that can counter helicopters
* Has access to 2nd generation thermals for both the gunner and commander

'''Cons:'''

* Nearly no gun mantlet armour
* Hull armour is also not so good, is based on the Leopard 2A4
* Gunner Primary Sight is a big weak spot
* Slow reload compared to other top tier MBTs

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7071-development-squadron-vehicles-leopard-2pl-polish-cavalry-en|Devblog]] ===
The Leopard 2PL is an ongoing joint project for the modernization of the Leopard 2A4 tanks in service with the Polish army, currently being carried out by the German company Rheinmetall AG and the Polish state-owned Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa. The aim of the program is to improve the combat efficiency of the elderly Leopards to 3rd generation plus level main battle tanks.

The main areas of modernization are improving the tank's protection and firepower. The Leopard 2PL has additional modular turret armour (forehead and sides), enhanced protection of the gun mantlet. On the turret's rear, massive boxes appeared, which under some circumstances can work as spaced armour for protection against HEAT shells. The L44 cannon remains the same, but the upgraded fire control system has modern thermal imaging equipment and is adapted for firing more powerful rounds. Since the power plant and chassis of the Leopard 2A4 remained unchanged, the additional protection of the hull had to be abandoned, as the weight of the tank approached 60 tons. In total, 128 Leopard 2A4's in service are to be upgraded under the Leopard 2PL program.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2pl Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Leopard 2 PL WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;[[Leopard 2 (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Leopard 2A4]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7071-development-squadron-vehicles-leopard-2pl-polish-cavalry-en|[Development] Squadron vehicles: Leopard 2PL: Polish cavalry]]
* [https://www.defence24.com/leopard-2pl-programme-showcased-modernization-package-for-the-polish-main-battle-tanks [Defence24<nowiki>.com]</nowiki> Leopard 2PL Programme Showcased. Modernization Package For The Polish Main Battle Tanks.]

{{Germany medium tanks}}
{{Squadron ground vehicles}}

SAG MPDR-12

2023-04-28T20:29:11Z

U56862421: /* General info / usage */

==Description==

[[File:Radar_MPDR_12.jpg|thumb|300px|right|The MPDR 12 radar atop the turret of a [[Gepard]].]]

The '''MPDR 12''' is a German [[SPAA radars|ground based target detection radar]]. It was designed as the target detection radar for the [[Gepard]]; in game it is also used to represent the [[Type 87]]'s radar performance.

===Vehicles equipped with this radar===


* {{Specs-Link|germ_flakpz_I_Gepard}}

==General info / usage==


The MPDR 12 is only a search radar, so cannot track targets by itself. However the radar is always fitted alongside the [[Albis]] tracking radar; this allows vehicles to use the MPDR 12 radar to detect targets, while the Albis radar is tracking a target. The MPDR 12 provides full 360 degree search coverage out to a maximum range of 20 km. The stat card only says 16 kilometres, but in-game it can detect targets up to 20km

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Search Characteristics
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range below which targets cannot be detected by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Range Settings|The available range scale settings of the radar}}
|-
| 20,000 m || 500 m || 10 km, 20 km
|-
! colspan="6" | Search Modes
|-
! {{Annotation|Search Mode|The search mode of the radar (some radars have multiple search modes with different characteristics)}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan}}
! {{Annotation|Scan Time|The time taken to complete one scan (the scan bar moving from one edge of the radar display to the other)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Maximum relative speed|The maximum speed a target can be moving, relative to the radar, and still be detected by the radar}}
|-
| Default || 360° || 15° || 1.00 s || 10 m/s (36 km/h) || 1,000 m/s (3,600 km/h)
|-
|}

===Comparison with analogues===


Compared to other search radars the MPDR 12 has a somewhat lacking maximum range and an about average minimum range. At 15 km the Range falls behind that of the many other search radars, but is better than that of the [[Marconi S 400]]. The radar also scans quickly, taking only 1 second to scan through 360 degrees. On top of this the radar also has a good minimum relative speed of only 36 km/h matching that of the Tunguska's [[1RL144]] radar, and the OTOMATIC's [[SMA VPS-A05]] radar.

===Pros and cons===


'''Pros:'''

* Good minimum relative speed
* Scans quickly

'''Cons:'''

* Mediocre maximum range
* Mediocre minimum range

== History ==


The MPDR 12 was developed in the 1960s/70s by Siemens, who were contracted to design the fire control system for the [[Gepard]]. The the MPPDR 12 is a S band radar, Dutch versions of the Gepard used a different fire control system, using a X band radar.

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article would be a video guide, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

== See also ==


* [[SPAA radars]]
* [[Gepard]]
* [[Albis]]

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on weapon;''
* ''other literature.''

[[Category:Radars]]
[[Category:Ground_vehicle_radars]]

PUMA

2023-04-21T21:28:01Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_schutzenpanzer_puma
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].

The PUMA is a futuristic and unusual vehicle. It has a large profile, strong armour for an IFV, and weighs more than a [[T-72A]], but the mobility is still very good because of its impressive engine with more than 1,000 horsepower. The unmanned turret is equipped with a 30 mm autocannon with access to APFSDS and airburst rounds, reminiscent of the Swedish [[CV90 (Family)|CV90 family]]. The cherry on top is the MUSS soft-kill active protection system, which interferes with the guidance of incoming ATGMs. Although the PUMA is difficult to hide and is not particularly threatening to most MBTs from the front, it is a fairly tough target to destroy and can be a nightmare for enemy IFVs and helicopters, as it can shrug off most of their weapons and retaliate in turn.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The Puma has mediocre hull armour at first sight, supposedly barely withstanding 12.7 mm rounds, as it has at most 15 mm RHA. However, the external armour plates, spacing, internal RHA screens and modules make this vehicle a very capable one when it comes to survivability.

The frontal glacis is in two parts, the upper area which is protected by additional external NERA screens (also giving 5 mm more RHA sloped at 76 degrees) and the lower one is 15 mm RHA sloped at 32 degrees, with an additional 35 mm RHA and a composite screen being hidden behind it. Both the upper and lower plates will not stop anything stronger than 30 mm APDS and chemical shells. The lower glacis plate is not as strong since it is not sloped as much, but penetrating this plate will often result in shrapnel being stopped by the engine deck.

The weak parts on the front of the hull are where the armour is presented flat or has only one module to stop the incoming shells, such as: the connector between upper and lower plate, particularly the left side (because it is only protected by the transmission and has no NERA), the exhaust vent panel on the right under the gun (10 mm RHA, has no NERA coating, only has radiator to stop shells passing through it and even if shells bounce off it they can hit the gun barrel instead), and the driver optics on the left (very difficult to notice and hit, but have absolutely no screening and both gunner and driver are in the shell trajectory). Also, although the engine bay acts as a spaced armour to protect the crew from all sorts of attacks and additionally shields the crew from overpressure, it comes at the expense of being lit on fire.
[[File:Puma IFV vs 9M133.png|left|thumb|9M133 can be stopped by the composite array depending on the obliquity of the armour at LOS.]]

On the sides, the Puma has access to powerful external NERA, ERA and fuel tanks that protect its sides. However, it is only effective on certain chemical munitions as the side armour of the Puma hull itself is non-existent, and external armour quickly deteriorates when under continuous fire (although it technically can stop 30 mm APDS when the tank is sufficiently angled). This armour is similar to the armour package seen on the skirts of the [[Challenger 2]] and it offers a 500 mm protection against chemical munitions with a successful disruption up to 550 mm at 0° LOS. This protection is increased as the angle of attack becomes higher. It is unable to protect against tandem warheads (as they simply ignore ERA) and will not stop ATGMs with a penetration above the stipulated head-on.

Most of the roof has 30 mm thick composite screen (which technically means it's invulnerable to HE), combined with spacing inside the crew compartment it offers a decent protection for chemical energy shells such as HEATFS, ATGMs and anti-tank grenades, making it closer to the [[Class 3 (P)]] protection levels. Unfortunately, there are spots on the hull's front roof which still can be penetrated by HE, allowing tankers with keen aim or big HE to destroy the tank. Overall, spacing and overpressure protection makes the Puma capable of withstanding hits of all HEATFS and even some ATGMs without fatal damage. It is also able to reduce the penetration or stop ATGM like the [[9M113 Konkurs]] and 9M112 (ATGM of the [[T-64B]]) although do not expect it to happen all the time, it depends on your angling, where the missile impacts and overpressure mechanics.

Back of the tank's hull is extremely vulnerable, particularly the door, as it can be penetrated by 12.7 MG at general melee ranges and there is nothing to stop enemy shells when they enter the tank.

The turret itself can take a lot of beating and has no crew in it, but its optics can be easily detected when facing an enemy and it technically can be penetrated by 12.7. This is unfortunate, as the ammo belt is right behind the optics, allowing enemy to destroy the ammunition. Another weakness is the turret ring, as it allows autocannon armed tanks to destroy the vertical gun drive.

If the turret ammo rack is shot, PUMA might survive, but it will lose all of the ammo and will have to return to an allied capture point to reload.

;MUSS Active Protection System

The Puma has access to an infra-red jammer, the MUSS APS. It is a constant active APS which provides protection against a wide variety of threats. The jamming device (commander's optics like system on the highest mount of the turret's roof) is mounted on the roof of the tank to cover the vulnerable frontal arc. It is called "Infrared Countermeasure" for the following reason: SACLOS guidance utilizes a beam-riding guidance which is connected to the GPS (gunner main sight in some cases, on others it is a different sight like on [[T-55AM-1]] and [[T-62M-1]]) which uses a flare as reference point for the guidance system in the ATGM. The missile moves with the gunner's sight and the flare tries to stay on the crosshairs. IRCM confuses the GPS with a brighter IR light decoy acting as the flare (the flare is also IR) which signals the ATGM to move to a different position nowhere near from the gunner's target. The system works in a similar fashion to the Shtora system found on the Soviet T-90A and the EIREL system found on the French AMX-30B2 BRENUS.

MUSS will jam SACLOS missiles including wire-guidance: <div style="column-count:3;-moz-column-count:3;-webkit-column-count:3">

* [[3M7]] ([[IT-1]])
* [[9M17M Falanga]] ([[Mi-4AV]]/[[Mi-24A]])
* [[9M17P Falanga-PV]] ([[Mi-24D (USSR)|Mi-24D]])
* 9M112 ([[T-64B]] / [[T-80B]])
* [[9M113 Konkurs]] ([[BMP-1]]/[[SPz BMP-1]]/[[BMP-2]])
* [[9M114 Shturm]] ([[Shturm-S]]/Russian Helicopters)
* [[9M120 Ataka]] ([[Mi-35M]]/[[Mi-28N]]/[[Mi-28A]])
* [[9M311]] ([[ZPRK 2S6]])
* [[BGM-71A TOW]]
* [[BGM-71B TOW]]
* [[BGM-71C I-TOW]]
* [[AS.11]]
* [[HOT-1]]
* [[HOT-2 TOW]]
* [[HOT-3]] ([[EC-665 Tiger HAD]]/[[EC-665 Tiger HAP]]/[[EC-665 Tiger UHT]])
* MGM-51B ([[M551 Sheridan|M551]]/[[M60A2]])
* MGM-51C ([[XM-803]]/[[MBT-70]]/[[KPz-70]])
* [[BAe Swingfire]] ([[Swingfire]]/[[Striker]])
* [[MILAN]] ([[Marder A1-]]/[[Ratel 20]]/[[Warrior]])
* [[HJ-73E]] ([[ZBD86]])
* [[Roland]] ([[FlaRakPz 1]]/[[Roland 1]]/[[FlaRakRad]])
* [[VT1]] ([[FlaRakRad]]/[[ItO 90M]])
* [[ACRA (142 mm)|MP ACRA]] ([[AMX-30 ACRA]])
* [[Rbs 55]] ([[UDES 33]]/[[Pvrbv 551]])</div>

Laser-guided missiles (AGM-114 Hellfire, MIM146 ADATS, ZT3, etc) will not be jammed by MUSS. In order to let the APS work, it must be turned on with a key in the control section. The APS module can be destroyed.

MUSS can be used while on the move. While on the move (specially horizontally), the jammed ATGM will move in an uncontrolled direction like normal jamming but riskier, keep this in mind as it can hit a track, engine deck or close enough to create fragmentation and spot the Puma and/or friendlies. When moving forward to an enemy who fired an ATGM, it will be affected by the APS but due to the momentum, the ATGM can hit the Puma if the ATGM is redirected towards the ground. MUSS creates a thermal signature which can be seen with thermal sights. It also can also be used as an IR spotlight. It should be noted that this can be a disadvantage when in night maps as tanks with NVD (except when tanks are using thermal view) will be able to see the light beam. The APS should be turned on and off at commander's discretion. When on day maps, this will not be an issue. MUSS must have a clear line-of-sight with the enemy launcher (at least enemy sights must be able to see the tank). Tanks firing behind cover like the Swingfire can also be affected by the APS. As long as the enemy is within the jamming arc, the Puma will be protected against SACLOS ATGMs. It should be noted that the Puma has access to Laser Warning Receiver (LWR), so the player does not need to rely on visual contact with the ATGM and the launcher. Thankfully, the thermal sights will be capable of detecting the fireball created by the ATGMs at certain distances.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, slat)
* High hardness rolled armour (turret)
* Aluminium alloy 7039 (turret)
* Composite screen (hull roof)
* Bulletproof glass (rear door pane)
* ERA/NERA (hull sides)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15+5 mm (76°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 15 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 15 mm (58-60°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm (13°) ''Top'' 10+15 mm ''Bottom'' || 15 mm (10-15°) 60 mm (13°) ''Door window'' || 15+5 mm (14°) ''Front glacis'' 15+30 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 10 mm ''Radiator vent''
|-
| Turret || 25 mm ''Turret front'' 10 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25+15 mm || 25+15 mm || 15+5 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.
* ERA and NERA panels cover the sides of the PUMA:

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Sides
|-
| Hull || '''ERA''': 340 mm ''Top'' '''NERA''': 100+150 mm ''Radiator vent'' '''NERA''': 250 mm ''Bottom''
|-
|}

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


The PUMA will generally cruise at about 56 km/h. The reverse speed is very good and allows to retreat when facing a tank the main gun can't destroy frontally.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,686|rbMinHp=962}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)|30 mm MK 30-2/ABM]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 113.0 || rowspan="2" | 0.26 || rowspan="2" | 0.23 || rowspan="2" | 0.21 || rowspan="2" | 0.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''MK266:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''PMC308:''' {{Annotation|Ahead|Shrapnel with time fuse}}
* '''PMC287:''' {{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}

{{:MK 30-2/ABM (30 mm)/Ammunition|APDS, HEI-T*, Ahead, APFSDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG4 (5.56 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG4 (5.56 mm)|5.56 mm MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (1,000) || 890 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The PUMA IFV is an effective vehicle against all types of targets, and even the heaviest of tanks such as the [[T-10M]] can even be defeated with a flanking manoeuvre with APFSDS to the direct side at point blank. The best way to play the PUMA IFV is to go on the flank, using its mobility to get to places quickly. It has access to generation 3 thermals for the gunner and commander, and a very good optic which makes sniping an easy job to do. With the crewless turret, you can easily sit hull down in most positions which makes it hard for your enemies to effectively target you, though you are a big target, so it's best to be aware on the move.

Another way to play is being a support vehicle and slightly being aggressive, where you can support your teammates at the frontline aiming for weak spots of enemies with APFSDS, or flanking them as the APFSDS can cut through easy weak spots and the sides and rear of enemies. While the PUMA can survive and soak up shots due to the empty space inside the vehicle, you can still be disabled by an engine shot, or a well placed shot to the side where all your crew is packed together. The PUMA provides good protection against most chemical warhead weapons aside from tandem charged warheads, as the PUMA is equipped with a mix of CLARA Explosive Reactive Armour, and composite armour. It may occasionally bounce early APDS and APFSDS to the angle of the frontal armour but it's best to still play cautiously as no vehicle is invincible.

'''Counter tactics:'''

A ground force veteran might notice that PUMA looks and acts eerily similar to the [[Warrior]], but with no ATGM. The less obvious differences are not visible to the eye. It is much better protected and will block HEAT shells almost anywhere, cannot be destroyed with HMG, does not explode if shot into the turret, has no ammo racks in the back. Its gun is belt fed, fires much faster and harder, but it can be ammo starved like SPAAs, if direct destruction is impossible. It also works as a great equalizer - even though it has no ATGM, it will not let almost anyone around it to use them either. Treat it as a medium tank, or a single mistake will allow it to immediately disable your weapon, then bully you and your teammates at its leisure.

Here are some tips for various ammunition types:

* '''Semi-auto ATGM''' - Forget about it. Unless it is very close to you, IRCM will derail the missile into the ground. If you want to use it, hit the IRCM on top of it with something else until it breaks, then hit the tank with ATGM. Even so, avoid hitting the tank from the side, especially at an angle, as NERA or ERA might block it. Do not aim at the middle of it if you attack at an angle, hit closer to the front. If you are a dedicated missile carrier with no side weapons - try to bait it as close as you can and pray for a hit, since its IRCM is placed so high that there is literally no way to sneak a missile around it, the less time the missile is exposed to it, the better.
* '''Wire guided ATGM''' - Probably it is too weak or uncontrollable to break through its hull, hit the turret first to ensure your survival. Then, depending on range and position, try to hit its LFP (it's weak enough even for gen 1 ATGM), vent (UFP, on your left if head-on, looks like a weird bright square without camouflage, hard to hit), worst case scenario try to hit its left (right when head-on) corner from a side until it gives in (avoid hitting too many ERA bricks at once and don't aim too low or you will hit NERA and external fuel tanks) or immobilize it by any means necessary and finish it off from behind. If in AB mode - see Semi-auto.
* '''Laser guided ATGM''' - Fire at the crew in the front. Do not rely on the raw power of ATGM and do not mindlessly slam the back or the middle of the {{PAGENAME}}, it's not an XM-1, it won't blow up even if you will just hit it 12 times randomly.
* '''HESH''' - Such a shell isn't very useful, but an attempt could be made to least hit the driver optics or the tip of the gun. If you are lucky enough, the PUMA will take critical damage.
* '''HE''' - If it can penetrate more than 31 mm RHA, try to hit turret neck from the front of the hull, as there is a lot of openings in the composite screen, through which an HE might get inside and destroy the crew. There is also a possibility of attacking the driver, as he is not completely screened away, but it's more difficult than just hitting the turret's bottom. The sides are very difficult to penetrate.
* '''HEAT''' - If head-on, attack lower frontal plate (aim towards your right to avoid the engine deck), otherwise destroy the turret and swap ammunition. Everything else but rear is likely to bounce or block the shot. If its LFP is out of the reach and you can't get to its rear, try to hit the ventilation, as it has no NERA. If it won't bounce, then you will at least take out the commander, if it will bounce, it is very likely to hit the gun barrel and destroy it.
* '''Autocannon''' - Go for the turret ammo belt to disrupt its weapon, then unload into the driver's optics. If that won't penetrate for some reason, you can attack its middle-bottom from the side to destroy the remaining ammo belts, so it becomes useless, then assault its side armour until it eventually collapses or attack the rear.
* '''APHE''' - Unlike with the Warrior, its engine deck can stop APHE without collapsing the entire tank, so when attacking it from the front, hit its left (your right) side to ensure its demise. If your fuse sensitivity is 19 mm, '''do not''' attack the turret - it is sealed away from the hull and is thin enough to not detonate such shells. Side hits seem to be fatal almost anywhere. When hitting from the rear, aim left or middle, as it will not detonate slow fuses and its crew might survive.
* '''Pure kinetic shells:'''
** '''RB:''' Your goal is to destroy two crew members in one hit. It is particularly weak to high-calibre APDS. Avoid attacking it at an angle if possible. When head-on, the fastest way is to hit its left (right for you) with APFSDS or APDS - if shot straight, the tank loses both gunner and driver, resulting in a one-hit KO. Be aware that this tank has fake side panels and its real interior is actually very narrow - look for LFP or ensure that you are aiming in between of the tracks first to confirm that you are, in fact, aiming at the crew compartment. From the side, look where the turret connects with the tank, then aim a bit closer to the front, this should take out both gunner and commander. If you can't aim this fast, then destroy the gun. If you missed, turn the gun away and hope that the enemy is too sloppy or busy with something else to destroy your gun. If you still have heavy machine gun, fire at turret's optics to try and damage its ammo belt to buy some time.
** '''AB:''' There is a high chance your opponent already has "crew replenishment" researched, in which case if you will go for default strategy, you are likely to lose, as the commander can use the main weapon. Basically, treat {{PAGENAME}} as if you can only take it out in minimum two shots and disable its weapon first.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Access to IRCM that can disrupt most common missiles
* ERA on the side of the tank that will stop any chemical warheads
* Crewless turret that can enable you to hull down effectively
* The turret is sealed away from the interior of the hull and won't detonate most of APHE shells, significantly reducing potential of collateral damage
* Unlike with the similar IFVs, it is incredibly difficult to destroy it without actually taking out the crew
* Access to APFSDS for an autocannon
* Good mobility for its size
* Optics can shift from a general melee X2 zoom to the near-maximum sniper X15
* Generation 3 Thermals for Commander and Gunner
* Laser Warning System to alert you of incoming fire from tanks or helicopters
* Has access to Auto tracking which greatly increases it's anti-air capability

'''Cons:'''

* Big target for its vehicle type
* Fire rate is subpar compared to most of its counterparts
* Has a timed-fuse Shrapnel shell instead of HE-VT, which is inconvenient when fighting aircraft
* IRCM can be spotted easily in NVD and Thermal sights
* No access to ATGMs unlike its counterparts
* Stock belt is subpar for defeating ground vehicles
* Engine area is in the front, can be disabled easily
* Very insufficent armor against kinetic shells

== History ==

'''Planning Phase''':

After it became apparent that the armoured forces introduced in the 1970s (Leopard 2, Marder, Gepard, etc.) would be at the end of their life after 2010, the Leopard 2 Combat Enchantment ||| was canceled and replaced with the Neue Gepanzerte Plattform (New Armoured Platforms). The project was aimed to reduce the cost of combat vehicles by creating a modular common chassis with a focus on survivability, mobility, and operational capacity. Three platforms were theorized.

Platform A: A system designed for heavy ground targets, I.E. Main Battle Tanks

Platform B: A system for engaging the remaining ground targets, I.E. Infantry Fighting Vehicle

Platform C: A system intended for support, such as anti-aircraft, engineering, and recovery

With these specifications in mind, a number of considerations were further researched. Two core crew members, large degrees of automation, and the same mobility as the Leopard 2A4 were all considered. In addition, diesel-electric drives, active protection systems (hard and soft), digital on-board network, effective mine protection, and high performance shells were thought to be important for the design constraints.

In 1998, after tense budget struggles, the development of three parallel systems was determined to be unfeasible and so the Infantry Fighting Vehicle was the only project to move forward.

'''Start of Development:'''

In 1996, one year after the German Federal Office for Defense Technology and Procurement(BWB) had requested design specfications, Krauss-Maffei, Wegmann & Co.,MaK Systemgesellschaft mbH, KUKA Wehrtechnik, and Henschel-Wehrtechnik all presented their concepts. Different designs toyed with placing the engine in the front or the rear, and the weight varied between 55 to 71.9 tons.

After certain design elements were designated as being beneficial, it became apparent that certain ideas, such as the 2 man compact compartment, diesel-electric engines, vehicle electronics, and weapon systems all needed to be tested. From 1997 till 2002 various testing was done on these ideas. At the tail end of 1999, a simulator was install on a tracked vehicle called the Technologieträger Kette. This prototype was tested at the Armoured Personnel Training center in Munster.

On September 11, 2001, following the attack on the Twin Towers, NATO set a new standard that any new vehicles should focus on air transportability.After procuring several Combat Vehicle 90 from Sweden, it was decided that a contract for a new IFV to be developed in Germany was to be commenced.

In 2004, the BWB signed a contract for 5 pre-series Puma's with the option to order an additional 405 vehicles. The Pumas were received in 2006 on time and were used for early testing for the different systems. This included the MUSS Active Protection System and to uncover any potential weak points. This testing found issues with the drive train and drive itself. During the 6th status report, the BWB was considerably angry at the lack of progress, the Bundestag's Budget Committee approved the order for the Puma and the contact was signed in 2009. A total of 405 units were to be purchased at a price of 3.1 billion Euros. In 2012, after struggles with production, the total number of units was changed to 350 with the price ballooning to 5.99 billion Euros.

Due to technical problems, two units arrived early in 2010 for testing to see if there need to be any improvements or changes. After eliminating some shortcomings, the tank was tested again.

On April 13, 2015 the army inspector declared the formal introduction of the Puma IFV into the German Army. Training began the same year with seven vehicles available with additional units arriving in the following months.

'''Critical Response:'''

Criticism started early in the Puma's life cycle after large cost increases and time delays. Ever increasing change requests and the absurd 117 legal provisions that need to be followed, caused the delays and increase in cost. As early as 2013, there was a list of almost 1,000 different issues and deficiencies within the project.

At a price of 17 million Euros per unit, the Puma is the most expensive IFV in the world. In addition, due to the increased weight parameters during development, the Puma requires increased transportation for its modules that make it combat effective.

With costs as ballooned as they were, other armies within Europe, most notably the Dutch army, decided to stop using German IFVs and switch to the Swedish Combat Vehicle 90.

Another point of criticism is the 5.56x45 machine gun mounted in the turret. The standard for most IFVs and MBTs is the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge. The idea behind using the lighter cartridge is to standardize the ammunition used for both soldiers and the machine gun.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_schutzenpanzer_puma Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|2AF4ZDe6M2g|'''The Shooting Range #299''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Warrior]]
* [[Strf 9040B]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7604-development-puma-a-muss-have-en|[Devblog] PUMA: A "MUSS" Have]]

{{TankManufacturer KMW}}
{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:Ground vehicles with active protection system]]

Wiesel 1A4

2023-04-10T15:47:17Z

U56862421: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = German SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_mk20
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The Wiesel 1A4, while very weak in both armour and armament, is very small and fast compared to most other vehicles at its BR. Given the ability to spot, use thermals, and help teammates with repairs, the Wiesel handles a lot closer to a light tank than an SPAA as it has very limited gun elevation at 45°. Even with its poor elevation, the Rh202 is capable of taking down aircraft found at its BR such as the [[Su-9]] as well as lightly-armoured vehicles like the [[U-SH 405]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour is very thin throughout the vehicle, only able to protect from shrapnel and rifle-calibre machine gun fire. Anything with a calibre of 12.7 mm or larger will penetrate. The external fuel tank provides a minor increase in protection, but is still able to be penetrated by large-calibre machine guns. The interior armour provides minor protection to spalling and small shells, but isn't guaranteed to stop anything above 12.7 mm upon penetration. Two vents can be found on the tank with 5 mm of armour, one on the top above the radiator and the other in the middle of the left side, while not much of a difference, if shot at the right angle rifle-calibre machine gun fire can penetrate. The driver and gunner are sitting in a line if looking directly from the front or at a slight angle, which increases the likelihood of getting both knocked out with a single shot. Moreover, as there are only 2 crew members, losing even 1 man will knock out the vehicle unless on a point with crew replenishment.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, side, rear, roof, turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis'' 8 mm (10°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (33°) ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' 8 mm (34°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (47°) ''Upper plate'' 8 mm (29°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (29°-55°) ''Fuel Tank'' || 8 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' 8 mm (29°) ''Driver compartment'' 6 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 8 mm (51°) ''Turret front'' 6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo || 8 mm (21-40°) Turret || 8 mm (27°) || 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* There is a 5 mm RHA internal plate separating the engine compartment from the crew.
* Tracks, suspension wheels, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick, mud flaps are 2 mm thick.
* The gun breech is 150 mm thick and the gun mount is 6 mm thick (including ammo boxes).

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 800 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±110° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM51A1:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''DM43:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM63:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:Rh202 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T, APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' '''400''' || ''Magazines'' ''Rounds'' || 3 ''(+1)'' 300 ''(+100)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' 200 ''(+200)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' 100 ''(+300)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' 0 ''(+400)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The ammunition is modeled as 4 magazines of 100 rounds.
* Even though racks 3 & 4 both are fed into the gun, the gun still reloads when switching from rack 3 to 4.

== Usage in battles ==

The Wiesel 1A4 is small, light and thus has great acceleration, which can help you to get to positions early, and to arrive at capture points before the enemies. Given its very low profile, it can hide behind almost everything, and can provide support for the team. The Wiesel 1A4 is very lightly armored, thus it shall not be used to attack enemies face-to-face, and it should be where fire support is avaible, because the Wiesel 1A4 cannot effectively kill a medium tank on its own. The 20mm is effective against lightly armored veichles, but it has low post-pen damage, so its not as useful against medium tanks. It is very effective if used as a spotter because it has Gen 3 thermals at 7.0, and with its low profile, it is hard to be spotted. As for anti aircraft purpose, it has limited elevation''(45°),'' but the gun makes quick work of any low flying aircraft, but beware, as this gives away your position.

In conclusion, the Wiesel 1A4 has a rather passive playstile, which is to rush a capture point, and to eliminate any opposing light tanks, and then hide behind some cover and spot as much as possible, shoot down low flying planes, and if any lightly armored targets are present, then they should also be taken out.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and mobility
* Good anti-air capability
* Low profile, can hide in small areas
* Its 20 mm has a high rate of fire
* Access to 3rd generation thermals, night vision and a laser rangefinder

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour
* Can't penetrate tanks reliably
* Low post penetration damage
* Turret can't rotate a full 360°
* Its gun heats up quite quickly
* Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAA
* The rounds don't have a lot of range''(1500-2000m)''

== History ==

=== Development ===
Initially developed in 1979 by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr as an airborne light armoured vehicle, the Wiesel was equipped with Rheinmetall's own Mk 20 RH-202 20 mm autocannon and designed to be small enough to fit inside standard NATO transport aircraft and even the CH53G Sea Stallion helicopter. The Wiesel was supposedly capable of being air dropped alongside airborne elements and was meant to act as armoured support for airborne troops though this idea was abandoned due to many failed tests. The Wiesel 1A4 was designed to combat infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, and even aircraft. The Wiesel program was temporarily shut down in 1978 due to a lack of adequate funding though continued development later after interest was heard from other countries. The Bundeswehr eventually ordered 343 Wiesels in 1985.

=== Combat usage ===
The Wiesel 1A4 first saw service in 1993 as a part of the UN mission to Somalia ([[wikipedia:United_Nations_Operation_in_Somalia_II|UNOSOM II]]) as part of the German peacekeeping force. Soon after, the Wiesel participated in NATO's Implementation Force ([[wikipedia:Implementation_Force|IFOR]]) which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995-1996. Continuing after was NATO's Stabilization Force ([[wikipedia:Stabilisation_Force_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina|SFOR]]) also taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-2004. It participated in yet another NATO mission in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force ([[wikipedia:Kosovo_Force|KFOR]]) from 1999-Present (2022). The Wiesel then was a part of [[wikipedia:Operation_Essential_Harvest|Operation Essential Harvest]] taking place in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 to combat insurgencies. Lastly, Wiesel took part in the International Security Assistance Force ([[wikipedia:International_Security_Assistance_Force|ISAF]]) in Afghanistan from 2001-2014.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_wiesel_1_mk20 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QRb3o5OJsHo|'''Wiesel 1: Firepower for the Fallschirmjäger''' - ''Military History Visualized''}}

== See also ==


* [[Wiesel (Family)]]
* [[Wiesel 1A2]]
* [[Ozelot]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Wiesel 1A4

2023-04-10T15:44:10Z

U56862421: /* See also */

{{About
| about = German SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_mk20
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The Wiesel 1A4, while very weak in both armour and armament, is very small and fast compared to most other vehicles at its BR. Given the ability to spot, use thermals, and help teammates with repairs, the Wiesel handles a lot closer to a light tank than an SPAA as it has very limited gun elevation at 45°. Even with its poor elevation, the Rh202 is capable of taking down aircraft found at its BR such as the [[Su-9]] as well as lightly-armoured vehicles like the [[U-SH 405]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour is very thin throughout the vehicle, only able to protect from shrapnel and rifle-calibre machine gun fire. Anything with a calibre of 12.7 mm or larger will penetrate. The external fuel tank provides a minor increase in protection, but is still able to be penetrated by large-calibre machine guns. The interior armour provides minor protection to spalling and small shells, but isn't guaranteed to stop anything above 12.7 mm upon penetration. Two vents can be found on the tank with 5 mm of armour, one on the top above the radiator and the other in the middle of the left side, while not much of a difference, if shot at the right angle rifle-calibre machine gun fire can penetrate. The driver and gunner are sitting in a line if looking directly from the front or at a slight angle, which increases the likelihood of getting both knocked out with a single shot. Moreover, as there are only 2 crew members, losing even 1 man will knock out the vehicle unless on a point with crew replenishment.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, side, rear, roof, turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis'' 8 mm (10°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (33°) ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' 8 mm (34°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (47°) ''Upper plate'' 8 mm (29°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (29°-55°) ''Fuel Tank'' || 8 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' 8 mm (29°) ''Driver compartment'' 6 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 8 mm (51°) ''Turret front'' 6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo || 8 mm (21-40°) Turret || 8 mm (27°) || 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* There is a 5 mm RHA internal plate separating the engine compartment from the crew.
* Tracks, suspension wheels, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick, mud flaps are 2 mm thick.
* The gun breech is 150 mm thick and the gun mount is 6 mm thick (including ammo boxes).

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 800 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±110° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM51A1:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''DM43:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM63:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:Rh202 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T, APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' '''400''' || ''Magazines'' ''Rounds'' || 3 ''(+1)'' 300 ''(+100)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' 200 ''(+200)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' 100 ''(+300)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' 0 ''(+400)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The ammunition is modeled as 4 magazines of 100 rounds.
* Even though racks 3 & 4 both are fed into the gun, the gun still reloads when switching from rack 3 to 4.

== Usage in battles ==

The Wiesel 1A4 is small, light and thus has great acceleration, which can help you to get to positions early, and to arrive at capture points before the enemies. Given its very low profile, it can hide behind almost everything, and can provide support for the team. The Wiesel 1A4 is very lightly armored, thus it shall not be used to attack enemies face-to-face, and it should be where fire support is avaible, because the Wiesel 1A4 cannot effectively kill a medium tank on its own. The 20mm is effective against lightly armored veichles, but it has low post-pen damage, so its not as useful against medium tanks. It is very effective if used as a spotter because it has Gen 3 thermals at 7.0, and with its low profile, it is hard to be spotted.

In conclusion, the Wiesel 1A4 has a rather passive playstile, which is to rush a capture point, and to eliminate any opposing light tanks, and then hide behind some cover and spot as much as possible, and if any lightly armored targets are present, then they should be taken out.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and mobility
* Good anti-air capability
* Low profile, can hide in small areas
* Its 20 mm has a high rate of fire
* Access to 3rd generation thermals, night vision and a laser rangefinder

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour
* Can't penetrate tanks reliably
* Low post penetration damage
* Turret can't rotate a full 360°
* Its gun heats up quite quickly
* Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAA

== History ==

=== Development ===
Initially developed in 1979 by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr as an airborne light armoured vehicle, the Wiesel was equipped with Rheinmetall's own Mk 20 RH-202 20 mm autocannon and designed to be small enough to fit inside standard NATO transport aircraft and even the CH53G Sea Stallion helicopter. The Wiesel was supposedly capable of being air dropped alongside airborne elements and was meant to act as armoured support for airborne troops though this idea was abandoned due to many failed tests. The Wiesel 1A4 was designed to combat infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, and even aircraft. The Wiesel program was temporarily shut down in 1978 due to a lack of adequate funding though continued development later after interest was heard from other countries. The Bundeswehr eventually ordered 343 Wiesels in 1985.

=== Combat usage ===
The Wiesel 1A4 first saw service in 1993 as a part of the UN mission to Somalia ([[wikipedia:United_Nations_Operation_in_Somalia_II|UNOSOM II]]) as part of the German peacekeeping force. Soon after, the Wiesel participated in NATO's Implementation Force ([[wikipedia:Implementation_Force|IFOR]]) which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995-1996. Continuing after was NATO's Stabilization Force ([[wikipedia:Stabilisation_Force_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina|SFOR]]) also taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-2004. It participated in yet another NATO mission in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force ([[wikipedia:Kosovo_Force|KFOR]]) from 1999-Present (2022). The Wiesel then was a part of [[wikipedia:Operation_Essential_Harvest|Operation Essential Harvest]] taking place in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 to combat insurgencies. Lastly, Wiesel took part in the International Security Assistance Force ([[wikipedia:International_Security_Assistance_Force|ISAF]]) in Afghanistan from 2001-2014.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_wiesel_1_mk20 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QRb3o5OJsHo|'''Wiesel 1: Firepower for the Fallschirmjäger''' - ''Military History Visualized''}}

== See also ==

* [[Wiesel (Family)]]
* [[Wiesel 1A2]]
* [[Ozelot]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Wiesel 1A4

2023-04-10T15:41:56Z

U56862421: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = German SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_mk20
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The Wiesel 1A4, while very weak in both armour and armament, is very small and fast compared to most other vehicles at its BR. Given the ability to spot, use thermals, and help teammates with repairs, the Wiesel handles a lot closer to a light tank than an SPAA as it has very limited gun elevation at 45°. Even with its poor elevation, the Rh202 is capable of taking down aircraft found at its BR such as the [[Su-9]] as well as lightly-armoured vehicles like the [[U-SH 405]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour is very thin throughout the vehicle, only able to protect from shrapnel and rifle-calibre machine gun fire. Anything with a calibre of 12.7 mm or larger will penetrate. The external fuel tank provides a minor increase in protection, but is still able to be penetrated by large-calibre machine guns. The interior armour provides minor protection to spalling and small shells, but isn't guaranteed to stop anything above 12.7 mm upon penetration. Two vents can be found on the tank with 5 mm of armour, one on the top above the radiator and the other in the middle of the left side, while not much of a difference, if shot at the right angle rifle-calibre machine gun fire can penetrate. The driver and gunner are sitting in a line if looking directly from the front or at a slight angle, which increases the likelihood of getting both knocked out with a single shot. Moreover, as there are only 2 crew members, losing even 1 man will knock out the vehicle unless on a point with crew replenishment.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, side, rear, roof, turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis'' 8 mm (10°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (33°) ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' 8 mm (34°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (47°) ''Upper plate'' 8 mm (29°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (29°-55°) ''Fuel Tank'' || 8 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' 8 mm (29°) ''Driver compartment'' 6 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 8 mm (51°) ''Turret front'' 6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo || 8 mm (21-40°) Turret || 8 mm (27°) || 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* There is a 5 mm RHA internal plate separating the engine compartment from the crew.
* Tracks, suspension wheels, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick, mud flaps are 2 mm thick.
* The gun breech is 150 mm thick and the gun mount is 6 mm thick (including ammo boxes).

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 800 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±110° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM51A1:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''DM43:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM63:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:Rh202 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T, APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' '''400''' || ''Magazines'' ''Rounds'' || 3 ''(+1)'' 300 ''(+100)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' 200 ''(+200)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' 100 ''(+300)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' 0 ''(+400)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The ammunition is modeled as 4 magazines of 100 rounds.
* Even though racks 3 & 4 both are fed into the gun, the gun still reloads when switching from rack 3 to 4.

== Usage in battles ==

The Wiesel 1A4 is small, light and thus has great acceleration, which can help you to get to positions early, and to arrive at capture points before the enemies. Given its very low profile, it can hide behind almost everything, and can provide support for the team. The Wiesel 1A4 is very lightly armored, thus it shall not be used to attack enemies face-to-face, and it should be where fire support is avaible, because the Wiesel 1A4 cannot effectively kill a medium tank on its own. The 20mm is effective against lightly armored veichles, but it has low post-pen damage, so its not as useful against medium tanks. It is very effective if used as a spotter because it has Gen 3 thermals at 7.0, and with its low profile, it is hard to be spotted.

In conclusion, the Wiesel 1A4 has a rather passive playstile, which is to rush a capture point, and to eliminate any opposing light tanks, and then hide behind some cover and spot as much as possible, and if any lightly armored targets are present, then they should be taken out.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and mobility
* Good anti-air capability
* Low profile, can hide in small areas
* Its 20 mm has a high rate of fire
* Access to 3rd generation thermals, night vision and a laser rangefinder

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour
* Can't penetrate tanks reliably
* Low post penetration damage
* Turret can't rotate a full 360°
* Its gun heats up quite quickly
* Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAA

== History ==

=== Development ===
Initially developed in 1979 by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr as an airborne light armoured vehicle, the Wiesel was equipped with Rheinmetall's own Mk 20 RH-202 20 mm autocannon and designed to be small enough to fit inside standard NATO transport aircraft and even the CH53G Sea Stallion helicopter. The Wiesel was supposedly capable of being air dropped alongside airborne elements and was meant to act as armoured support for airborne troops though this idea was abandoned due to many failed tests. The Wiesel 1A4 was designed to combat infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, and even aircraft. The Wiesel program was temporarily shut down in 1978 due to a lack of adequate funding though continued development later after interest was heard from other countries. The Bundeswehr eventually ordered 343 Wiesels in 1985.

=== Combat usage ===
The Wiesel 1A4 first saw service in 1993 as a part of the UN mission to Somalia ([[wikipedia:United_Nations_Operation_in_Somalia_II|UNOSOM II]]) as part of the German peacekeeping force. Soon after, the Wiesel participated in NATO's Implementation Force ([[wikipedia:Implementation_Force|IFOR]]) which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995-1996. Continuing after was NATO's Stabilization Force ([[wikipedia:Stabilisation_Force_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina|SFOR]]) also taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-2004. It participated in yet another NATO mission in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force ([[wikipedia:Kosovo_Force|KFOR]]) from 1999-Present (2022). The Wiesel then was a part of [[wikipedia:Operation_Essential_Harvest|Operation Essential Harvest]] taking place in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 to combat insurgencies. Lastly, Wiesel took part in the International Security Assistance Force ([[wikipedia:International_Security_Assistance_Force|ISAF]]) in Afghanistan from 2001-2014.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_wiesel_1_mk20 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QRb3o5OJsHo|'''Wiesel 1: Firepower for the Fallschirmjäger''' - ''Military History Visualized''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Wiesel 1A4

2023-04-10T15:32:35Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_mk20
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The Wiesel 1A4, while very weak in both armour and armament, is very small and fast compared to most other vehicles at its BR. Given the ability to spot, use thermals, and help teammates with repairs, the Wiesel handles a lot closer to a light tank than an SPAA as it has very limited gun elevation at 45°. Even with its poor elevation, the Rh202 is capable of taking down aircraft found at its BR such as the [[Su-9]] as well as lightly-armoured vehicles like the [[U-SH 405]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The armour is very thin throughout the vehicle, only able to protect from shrapnel and rifle-calibre machine gun fire. Anything with a calibre of 12.7 mm or larger will penetrate. The external fuel tank provides a minor increase in protection, but is still able to be penetrated by large-calibre machine guns. The interior armour provides minor protection to spalling and small shells, but isn't guaranteed to stop anything above 12.7 mm upon penetration. Two vents can be found on the tank with 5 mm of armour, one on the top above the radiator and the other in the middle of the left side, while not much of a difference, if shot at the right angle rifle-calibre machine gun fire can penetrate. The driver and gunner are sitting in a line if looking directly from the front or at a slight angle, which increases the likelihood of getting both knocked out with a single shot. Moreover, as there are only 2 crew members, losing even 1 man will knock out the vehicle unless on a point with crew replenishment.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, side, rear, roof, turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (61°) ''Upper glacis'' 8 mm (10°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (67°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (33°) ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' 8 mm (34°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (47°) ''Upper plate'' 8 mm (29°) ''Lower plate'' 8 mm (29°-55°) ''Fuel Tank'' || 8 mm (29°) ''Front glacis'' 8 mm (29°) ''Driver compartment'' 6 mm ''Fighting compartment'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 8 mm (51°) ''Turret front'' 6 mm (6°) Optic 6 mm (3°-7°) Ammo || 8 mm (21-40°) Turret || 8 mm (27°) || 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* There is a 5 mm RHA internal plate separating the engine compartment from the crew.
* Tracks, suspension wheels, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 5 mm thick, mud flaps are 2 mm thick.
* The gun breech is 150 mm thick and the gun mount is 6 mm thick (including ammo boxes).

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 800 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±110° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM51A1:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''DM43:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''DM63:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:Rh202 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T, APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' '''400''' || ''Magazines'' ''Rounds'' || 3 ''(+1)'' 300 ''(+100)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' 200 ''(+200)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' 100 ''(+300)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' 0 ''(+400)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The ammunition is modeled as 4 magazines of 100 rounds.
* Even though racks 3 & 4 both are fed into the gun, the gun still reloads when switching from rack 3 to 4.

== Usage in battles ==

The Wiesel 1A4 is small, light and thus has great acceleration, which can help you to get to positions early, and to arrive at capture points before the enemies. Given its very low profile, it can hide behind almost everything, and can provide support for the team. the{{Pagename}}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent acceleration and mobility
* Good anti-air capability
* Low profile, can hide in small areas
* Its 20 mm has a high rate of fire
* Access to 3rd generation thermals, night vision and a laser rangefinder

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour
* Can't penetrate tanks reliably
* Low post penetration damage
* Turret can't rotate a full 360°
* Its gun heats up quite quickly
* Poor gun elevation compared to other SPAA

== History ==

=== Development ===
Initially developed in 1979 by Rheinmetall for the Bundeswehr as an airborne light armoured vehicle, the Wiesel was equipped with Rheinmetall's own Mk 20 RH-202 20 mm autocannon and designed to be small enough to fit inside standard NATO transport aircraft and even the CH53G Sea Stallion helicopter. The Wiesel was supposedly capable of being air dropped alongside airborne elements and was meant to act as armoured support for airborne troops though this idea was abandoned due to many failed tests. The Wiesel 1A4 was designed to combat infantry, tanks, armoured vehicles, and even aircraft. The Wiesel program was temporarily shut down in 1978 due to a lack of adequate funding though continued development later after interest was heard from other countries. The Bundeswehr eventually ordered 343 Wiesels in 1985.

=== Combat usage ===
The Wiesel 1A4 first saw service in 1993 as a part of the UN mission to Somalia ([[wikipedia:United_Nations_Operation_in_Somalia_II|UNOSOM II]]) as part of the German peacekeeping force. Soon after, the Wiesel participated in NATO's Implementation Force ([[wikipedia:Implementation_Force|IFOR]]) which took place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1995-1996. Continuing after was NATO's Stabilization Force ([[wikipedia:Stabilisation_Force_in_Bosnia_and_Herzegovina|SFOR]]) also taking place in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 1996-2004. It participated in yet another NATO mission in Kosovo as part of the Kosovo Force ([[wikipedia:Kosovo_Force|KFOR]]) from 1999-Present (2022). The Wiesel then was a part of [[wikipedia:Operation_Essential_Harvest|Operation Essential Harvest]] taking place in the Republic of Macedonia in 2001 to combat insurgencies. Lastly, Wiesel took part in the International Security Assistance Force ([[wikipedia:International_Security_Assistance_Force|ISAF]]) in Afghanistan from 2001-2014.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_wiesel_1_mk20 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|QRb3o5OJsHo|'''Wiesel 1: Firepower for the Fallschirmjäger''' - ''Military History Visualized''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

F-105D

2023-04-10T15:27:39Z

U56862421: /* Description */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-105d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]]. A nickname often associated with the {{PAGENAME}} was "Thud".

Like its contemporaries in the [[Su-7 (Family)|Su-7 family]], the {{PAGENAME}} is a strike aircraft designed for ordnance delivery at high speeds and low altitude, and its design reflects this, with powerful acceleration, excellent control authority at high speeds, good roll rate, and plentiful choices in bomb options. The {{PAGENAME}} also has a full range of ballistic computer programming, including CCIP for rockets, bombs and cannons, plus a CCRP function that uses its surprisingly capable AN/ASG-19 radar. While it lacks a true "lock" function, the gun has a radar-ranging gunsight as well as a Search and IFF(Identify Friend or Foe), and it has the capability to see targets in front and above it to a relatively high degree of efficiency at ranges of up to 15 km. This allows it to see enemies to some extent, and plan ahead to avoid them. The F-105 was designed with nuclear strike in mind, and it performs best roaring through valleys and over hills at low altitude, reaching speeds of almost mach 1.2 when clean, and mach 1.05 with a full load of sixteen 750-pound M117 bombs. Famous for its use during Operation Rolling Thunder in Vietnam as the United States Air Force's main strike aircraft, the F-105, like the [[P-47 (Family)|P-47]] and [[F-84 (Family)|F-84]] that preceded it, has a reputation for being an aircraft capable of taking heavy punishment. However, it had several fatal flaws, including the lack of any standoff air-to-ground ordnance, the positioning of the fuel tanks directly above control cables and the at-times temperamental engine, the low-altitude, low-speed passes that it was forced to fly, and the doctrines of the time.

This fighter has chaff in pods, but does not have flares. It is vulnerable to the IR-guided air-to-air missiles (AAMs) that are prevalent at the battle rating range that it fights at, as well as the radar-guided anti-aircraft guns and the IR or Beam-riding Surface-to-Air Missiles (SAMs) it faces at its BR. This is offset by the roll rate and control authority, meaning that it can easily outroll or outmanoeuvre any rear-aspect AAM in-game except the [[Matra R550 Magic 1|Matra R.550 Magic]], which can only be outmanoeuvred with range and the assumption that the Magic's booster has shut off. Since it was designed to perform toss-bombing at high speeds on the deck, it also has the capability to pull surprisingly high Gs and turn/loop tighter than expected for an attack aircraft, managing turns of 12-13 Gs with empty bomb racks and 4 Sidewinders, or 13-14 G clean with 12 minutes of fuel left in the tank at around ~1,100 km/h, and still manages 10-11 G sustained turns above and below those speeds. Seeing as these speeds, fuel loads, and payloads are fairly standard conditions when turning away from a base to head home for more ordnance, or while tussling with MiGs over the battlefield, the {{PAGENAME}} makes for a capable dogfighter in its own right. Not many enemy pilots expect the {{PAGENAME}} to be capable of popping a 12 G sustained turn immediately after destroying a base, and even fewer expect it from an attacker glued onto their tail!

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,129 || 2,102 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.5 || 29.5 || 149.3 || 141.5 || rowspan="2" | 1,050
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,206 || 2,167 || 27.5 || 28.0 || 202.8 || 175.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,575  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 827 || 444 || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 720 || < 950 || < 800 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J75-P-19W || 1
| colspan="2" | 12,675 kg || colspan="2" | 450 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel
|-
| 2,699 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 13,701 kg || 15,195 kg || 16,095 kg || 22,911 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,953 kgf || 9,868 kgf
| 0.72 || 0.65 || 0.61 || 0.43
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 6,953 kgf (0 km/h) || 13,161 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.96 || 0.87 || 0.82 || 0.57
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

{{Notice
|'''IMPORTANT: This aircraft cannot carry flares.''' The countermeasure pods are AN/ALE-38/41 Chaff dispensers, which, unlike modern countermeasure pods or USN countermeasure systems, use neither a common calibre nor dispenser system as flares. The {{PAGENAME}} was never equipped with the AN/ALE-40 combined Chaff/Flare suite used on the [[F-4E Phantom II|F-4E]], nor the AN/ALE-29 chaff/flare dispenser used on the [[A-4 (Family)|A-4 Skyhawks]] and [[A-7 Corsair II (Family)|A-7 Corsairs]].
}}

* 12.7 mm armour plate behind the pilot.

Since the aircraft is so big, and has a considerable amount of interior space, gunfire will often pass through the empty innards of the aircraft. Single hits from 20 mm or 23 mm cannons such as the [[GSh-23L (23 mm)|Gryazev-Shipunov GSh-23L]], [[Hispano Mk.V (20 mm)|Hispano Mk.V]], and [[Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 (20 mm)|Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0]] will likely cause no damage other than slight damage to the wings or fuselage. Longer bursts with more hits will cause more serious damage that is likely to require repair at the airfield as soon as possible. Often, cannon bursts from the rear will destroy the engine and disable the tail control, forcing the pilot to bail out, but the wings, fuselage, and tail assembly will all stay attached to the plane until the aircraft slams into the ground. Theoretically, it is possible to control the aircraft entirely with flap input and throttle control without the elevator, but this requires almost ideal conditions that almost never occur. The {{PAGENAME}}, however, lends itself better to this than most aircraft, thanks to flaps that are large, tough, and durable, with rip speeds in excess of 800 km/h. The F-105's landing gear are also extremely durable, and due to their high height, allow slightly sharper and harder landing approaches than other aircraft, which can come in handy after shepherding a damaged aircraft back to base.

The {{PAGENAME}}'s tail control and elevators are particularly vulnerable to enemy fire, and even single hits that wouldn't even damage the fuselage or wings will likely cripple or seriously impair your tailplane. This is compounded by the fact that the {{PAGENAME}} has control cables for the tail in both the top and the bottom of the aircraft, and therefore is extremely vulnerable to enemy fire. Enemy missiles are almost guaranteed to destroy the tail control, wing control, or ignite the massive fuel tanks in the fuselage. {{PAGENAME}} pilots must take utmost care to dodge missiles or otherwise avoid confrontations where enemy missiles come into play, such as prolonged tail-chases in a target-rich environment.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, nose-mounted (1,028 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|M118 (3,000 lb)}}{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12C Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|BLU-27/B incendiary}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 16 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 9 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 3 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 8 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
* 32 x chaff

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="14" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 1 || 4 || 6 || 4 || 1
|-
! 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs
| 1 || 4 || 6 || 4 || 1
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 1 || 2 || 3 || 2 || 1
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 3,000 lb M118 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
| 1 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 19 || 19 || || 19 || 19
|-
! AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
| 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1
|-
! AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
| || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| 1, 2 || || || || 1, 2
|-
! AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
| 2 || || || || 2
|-
! Chaff
| 16 || || || || 16
|-
| colspan="6" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,800 kg
|-
|}

;Summary & Recommendations

The {{PAGENAME}} carries a range of bombs, but the payloads an {{PAGENAME}} pilot will often use are:

* 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)

:This payload is best for bombing bases. It takes seven M117 bombs to destroy a base at 9.7, and with 16 bombs, dropping in 5 pairs of 2 and 6 individual drops, an {{PAGENAME}} can easily pickle off four pairs of bombs (8 total) before using the remaining ones to destroy another base, lighting the afterburner, and heading for home.

* 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)

:This payload is one of the best for bombing bases and then switching into an air-to-air role. The AIM-9E missiles are capable against aircraft that are slow, and useful for causing faster aircraft to manoeuvre to avoid them, forcing them to lose speed and giving you a chance to close the gap.

* 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x 3,000 lb M118 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)

:One of the single most effective payloads, this may be used as a substitute for the above payload if a pilot dislikes having to pickle off eight bombs individually, as now, with a single push of a button, two M118s come sliding off the rails. These two bombs combined are more than enough for a base, but are also effective in their own right as capture-point clearing bombs, or for destroying aircraft staying on the airfield near the end of a match. Campers beware!

* 6 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (4,500 lb total)

:Two heavy-duty bullpups and four Sidewinders make for a powerful punch against both ground and air targets. The M117s are there merely as additional ordnance, and may be jettisoned where necessary for a cleaner aircraft, or used against enemy targets.

[[File:F-105 in hangar.png|thumb|524x524px|Loaded for bear — an {{PAGENAME}} in the hangar, loaded with fourteen M117 demolition bombs, and four AIM-9Es on the outboard pylons. Note the size when compared to the ~1.8 metre-tall mechanics.]]
The LDGP Mark 82 500 lb bombs provided stock and the AGM-12B/Sidewinder combinations serve no purpose once spaded. The Mark 82 can quickly be replaced by the extremely effective M117, which bomb-for-bomb provides the most effective bombing option, since it carries the most TNT for its weight. In addition to this, the Thunderchief carries as many M117s as it does Mark 82s, and also has far more available ordnance options that pair M117s together with other weapons, such as Bullpups. The AGM-12B and Sidewinder/Chaff pod combinations allow for a maximum of two AGM-12Bs, a full rack of bombs on the centreline, and four AIM-9B/Es. Once the AGM-12C has been unlocked, carrying these combinations is useless, since the AGM-12C is superior in every metric, and given the limit on how many Bullpups can be carried with AIM-9s, it's more useful to carry the larger missile rather than the smaller one.

Something to consider is that more experienced players may find Mark 83 effectively redundant, as the M117s that precede them in the modifications menu carry nearly 210 kg of TNT equivalent, and the F-105 can carry more of them than Mark 83s. While at first, the Mk 83's additional 66 kg of TNT equivalent (for a total of 276 kg per thousand-pound bomb) may seem like an improvement, the M117 has nearly identical fragment dispersion/vehicle destruction radii, as well as only 7 mm less armour penetration. Coupled with the aircraft's ballistic computer for precision-bombing, experienced pilots shouldn't need the extra explosive mass to destroy a ground target, and since on a single hardpoint, the F-105 carries more M117s than Mark 83s (4-6 as opposed to 3 for the Mark 83), even novice pilots may find it easier to use the M117, since they have more M117s to drop. Pilots will also find it easier to acquire the M117 than the Mark 83 on this aircraft, as M117s are available as a Tier I modification, while Mark 83s are in Tier II, and the Thunderchief has far more Tier II modifications that should take a higher priority over the Mark 83, such as New Boosters or AIM-9Bs.

Chaff is not advisable for the {{PAGENAME}}. At this battle rating, the {{PAGENAME}} faces mostly IR missiles, and given its flight performance, pilots must rely on manoeuvring alone to defeat the [[AIM-9B]]s, [[AIM-9E]]s, [[R-3S]]s, and [[AIM-9G]]s that are typical to planes around the 8.7-9.7 BR range, as well as the occasional [[R-60]], [[AIM-9J]]/[[RB24J]], and rare [[AIM-7C Sparrow|AIM-7C]], [[AIM-7D]] and [[AIM-7E]] Sparrows that it can face from time to time. All of these missiles can be defeated with appropriate manoeuvring and avoidance of enemy aircraft, making chaff pods entirely redundant, and just something that takes up more space on a hard point that could be used by a bomb, missile, or rocket pod. However, in Ground RB, chaff may be useful in temporarily spoofing early missile and gun SPAA. That said, no SPAA at that BR is entirely radar-based, and most radar-based SPAAGs use their radar to determine only a target solution rather than guide any sort of weapon. For instance, the most common anti-aircraft missile systems in Ground RB — the [[Roland 1]], [[Type 93]], [[Ozelot]], [[2S6]], and [[ADATS]] — all use either IR guidance or a form of semi-active beam-riding guidance that completely ignores chaff.

Four AGM-12Bs is the maximum amount of guided ordnance that the {{PAGENAME}} can carry, if a pilot requires a lot of guided missiles to take out tanks in Ground RB. Due to the ballistic computer, it is often better to take bombs instead, since you can drop from higher up and on different flight profiles where enemy tanks and SPAAs do not expect air attack.

The Mighty Mouse FFARs that it receives are effective, but slightly underpowered compared to the [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Zunis]], [[S-8KO|S-8s]], [[S-24]]s, [[S-25O|S-25s]] and [[psrak m/70|13.5 cm m/70]] that other similar aircraft in and around its battle rating receive. The LAU-3s cannot be used with AIM-9Es, bombs, or any other payloads outside of either on their own or with chaff. This makes bringing FFARs a sub-par option compared to other ordnance options already available for the F-105D Thunderchief.

== Usage in battles ==

The F-105 is an extremely versatile aircraft. Used in a bombing role, typically designated by either "A for Attack" or "B for Bomber", the F-105 in fact excels at both air-to-ground and air-to-air roles, though the aircraft is typically less successful in the latter than the former.

=== Against air targets ===
While the F-105 is classified as an attacker, the aircraft lends itself well to air-to-air work. The aircraft, however, requires basic knowledge on how to fly jets in energy-fighting manoeuvres. Its armament, size, and speed lend it well to destroying enemy targets by pressing its sheer advantage in speed — not many aircraft at its battle rating exceed Mach 1.1 in level flight, and even less while still having a sizeable payload onboard.

[[File:F-105 Turning And Burning.mp4|thumb|F-105 in a sustained ~11-12G turn at sea level.]]

'''On the offensive'''

The F-105's best advantage is in its speed and considerably powerful engine. The aircraft has good energy retention and turning performance at speed, thanks to the nuclear toss-bombing flight profile that the aircraft was designed for. The F-105 does not have any issue with using this ability to loop rapidly at high speed in the vertical by turning quickly and at high Gs in the horizontal. Managing around 12Gs in a sustained turn beginning at Mach 1.0, the F-105 has performance entirely unexpected from a single-engined attacker of its size at its battle rating. F-105Ds also possess strengthened wing spars that earlier variants did not, and unlike said earlier variants, will not tear its wings in sustained manoeuvres very easily. Managing up to 13Gs, and up to fourteen Gs in rare cases, the F-105's large, strong wings grant it energy retention in addition to roll rate, and the swept-wing construction makes it one of the faster-accelerating aircraft at its battle rating- more than enough to match more nimble [[MiG-19 (Family)|MiG-19s]] and [[MiG-21 (Family)|MiG-21s]] at certain speeds.

The F-105 has the option to carry four AIM-9s of either the [[AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9B]] or [[AIM-9E]] type. While these missiles are unimpressive in terms of performance when compared to the [[R.550]] or [[R-60]] that this aircraft faces, they are nonetheless useful. The AIM-9E is a direct upgrade to the AIM-9B that includes a wider seeker FOV thanks to the seeker's ability to uncage and track a target slightly before launch, making it more useful than the AIM-9B in a dogfight. However, the most useful air-to-air asset by far is the gun, which has a generous supply of ammunition available to it. Most F-105 air-to-air victories in Vietnam were made with the gun, and the same holds true in-game. You'll find that many enemies don't expect fast opposition coming back at them from the direction that their airfield is in, which is where you'll be after letting off your bombloads and presumably evading detection by the enemy until that point. Since the aircraft can manage above average speed, pilots will find the F-105 attuned to the doctrine of energy fighting. However, they will also find that the F-105 can turn with its enemies where necessary, and accelerate to regain speed rapidly afterwards, meaning that using turns, loops and otherwise engaging in a dogfight may sometimes be more desirable than simple boom-and-zoom methods. However, F-105 pilots should remember that the aircraft is not designed to get into close-in dogfights. Making mistakes, such as bleeding too much energy, will only turn the F-105D into a slow, large target to be easily hit in a furball engagement.

'''On the defensive'''

The {{PAGENAME}} is extremely survivable. The size of the aircraft means that the aircraft can shrug off damage to its airframe and wings easily and keep flying, and it is easy to glide back to base when out of fuel or damaged. The Thud has a chance to put out fires in its spinal fuel tanks, but due to its position above the engine, if the rear fuel tank gets set on fire, the engine will likely burn down with it. However, the {{PAGENAME}} is good at gliding home and back to base even when the engine is down or after sustaining heavy damage. The pilot lacks protection from the front and sides, and the aircraft lacks any sort of protection for fuel tanks, engine, control cables and control surfaces, unlike its well-armoured stablemate, the A-7 Corsair II. The aircraft can lose a wingtip and a tail fin, but still make it home to base and glide in for a landing. The gears are extremely durable and lend themselves well to rough landing, and the high ground clearance allows the aircraft a better chance of avoiding a tail strike in a high-speed landing.

The size of the aircraft is a double-edged sword, as enemy missiles are almost guaranteed to go off when in proximity to the aircraft. Dodging high-G missiles can become a hassle as while rolling the aircraft and jinking are the most effective methods of taking missiles off your tail, they also increase the surface area that is presented to the proxy fuse. Smaller, more manoeuvrable missiles such as [[R-60]]s and [[SRAAM]]s have an extremely slim chance to detonate even after you appear to have "dodged" it since the proximity fuse is still live after the missile loses its lock.

All of these pale in comparison to its speed, roll rate, and acceleration. Few aircraft possess the {{PAGENAME}}'s aptitude for speed. Only higher-BR aircraft it sees in full uptiers, such as the [[MiG-21SMT]] and the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)|MiG-21MF]], [[F-104 (Family)|F-104 Starfighters]] and [[F-4F Early|F-4F(e)s]] have the ability to keep up with it. Speed is a form of protection in and of itself, since the {{PAGENAME}} can simply jettison its ordnance and run away from whatever it doesn't want to face. However, loading heavy payloads like the bombs required to destroy bases leech away at its speed, and thus speed is only really an option when running the aircraft with AIM-9Es only, or completely clean.

Thanks to the roll rate, the F-105D is able to quickly roll to dodge enemy gunfire, and also enemy missiles. The latter is essential, given the fact that the F-105D never carried any flares, and will never receive flares due to never carrying any such countermeasures in real life. A basic manoeuvre to avoid air-to-air missiles is a snap roll, with or without afterburner, performed by pitching up and rolling/yawing into the same direction. This will cause the aircraft to begin a high-G barrel roll that can reach up to 14Gs, and is effective at losing even the trickiest of opponents. Less advanced air-to-air missiles can be dodged by just turning a little, and given that high-G barrel rolls bleed speed from the aircraft, it's important to know the range and performance envelopes of the enemy aircraft before picking your manoeuvre — turn, high-g barrel roll, or simply levelling off and out-speeding the missile.

=== Against ground targets ===
While the {{PAGENAME}} can carry up to four air-to-ground guided missiles, it can only do this with four AGM-12Bs. This load is hardly optimal, particularly since with the ballistic computer, bombs might be far more effective anyhow. The {{PAGENAME}} does get AGM-12Cs, but only two of them. Keep in mind that with this payload, you cannot carry AIM-9Es for self-defense, nor chaff for spoofing radar. While still able to destroy ground targets, this payload's effectiveness is sometimes questionable in the face of the other payloads this versatile aircraft is capable of carrying. When carrying AIM-9Es or chaff pods, the amount of air-to-ground missiles that the aircraft is able to carry drops to two. The aircraft can only carry two AGM-12s and AIM-9Es with bombs, meaning that using combined loads of AGM-12Bs and missiles/chaff is entirely moot once AGM-12Cs are unlocked and available to the player. The {{PAGENAME}} lacks any fire-and-forget air-to-ground ordnance, as well as any kind of good stand-off ordnance to use against SPAAs. This means that aircraft is vulnerable to enemy SPAA armaments since novice pilots will have to fly low in order to use the bombs, the AGM-12s require constant attention to hit moving targets, and the aircraft lacks any sort of standoff ordnance to use against AAA while staying at an appreciable distance away.

The {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with a full range of ballistic computer functionality. The Constantly Computed Impact Point (CCIP) function helps show the pilot where bombs and rockets will go when released. The Constantly Computed Release Point (CCRP) function that uses the powerful onboard radar system to paint a target on the ground, and it gives the pilot an alert when "release authority" is handed over at a point where if the bomb is dropped, the projectile will hit the target selected. The CCRP system is effective at any altitude, but requires the pilot to have good timing and knowledge of the system being used. The CCIP system is also useable from most altitudes, but is most effective in dives below 1,000 m altitude, meaning that the pilot will have to fly low, exposing themselves to enemy fire as a result. While this is not usually a problem in Air RB, in Ground RB, where ground-based Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) is present, the aircraft is particularly vulnerable to radar-assisted gun AAA, enemy IR/beam-riding SAMs, and main cannons. Despite this vulnerability, the aircraft is extremely tough and survivable. AI anti-aircraft fire will often only be a minor annoyance, and player-launched surface-to-air missiles can be either dodged or avoided with clever tactics and positioning. In addition to that, the aircraft's size means that sometimes, bullets and shells will only hit non-essential components, such as the large, empty bomb bay for nuclear bombs in the centre of the plane.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good acceleration
* Effective control authority at speeds in excess of ~700 km/h
* Takeoff flaps have a high rip speed (~823 km/h)
* Powerful M61 Vulcan cannon with large ammo pool
* Excellent range of ground attack payloads with a ballistic computer
* Can be equipped with 4 x AIM-9E air-to-air missiles
* Has a radar with IFF capabilities and a fast search rate

'''Cons:'''

* High stall speed makes manoeuvring and landing at slow speeds difficult
* Countermeasures only include chaff and will replace AAMs if equipped
* Extremely high fuel consumption on afterburner: requires careful management of fuel on minimum or 20 minutes fuel load
* Manoeuvrability and overall flight performance significantly suffers with a full bombload

== History ==
[[File:RF-84F.jpg|thumb|A USAF Thunderflash, somewhere over the continental US.]]
The F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served during the Vietnam war. Originally an advanced derivative of the RF-84F, the F-105 was a large attack aircraft designed for both nuclear and conventional strike. F-105s would see extensive service in Vietnam as the USAF's primary attack aircraft until high loss rates forced it to be retired from active service. A total of 833 aircraft were built.

The Thunderchief comes from an illustrious family of aircraft, all developed by Seversky, which later would become Republic Aviation. Starting from the early P-35, the aircraft later evolved into the [[P-43A-1|P-43]], an early propeller aircraft developed into the far larger and more powerful [[P-47 (Family)|P-47 Thunderbolt]]. As the Jet Age approached, the P-47 was converted to Jet Propulson, and the [[F-84 (Family)]] was born out of that conversion, beginning with early models such as [[F-84B-26|F-84Bs]]. These were found to be severely underpowered, and the later extended-fuselage F-84E and [[F-84G-21-RE|F-84G]] added a more powerful and more reliable J-35 turbojet. Soon afterwards, the F-84 would be given swept wings, and a much-improved engine, and this design work was laid out the basis for what would eventually become the F-105 Thunderchief.

[[File:AP-63.jpg|thumb|Concept art by Republic of Advanced Project Nº 63.]]

;A Repurposed Thunderflash: The F-105's Origins

The F-105 originated as an internal project of the RF-84F Thunderflash photo-reconnaissance aircraft, featuring the same wing-mounted engine intake system. First begun in 1951, initial design work resembled an enlarged RF-84 with an integral bomb bay in the middle of the aircraft. [[F-84G-21-RE|F-84Gs]] in Tactical Air Command service had been the first fighter aircraft in the world able to carry nuclear bombs, and the first aircraft able to conduct in-flight refuelling- and one of the scant few aircraft designed to be able to refuel by both probe-and-drogue and boom systems. However, this aircraft had merely only been an interim while TAC waited for the [[F-84F]] to enter production, and as such, it was based on a previous variant- the F-84E, but also incorporated many of the technologies expected to be on the F-variant. While the E/G variants closely resembled the [[F-84B-26|F-84B]] in general shape, the F-84F was a radical departure, incorporating a high sweepback and more hardpoints for increased weapons carriage. The RF-84F was an even more radical departure from the previously established F-84 formula, including wing root intakes and a rounded nose for the cameras that it was required to carry in its photoreconnaissance role. While the F-84G/F enjoyed success in Korea and in peacetime European service, Republic Aviation started a new project for a much-improved aircraft based on the RF-84F's design work. Incorporating the same nose shape but with a radar inside, an enlarged centre-section capable of internally carrying a nuclear bomb, and incorporating the same wing-root intakes, the aircraft design called "Advanced Project Nº 63" (AP-63) resembled a much-enlarged RF-84.

;Teething Problems & Shattering Expectations: The F-105's Early Years

The F-105B entered service with the USAF in August of 1958. The aircraft was also snapped up by the Thunderbirds, who desired a high-speed, high performance aircraft for their team, but tragedy struck in their first live show performed with the Thud when one of their aircraft simply exploded mid-air. Contracts for low-rate initial production were awarded to Republic in 1952 and 1953 for a total of 199 aircraft, with initial delivery scheduled for 1955. However, shifting requirements for the aircraft resulted in the project being delayed and contracts being cancelled until a solid contract was signed in February 1955 for 15 aircraft. These 15 aircraft were for two "YF-105A" evaluation aircraft, three "RF-105B" reconnaissance aircraft, and ten production "F-105Bs". In a testament to the survivability of the aircraft that would be proven later in combat, the first F-105B's landing gear failed to extend during the end of its first flight due to suction that kept the gear bay doors sealed shut. The pilot had to belly in, which he did with considerable skill, and funnily enough, when he walked away from the aircraft, the Thunderchief belatedly popped its landing-gear doors open. The aircraft in question was repaired and back in the air within six weeks. The USAF Tactical Air Command (TAC) had a full squadron of Thunderchiefs in service by mid-1959. On 11 December 1959, Brigadier General Joseph Moore, commander of the 4th Tactical Fighter Wing, set a world speed record of 1,958.53 km/h (1,216 mph) over a 100 km closed course in an F-105B. The F-105D variant began to supplant and replace F-105Bs in frontline units between 1960 and 1965. During testing in June of 1961, the F-105 delivered 7 tons of bombs, the largest bombload ever carried by a single-engine fighter. In the spring of 1964, the Thunderbirds, looking for a new high-performance jet to replace their F-100As, chose the F-105B as their mount. After modifying the aircraft to suit their needs, including strengthening the airframe, the F-105 would go on to perform in only 6 airshows before being pulled out of their service in favour of F-100s. During the final airshow, in a "pitch up" manoeuvre, an F-105 piloted by Cpt. Gene Devlins simply disintegrated mid-air after entering the pitch-up, forcing the Air Force to re-evaluate the Thunderchief's use by the acrobatics team, subsequently replacing their F-105Bs with [[F-100D|F-100D Super Sabres]] once more. F-105Bs would be entirely retired by the end of 1965, and the much-improved F-105D would replace them, which also incorporated strengthened wing spars. Project ''Look Alike'' would endeavour to fix problems with the routing of wires, mechanical cables and hydraulics piping, and would be implemented in 1962-1964 on the Thunderchief fleet, just in time for their combat service in Vietnam.[[File:Thunderbirds-F105-diamond.jpg|thumb|Thud Thunderbirds: F-105Bs in diamond formation in service with the Thunderbirds during its brief stint in their service in '64.]]
[[File:F-105D in flight with bombs.jpg|thumb|An F-105D in flight over Vietnam with a full load of 750 lb bombs.]]

;Rolling into Combat: Operation Rolling Thunder & Vietnam

The F-105 would soon see active combat in the Vietnam war, where it served as the USAF's primary attack aircraft. The F-105s would eventually fly over 20,000 combat missions in Vietnam, and despite its large and unwieldy airframe, shoot down 27 Vietnamese MiGs. 24 of these aircraft were shot down using the F-105's internal Vulcan cannon.

However, F-105s in Vietnam suffered from an extremely high loss rate. The F-105 had the unfortunate distinction of being the only American aircraft to have been removed from combat due to high loss rates, being replaced in its ground attack role by the [[F-4E Phantom II|F-4]] Phantom II and F-111 Aardvark. Of 833 total F-105s produced, 382 aircraft were lost, 17 to enemy fighters, but mostly to ground anti-aircraft fire and maintenance issues. This loss rate, however, is less indicative of the aircraft's ability, but more a testament to doctrine and the aircraft's environment. The F-105 was the most-used aircraft during Operation Rolling Thunder- even more so than the F-4C that had only recently entered service. Given that the aircraft flew the most sorties, it was also the aircraft that would, naturally, take the most loss numbers. Due to the rate at which aircraft were being thrown into the Vietnamese Air Defenses, the aircraft suffered correspondingly high losses to the point that the US Air Force contemplated restarting the F-105 production line in Farmingdale, Long Island, but ultimately decided against it, as there were no export customers for the aircraft, and there were replacements just over the horizon- including the results of the TFX program, the soon-to-be-famous F-111.

Ground anti-aircraft fire was an inevitable part of flying into an air defence system. Designed to fly low and fast attack profiles, with not many provisions for high-altitude bombing, the F-105 needed to dive-bomb its targets with conventional bombs, with the pilot required to keep the target in sight of a depressible mil sight in the cockpit at all times. This resulted in pilots being forced into low, slow, and fatally predictable flight profiles when entering a bomb drop. The arc that the F-105s would fly in order to get close in to the target was an extremely easy target for Vietnamese anti-aircraft gunners. While the "Thunderstick-II" upgrade, developed in the late 60s, would allow the F-105 to bomb its targets from higher up using a set of new avionics that went in a spinal bulge (much like the [[MiG-21SMT|MiG-21SMT's]] spine fuel tank), these aircraft, mostly older D-5 and D-10 models, would never see combat, and the upgrades were deemed too costly to roll out to the entire remaining number of F-105s available, which were all soon to retire.

The most common issues were related to the F-105's J75 engine, which simply had not been designed for missions in the envelopes that the F-105s were expected to fly, burning at full military for extended periods of time without overhaul. Since the F-105 had been designed with the Tactical Nuclear Strike role in mind, with its afterburners on full in what was essentially a one-way suicide mission, it had been designed to be the fastest thing flying with a nuclear bomb inside the ventral bomb bay. The J75 had not been designed with long operating hours in mind, since the expectation had been that it would be used a few times in combat prior to being either shot down, disposed of, or otherwise never used again. This resulted in many issues with the jet blade, including cracks in the compressor blades that turned the inside of the engine into a mess of hot metal where the fragmenting blades would shatter, spreading fragments backwards into the engine as they went, causing what appeared to the pilot as a mere engine fire, but was only the precursor to a violent explosion when the fragmenting blades set fire to the initially completely unprotected fuel tanks.

The fuel tanks had been another oversight in the F-105's design- the initial flight profile of low-altitude tactical nuclear strike did not have high projected survivability rates, and for the sake of speed and also the fact that the F-105 wasn't likely to return anyway, the aircraft's massive fuselage fuel tanks, arranged above the engine and bomb bay, were not self sealing. Many flak and SAM losses due to fires stemmed from the punctured fuel tanks leaking fuel all over the hot J75 engine, resulting in the aircraft burning down in flight. Upgrades to the fuel tank, including the addition of self-sealing liners, managed to somewhat rectify the issue, but never completely- no upgrade save for a complete redesign or an entirely new design would solve the issue that the F-105's entire internal fuel load was carried in tanks that were mounted in the top of the fuselage and above the engine.

Another issue encountered was that the sudden loss of hydraulic oil pressure resulted in the tailplane locking into a "pitch down" position, as well as losing the Stability Augmentation system, a vital component of such a large, heavy aircraft that allowed pilots to keep it under control. A switch was later added to mechanically lock the F-105's tailplane into a stable, "neutral" position, but again, this was only a partial fix- the hydraulics issue would never really be overcome throughout its service life.

;Sunset Service

Aircraft of the F-105G "Wild Weasel" suppression of enemy air defence (SEAD) variant remained in service until the end of the Vietnam war, after which they were replaced by the F-4G Wild Weasel IV. F-105s grew increasingly difficult to maintain in the 1970s, resulting in their accelerated retirement. The last F-105Ds in South-East Asia left by 1970, before Operation Linebacker began, and twin-seat F-105Fs and Gs would soldier on into the 80s before retiring. The final flight of any F-105 was by the Air Force Reserve 466th Tactical Fighter Squadron, in 1984, and afterwards, the F-105 slipped quietly into retirement. Most F-105s had their tails sliced off by guillotine to prevent their use elsewhere. 105 complete F-105 airframes are known to survive into this day, though none remain airworthy, and are mostly in the continental US, though a few remain in places like Nellis, McConnel, Kadena and Spangdahlem as monuments to when Thuds were deployed to those bases. The rest are in museums and other such places to live the rest of their lives out as retired warbirds.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-105d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|4H9GuHPLOcs|'''The Shooting Range #283''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://www.avialogs.com/aircraft-r/republic/item/5054-f-105d-thunderchief-standard-aircraft-characteristics-16-july-1959 <nowiki>[Avialogs]</nowiki> Standard Aircraft Characteristics of the F-105D]

=== References ===

* National Air and Space Museum. (n.d.). "Republic F-105D Thunderchief". Smithsonian. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.si.edu/object/republic-f-105d-thunderchief%3Anasm_A19820064000</nowiki>
* Swopes, B. (2021, August 10). "10 August 1961". This Day in Aviation. Retrieved December 24, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.thisdayinaviation.com/10-august-1961/</nowiki>

{{AirManufacturer Republic}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Su-25K

2023-04-09T20:41:22Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = premium Soviet strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the regular version
| link = Su-25
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=su_25k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_004.jpg}}
|store=11444
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Frogfoot; unified for all variants) is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

The export version of the base model Su-25 for Warsaw-Pact countries and overseas customers with minor differences in terms of certain equipment in Czechoslovakian delivery ; with the extensive options for ground attack ranging from bombs, rockets and AGMs, as well as self-defense AAMs, the Frogfoot will prove extremely deadly to ground units without anti-air support and sometimes rotorcrafts of its tier.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
Same as the base model in Soviet service, Su-25K is equipped with a pair of Tumansky R-195 turbofan engines on the sides of the airframe and being one of the last jets of Sukhoi with a straight wing. Since Su-25K is designated as an attacker and low-altitude maneuverability is one of the key of the jet, therefore it will have a better time at such altitudes and the power output of the engines will make sure it could retain its energy; another feature of Su-25s are the extensive protection all-around for the pilot and critical components of the jet, although this means it could survive gun strafes or even sometimes near-miss missiles, this also means the jet is heavier and therefore affects its maneuverability when facing certain jets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 968 || 961 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.4 || 28.0 || 66.8 || 62.4 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 989 || 978 || 26.6 || 27.0 || 94.2 || 79.4
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || X || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,100  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 900 || N/A || 420 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | UMPO R-95SH || 2
| colspan="2" | 10,236 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 990 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 11,106 kg || 12,210 kg || 13,136 kg || 17,678 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,526 kgf || N/A
| 0.63 || 0.58 || 0.54 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,608 kgf (200 km/h) || N/A
| 0.65 || 0.59 || 0.55 || 0.41
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Su-25K is known for its survivability, anecdotally being able to take a few missile hits without suffering any damage compromising its airworthiness, though this ability is inconsistent and should not be relied upon. The airframe is able to sustain rear hits from missiles with a small warhead, especially the FIM-92 Stinger. Occasionally the Su-25K is able to sustain continued hits from Stingers and Roland 1s.

128 flares/chaff launched two of each at a time provide the Su-25K with the chance to evade missiles, which should be the primary form of defense. A lack of afterburner increases flare effectiveness, only very modern missiles such as aim-9L are able to track the aircraft from behind. Chaff only defends against radar locks from behind the aircraft.

The aircraft remains decently controllable upon loss of tail control, wingtips, or an engine. The aircraft remains near-fully controllable upon loss of the rudder and occasionally can fly without the vertical stabilizer.

The fuel tanks are self-sealing and the aircraft has an engine fire extinguishing system. A single section of fuel tank is protected by 18 mm of steel.

The cockpit is very well armoured. The pilot is protected on the front and sides by 24 mm of titanium alloy, the bottom and rear of the pilot is covered by 10 mm of titanium alloy. Additionally there is 57 mm thick bulletproof glass in the front of the cockpit.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-2 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon, chin-mounted (250 rpg)
** 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon + 128 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}
{{main|Kh-25|Kh-25ML|Kh-29L|S-25L|R-60MK}}
{{main|S-5K|S-8KO|S-13OF|S-24B}}
{{main|S-25O|S-25OF|S-25OFM}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 32 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,200 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 256 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 160 x S-8KO rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 40 x S-13OF rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x S-24B rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x S-25O rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x Kh-25ML missiles
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 2 x Kh-29L missiles
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons + 120 x S-8KO rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x S-25O rockets + 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Su-25.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
|-
! 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-5K rockets
| || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 ||
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 ||
|-
! S-13OF rockets
| || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 ||
|-
! S-24B rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25O rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25OF rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25OFM rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! Kh-25 missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Kh-25ML missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Kh-29L missiles
| || || || || 1 || 1 || || || ||
|-
! R-60MK missiles
| 1 || || || || || || || || || 1
|-
! S-25L missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-25K is a support plane. It is a slow plane compared to most other planes, therefore altitude is important since you are likely to Boom and Zoom. You need to look around constantly to prevent unexpected attacks. Your main worries will be planes like the A-5C or the F-5C. Those planes are fast and can dogfight you. Gain altitude and pick on unsuspecting targets. Your R-60MK missiles are very good but shooting them at 3 km distance will be the most efficient. You can also save your missiles if you're caught in a head-on, or you can spray your guns. If you see tough enemies which are alert of your presence, try engaging them first.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower from the GSh-30-2 cannon, having high shell velocity and a powerful punch
* Durable airframe capable of surviving multiple hits
* Access to multiple all-aspect R-60MK missiles with excellent performance
* Decent acceleration
* Wide array of air-to-ground armament with possibility to create custom loadouts

'''Cons:'''

* Relatively low top speed
* Rather poor manoeuvrability at low-medium speeds

== History ==

As one of the export jets of Soviet Union then later Russia and Georgia ''(the Tbilisi Aircraft Plant)'', the Su-25K has been exported to every major continents of the world in different amounts with some victories against their enemies; with most of the users being Eurasian countries.

Records showed that Czechoslovakia, one of the Warsaw-Pact countries until late 1980s, received their batches of 36 Su-25Ks and 2 UBK trainers from Soviet Union in 1984 as the composition of the 30th Attack Air Regiment in Pardubice Airbase then later 1st Mixed Air Corps in 1990; after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the succeeding Czech Republic and Slovakia split their inventories with Czech receiving 2/3 (24 25Ks and an UBK) of these jets while Slovakia received the remaining ones in 1993. Both countries didn't used their Frogfoot in any combat operations or intended for any further service in respective air forces where Czech decommissioned their Frogfoot in December 2000 while Slovakia sold most of their Frogfoots to Armenia in mid-2000s.[http://www.airvectors.net/avsu25.html] [https://www.arrow-aviation.nl/cz_su25.html]

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=su_25k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|UVeSfISG-7M|'''Su-25K Frogfoot FULL Review - Should You Buy It?''' - ''Tankenstein''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7846-development-su-25-and-su-25k-armor-pecking-rooks-en|[Devblog] Su-25 and Su-25K: Armor-pecking Rooks]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}
{{USSR premium aircraft}}

Su-25K

2023-04-09T20:40:48Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = premium Soviet strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the regular version
| link = Su-25
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=su_25k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_004.jpg}}
|store=11444
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Frogfoot; unified for all variants) is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

The export version of the base model Su-25 for Warsaw-Pact countries and overseas customers with minor differences in terms of certain equipment in Czechoslovakian delivery ; with the extensive options for ground attack ranging from bombs, rockets and AGMs, as well as self-defense AAMs, the Frogfoot will prove extremely deadly to ground units without anti-air support and sometimes rotorcrafts of its tier.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
Same as the base model in Soviet service, Su-25K is equipped with a pair of Tumansky R-195 turbofan engines on the sides of the airframe and being one of the last jets of Sukhoi with a straight wing. Since Su-25K is designated as an attacker and low-altitude maneuverability is one of the key of the jet, therefore it will have a better time at such altitudes and the power output of the engines will make sure it could retain its energy; another feature of Su-25s are the extensive protection all-around for the pilot and critical components of the jet, although this means it could survive gun strafes or even sometimes near-miss missiles, this also means the jet is heavier and therefore affects its maneuverability when facing certain jets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 968 || 961 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.4 || 28.0 || 66.8 || 62.4 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 989 || 978 || 26.6 || 27.0 || 94.2 || 79.4
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || X || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,100  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 900 || N/A || 420 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | UMPO R-95SH || 2
| colspan="2" | 10,236 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 990 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 11,106 kg || 12,210 kg || 13,136 kg || 17,678 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,526 kgf || N/A
| 0.63 || 0.58 || 0.54 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,608 kgf (200 km/h) || N/A
| 0.65 || 0.59 || 0.55 || 0.41
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Su-25K is known for its survivability, anecdotally being able to take a few missile hits without suffering any damage compromising its airworthiness, though this ability is inconsistent and should not be relied upon. The airframe is able to sustain rear hits from missiles with a small warhead, especially the FIM-92 Stinger. Occasionally the Su-25K is able to sustain continued hits from Stingers and Roland 1s.

128 flares/chaff launched two of each at a time provide the Su-25K with the chance to evade missiles, which should be the primary form of defense. A lack of afterburner increases flare effectiveness, only very modern missiles such as aim-9L are able to track the aircraft from behind. Chaff only defends against radar locks from behind the aircraft.

The aircraft remains decently controllable upon loss of tail control, wingtips, or an engine. The aircraft remains near-fully controllable upon loss of the rudder and occasionally can fly without the vertical stabilizer.

The fuel tanks are self-sealing and the aircraft has an engine fire extinguishing system. A single section of fuel tank is protected by 18 mm of steel.

The cockpit is very well armoured. The pilot is protected on the front and sides by 24 mm of titanium alloy, the bottom and rear of the pilot is covered by 10 mm of titanium alloy. Additionally there is 57 mm thick bulletproof glass in the front of the cockpit.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-2 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon, chin-mounted (250 rpg)
** 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon + 128 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}
{{main|Kh-25|Kh-25ML|Kh-29L|S-25L|R-60MK}}
{{main|S-5K|S-8KO|S-13OF|S-24B}}
{{main|S-25O|S-25OF|S-25OFM}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 32 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,200 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 256 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 160 x S-8KO rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 40 x S-13OF rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x S-24B rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x S-25O rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x Kh-25ML missiles
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 2 x Kh-29L missiles
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons + 120 x S-8KO rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x S-25O rockets + 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Su-25.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
|-
! 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-5K rockets
| || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 ||
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 ||
|-
! S-13OF rockets
| || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 ||
|-
! S-24B rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25O rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25OF rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25OFM rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! Kh-25 missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Kh-25ML missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Kh-29L missiles
| || || || || 1 || 1 || || || ||
|-
! R-60MK missiles
| 1 || || || || || || || || || 1
|-
! S-25L missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-25K is a support plane. It is a slow plane compared to most other planes, therefore altitude is important since you are likely to Boom and Zoom. You need to look around constantly to prevent unexpected attacks. Your main worries will be planes like the A-5C or the F-5C. Those planes are fast and can dogfight you. Gain altitude and pick on unsuspecting targets. Your R-60MK missiles are very good but shooting them at 3 km distance will be the most efficient. You can also save your missiles if you're caught in a head-on, or you can spray your guns. If you see tough enemies which are alert of your presence, try engaging them first.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower from the GSh-30-2 cannon, having high shell velocity and a powerful punch
* Durable airframe capable of surviving multiple hits
* Access to multiple all-aspect R-60MK missiles with excellent performance
* Decent acceleration
* Wide array of air-to-ground armament with possibility to create custom loadouts

'''Cons:'''

* Relatively low top speed
* Rather poor manoeuvrability at low-medium speeds
* Can reach its rip speed in level flight if not careful

== History ==

As one of the export jets of Soviet Union then later Russia and Georgia ''(the Tbilisi Aircraft Plant)'', the Su-25K has been exported to every major continents of the world in different amounts with some victories against their enemies; with most of the users being Eurasian countries.

Records showed that Czechoslovakia, one of the Warsaw-Pact countries until late 1980s, received their batches of 36 Su-25Ks and 2 UBK trainers from Soviet Union in 1984 as the composition of the 30th Attack Air Regiment in Pardubice Airbase then later 1st Mixed Air Corps in 1990; after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the succeeding Czech Republic and Slovakia split their inventories with Czech receiving 2/3 (24 25Ks and an UBK) of these jets while Slovakia received the remaining ones in 1993. Both countries didn't used their Frogfoot in any combat operations or intended for any further service in respective air forces where Czech decommissioned their Frogfoot in December 2000 while Slovakia sold most of their Frogfoots to Armenia in mid-2000s.[http://www.airvectors.net/avsu25.html] [https://www.arrow-aviation.nl/cz_su25.html]

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=su_25k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|UVeSfISG-7M|'''Su-25K Frogfoot FULL Review - Should You Buy It?''' - ''Tankenstein''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7846-development-su-25-and-su-25k-armor-pecking-rooks-en|[Devblog] Su-25 and Su-25K: Armor-pecking Rooks]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}
{{USSR premium aircraft}}

Su-25K

2023-04-09T20:39:24Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = premium Soviet strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the regular version
| link = Su-25
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=su_25k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_004.jpg}}
|store=11444
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Frogfoot; unified for all variants) is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

The export version of the base model Su-25 for Warsaw-Pact countries and overseas customers with minor differences in terms of certain equipment in Czechoslovakian delivery ; with the extensive options for ground attack ranging from bombs, rockets and AGMs, as well as self-defense AAMs, the Frogfoot will prove extremely deadly to ground units without anti-air support and sometimes rotorcrafts of its tier.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
Same as the base model in Soviet service, Su-25K is equipped with a pair of Tumansky R-195 turbofan engines on the sides of the airframe and being one of the last jets of Sukhoi with a straight wing. Since Su-25K is designated as an attacker and low-altitude maneuverability is one of the key of the jet, therefore it will have a better time at such altitudes and the power output of the engines will make sure it could retain its energy; another feature of Su-25s are the extensive protection all-around for the pilot and critical components of the jet, although this means it could survive gun strafes or even sometimes near-miss missiles, this also means the jet is heavier and therefore affects its maneuverability when facing certain jets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 968 || 961 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.4 || 28.0 || 66.8 || 62.4 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 989 || 978 || 26.6 || 27.0 || 94.2 || 79.4
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || X || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,100  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 900 || N/A || 420 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | UMPO R-95SH || 2
| colspan="2" | 10,236 kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel
|-
| 990 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 11,106 kg || 12,210 kg || 13,136 kg || 17,678 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 29m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,526 kgf || N/A
| 0.63 || 0.58 || 0.54 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,608 kgf (200 km/h) || N/A
| 0.65 || 0.59 || 0.55 || 0.41
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Su-25K is known for its survivability, anecdotally being able to take a few missile hits without suffering any damage compromising its airworthiness, though this ability is inconsistent and should not be relied upon. The airframe is able to sustain rear hits from missiles with a small warhead, especially the FIM-92 Stinger. Occasionally the Su-25K is able to sustain continued hits from Stingers and Roland 1s.

128 flares/chaff launched two of each at a time provide the Su-25K with the chance to evade missiles, which should be the primary form of defense. A lack of afterburner increases flare effectiveness, only very modern missiles such as aim-9L are able to track the aircraft from behind. Chaff only defends against radar locks from behind the aircraft.

The aircraft remains decently controllable upon loss of tail control, wingtips, or an engine. The aircraft remains near-fully controllable upon loss of the rudder and occasionally can fly without the vertical stabilizer.

The fuel tanks are self-sealing and the aircraft has an engine fire extinguishing system. A single section of fuel tank is protected by 18 mm of steel.

The cockpit is very well armoured. The pilot is protected on the front and sides by 24 mm of titanium alloy, the bottom and rear of the pilot is covered by 10 mm of titanium alloy. Additionally there is 57 mm thick bulletproof glass in the front of the cockpit.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-30-2 (30 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon, chin-mounted (250 rpg)
** 1 x 30 mm GSh-30-2 cannon + 128 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}
{{main|Kh-25|Kh-25ML|Kh-29L|S-25L|R-60MK}}
{{main|S-5K|S-8KO|S-13OF|S-24B}}
{{main|S-25O|S-25OF|S-25OFM}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 32 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (3,200 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 256 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 160 x S-8KO rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 40 x S-13OF rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x S-24B rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 8 x S-25O rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x Kh-25ML missiles
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 2 x Kh-29L missiles
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons + 120 x S-8KO rockets
* 2 x R-60MK missiles + 4 x S-25O rockets + 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="19" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Su-25.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
|-
! 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-5K rockets
| || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 || 32 ||
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 || 20 ||
|-
! S-13OF rockets
| || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 ||
|-
! S-24B rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25O rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25OF rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! S-25OFM rockets
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! Kh-25 missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Kh-25ML missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! Kh-29L missiles
| || || || || 1 || 1 || || || ||
|-
! R-60MK missiles
| 1 || || || || || || || || || 1
|-
! S-25L missiles
| || || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-25K is a support plane. It is a slow plane compared to most other planes, therefore altitude is important since you are likely to Boom and Zoom. You need to look around constantly to prevent unexpected attacks. Your main worries will be planes like the A-5C or the F-5C. Those planes are fast and can dogfight you. Gain altitude and pick on unsuspecting targets. Your R-60MK missiles are very good but shooting them at 3 km distance will be the most efficient. You can also save your missiles if you're caught in a head-on, or you can spray your guns. If you see tough enemies which are alert of your presence, try engaging them first.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower from the GSh-30-2 cannon, having high shell velocity and a powerful punch
* Durable airframe capable of surviving multiple hits
* Access to all-aspect R-60MK missiles with excellent performance
* Decent acceleration
* Wide array of air-to-ground armament with possibility to create custom loadouts

'''Cons:'''

* Relatively low top speed
* Rather poor manoeuvrability at low-medium speeds
* Can reach its rip speed in level flight if not careful

== History ==

As one of the export jets of Soviet Union then later Russia and Georgia ''(the Tbilisi Aircraft Plant)'', the Su-25K has been exported to every major continents of the world in different amounts with some victories against their enemies; with most of the users being Eurasian countries.

Records showed that Czechoslovakia, one of the Warsaw-Pact countries until late 1980s, received their batches of 36 Su-25Ks and 2 UBK trainers from Soviet Union in 1984 as the composition of the 30th Attack Air Regiment in Pardubice Airbase then later 1st Mixed Air Corps in 1990; after the dissolution of Czechoslovakia, the succeeding Czech Republic and Slovakia split their inventories with Czech receiving 2/3 (24 25Ks and an UBK) of these jets while Slovakia received the remaining ones in 1993. Both countries didn't used their Frogfoot in any combat operations or intended for any further service in respective air forces where Czech decommissioned their Frogfoot in December 2000 while Slovakia sold most of their Frogfoots to Armenia in mid-2000s.[http://www.airvectors.net/avsu25.html] [https://www.arrow-aviation.nl/cz_su25.html]

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=su_25k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|UVeSfISG-7M|'''Su-25K Frogfoot FULL Review - Should You Buy It?''' - ''Tankenstein''}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7846-development-su-25-and-su-25k-armor-pecking-rooks-en|[Devblog] Su-25 and Su-25K: Armor-pecking Rooks]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}
{{USSR premium aircraft}}

MiG-23BN (Germany)

2023-04-09T17:05:44Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-23 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_23bn
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO: Flogger-F) is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

MiG-23BN was based on its previous model MiG-23B which a dedicated attacker, where MiG-23B was based on the airframe of 1st generation MiG-23S interceptor. While it looks exactly like previous MiG-23s in-game, all the bombs, AGMs, and rocket pods will certainly tell another story to the targets on the ground while excelling at fast speed to leave the combat area. Alternatively, it can take down aircraft with its gunpods and a similar mobility to the MiG-23 interceptor variants.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

At first glance, aside from having the LSK's emblem (East German Air Force), the MiG-23BN looks exactly like any other Flogger. A closer inspection on its nose gives its identity away: as an attacker, MiG revised the nose with a flat bottom for the B variants; but the BN removed the optical equipment for this exact job. Since it was based on the first-generation MiG-23 but with a R-29B-300 engine, the overall flight performance is very similar to the [[MiG-23M]] in the Soviet tech tree but without AAMs. Experienced players might take the use of its iconic variable swept wing for dogfights, but do keep in mind that a major problem of these 1st generation Floggers were exactly the wings, it might be sufficient to take down heavier jets like Phantoms if utilized the wings well, but having only guns for air-to-air operations makes it a huge target for other jets. Any extra ordnance ranging from bombs up to AGMs affects the flight model severely, so utilize its speed in missions and avoid dogfights unless in dire situation.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,191 || 2,188 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.6 || 37.0 || 135.4 || 130.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,209 || 2,200 || 35.4 || 36.0 || 176.4 || 155.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Limits
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
! Min sweep
| 1,154 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 508 || 473 || ~__ || ~__
|-
! Max sweep
| 1,417 || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 665 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-29B-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 11,305 kg || colspan="3" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel
|-
| 1,780 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 12,666 kg || 13,612 kg || 14,765 kg || 15,835 kg || 18,905 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 39m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 7,950 kgf || 10,208 kgf
| 0.81 || 0.75 || 0.69 || 0.64 || 0.54
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,282 kgf (1,417 km/h) || 12,633 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.86 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The MiG-23BN has only a pair of 16 mm steel plates on the side of the cockpit as extra protection against other targets. If it has to commit to a head-on fight or even a dogfight, it might not have sufficient survivability to leave the combat in one piece.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannon, belly-mounted (200 rpg)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|OFAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-62 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|ZB-500 incendiary}}
{{main|Kh-23M|S-5K|S-8KO|S-24B|GSh-23L (23 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 128 x S-5K rockets
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 4 x S-24B rockets
* 8 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (800 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (3,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="20%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg)
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs
| 4 || 1 || 4 || 4 || 1 || 4
|-
! 250 kg FAB-250M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs
| 1, 2 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1, 2
|-
! ZB-500 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! S-5K rockets
| 16, 32 || || 16, 32 || 16, 32 || || 16, 32
|-
! S-8KO rockets
| 20 || || 20 || 20 || || 20
|-
! S-24B rockets
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! Kh-23M missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 3,050 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 750 kg
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

For players who jumped from the subsonic [[G.91 R/3 (Germany)|G.91 R/3]] into the MiG-23BN, not only it is supersonic and goes up to mach 2.0, it also carries as much ordnance as its TT predecessor [[IL-28 (Germany)|IL-28]]. For players of MiG-27 or MiG-23 variants, the flight performance is very similar as they were built under similar airframe but with some revision differences per blocks (batches). Some players might want to take it for a dogfight for its manoeuvrability as well as the variable swept-wing; but as an attacker, it doesn't have any AAM at disposal, the only viable option is the 23 mm gun for gunning down enemy jets with its fast rate of fire and sufficient damage. Additional 23 mm cannons can be mounted as wing-mount gunpods. The MiG-23BN doesn't have countermeasures either, the airframe is also rather unprotected other than 2 steel plates on the sides of the cockpit, so avoid enemies at all cost and only fight enemies when there's only one of them- any more than this number means the MiG-23BN will become an easy prey for the enemies due to its enormous size.

But there are some good news for the jet though: it is a very fast attacker in-game (only slower than its [[Su-22UM3K (Germany)|Sukhoi counterpart]]) and the payload is sufficient to deal devastating damage to enemies. It might not be as much as USAF's [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]] or British's [[Buccaneer S.2|Buccaneer]], but the varietiy of bombs or AGMs will fit the player's playstyle one way or another. For players who demand a fireworks show on the ground and create as many craters as possible, conventional and incendiary bombs are at your disposal. While for a safer approach or for those who are not used with manual-guided missiles like the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] or the [[AS-20 Nord|AS-20]], it does comes with a pair of Kh-23M AGMs using mouse control with devastating damage. If the enemy SPAAGs, interceptors or in some occasion, helicopters with AAMs (namely, [[TY-90|TY-90s]] found on PLAGF helicopters) are in business, the excellent speed of the MiG-23BN will certainly help you to get away from trouble since there are few jets that can catch up with your mach 2.0 top speed (but in high-altitude). Speed is what makes MiG-23BN unique among jet attackers of its era and BR; any prolonged fight in the combat area hugely increase its risk of meeting its end.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely fast top speed
* Great acceleration
* Great energy retention
* Sufficient payload for ground-attack
* Variable swept-wing makes it manoeuvrable
* Equipped with RWR

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks flares
* Lacks AAMs
* Relatively small ammo pool for the fixed 23 mm cannon
* Rather large size makes it easier to hit

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_23bn Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HqDtRttvNBk|'''The Shooting Range #331''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

Leopard 2K

2023-04-05T12:49:52Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Armour!!Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
|-
| Hull || 160 mm ''Upper'' 120 mm ''Lower'' || 65 / 95 mm* ''Top'' 35 / 110 mm* ''Bottom'' || 38 / 48 mm* || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 160-350 / 220-500 mm* ''Turret front'' || 60 / 90 mm* || 46 / 96 mm* || 20 mm
|-
|}
<nowiki>* Kinetic / Chemical</nowiki>

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 20 mm thick, and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is astonishing, making it one of the most agile MBTs at its BR, able to reach a speed of 70 km/h (RB) on road.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The Leopard 2K's gun is a 120 mm Rheinmetall L44. It can be found on the later models of the tank, such as the [[Leopard 2A4]] and [[Leopard 2A5]]. The rounds that the Leopard 2K gets are DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS, and DM23 APFSDS just like the [[Leopard 2A4]]. Being fitted with a 120 mm Rheinmetall gun it is effective at all ranges, capable of penetrating tanks even 1,000 m away

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''41''' || 11 ''(+30)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* The 2nd ammo rack is a first-stage ammo stowage and will refill from the 1st rack.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The tank has a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun situated on top of the turret which can fire over cover and be used to knock out gun barrels and tracks, light tanks, helicopters and planes. The belts are alternating HEFI-T/HVAP-T, with 57 mm of penetration at 0 degrees at 10 m. The 20 mm has quite good elevation, and rotates independently from the turret, able to surprise light tanks attempting to flank following turret ring immobilization.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 750 (750) || 900 || -9°/+45° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Stock gameplay:'''

As with any vehicle, the Leopard 2K finds itself at a serious disadvantage while stock. Without access to the APFSDS rounds, users will need to play more carefully. While the DM12 HEATFS round is powerful, it struggles against composite armour and ERA, as well as having lacklustre post-penetration effects. Players will have to aim more carefully to deal effective damage with the DM12 HEAT round.

'''Spaded gameplay:'''

The Leopard 2K is a powerful tank. The DM23 APFSDS round has adequate penetration, and it should be easy to destroy most enemy vehicles. The gun, ammo, and reload rate are comparable to other main battle tanks of the battle rating. The Leopard 2K does however struggle in some regards against top of the line tanks such as the [[Leopard 2A5]] and [[M1A2 Abrams]]. The armour on the Leopard 2K is rather limited, only effective against autocannon fire. Additionally, the lack of thermals means that it will be difficult for Leopard 2K players to spot enemy tanks before they are spotted. The biggest advantage is the speed of the 2K.

'''Long range engagements:'''

The Leopard 2K is capable at long range, but is outclassed by many other vehicles. The cannon is powerful, but not especially so compared to its adversaries. The biggest issues the Leopard 2K will face in regards to long range engagements are the thin turret armour and lack of thermals. While the DM13 APFSDS round will fail to penetrate the turret cheeks of vehicles like the [[Challenger Mk.2]] and [[T-64B]], their rounds will have no such trouble with the Leopard 2K. The lack of thermals makes it difficult to scout for enemies through foliage, meaning trying to snipe is not an effective strategy against any enemies equipped with thermals, as they will almost certainly spot you first.

'''Gameplay summary:'''

Although the Leopard 2K is somewhat weak when stock, it is an adequate frontline tank while spaded. The good APFSDS round and 20 mm give it a strong position in the German high tier lineup. However, Leopard 2K tank commanders should play to mitigate their disadvantages in thin armour and lack of thermals. The Leopard 2K does best in close to medium range fights.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 120 mm gun with effective rounds
* Most manoeuvrable Leopard model
* Very high torque
* Very fast even cross country, even faster on roads.
* Can actually reach top speed on flat grounds
* Can move in reverse as fast as it can move forward
* Has the best optics of all tanks in game with 8x-16x zoom level

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour overall
* Reload is slower than other Leopard 2 models
* Very high profile, the 20 mm gun awlays sticks out behind cover
* Stock HEATFS round struggles against some enemy vehicles' armour, especially those with ERA or composite armour
* Doesn't have access to thermal imaging system
* Limited ammo selection
* Requires skill to fully utilize its potential
* You need to invest some skill points on the driver to actually benefit from its mobility
* The 20mm has very sluggish penetration, often failing to penetrate light tanks
* The 20 mm is unstabilized, and has poor turning rates
* The 20 mm has HVAP-T(APCR) as ammo, thus it has very poor post-penetration damage
* Other contemporary MBTs can be faster or almost as fast as the Leopard 2k
* Lack of thermal sights limits the sniping capability of the tank

== History ==

In the 1960s, Germany and the United States were jointly-developing the MBT-70, and Germany was contractually prevented from developing any new MBTs independently until the joint project with the US was completed.

But development problems plagued the MBT-70 project, and it appeared that the vehicle would not be finished within an acceptable time frame—so Germany found a way to bypass contractual limitations for the MBT-70 development.

Instead of ordering the development of a new tank, the German government issued an order to the Porsche company to research ways to improve the Leopard I tank already in service with the German army. This enabled Germany to research a more advanced fighting vehicle without breaching the contract signed with the US.

Porsche's first study of the Leopard I revealed a lot of room for improvement, and second study focusing on upgrading the Leopard I to match the MBT-70's firepower was launched almost immediately. This eventually resulted in the construction of two prototype vehicles: one in 1969, and one in 1970 nicknamed Keiler (tusker).

In the early 1970s, Germany was able to back out of the MBT-70 project due to spiraling development costs. Instead, they continued work on the development of the Keiler, which was renamed to Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2 project was expected to yield two versions: the Leopard 2K armed with a cannon, and the Leopard 2FK armed with a gun/launcher similar to the MBT-70. In 1971, ten prototypes were ordered, and seven more orders followed shortly thereafter.

To get the most out of their prototypes, German engineers equipped each one with different components to determine what worked best. Some Leopard 2 versions were equipped with a 105 mm smoothbore cannon, whereas others were fitted with 120 mm smoothbore cannons. Some prototypes received a hydraulic suspension while others didn't, and there was even a version equipped with the 20 mm anti-air mount on the turret (similar to the one found on the Kpz-70).

Sixteen out of seventeen Leopard 2 prototypes were built and tested, yielding many refinements to the Leopard 2 design. Subsequent models further increased the Leopard 2's capabilities, with each variant making it more powerful—and ultimately into the Leopard 2 known today.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|WMxQNdaqA7E|'''You Need To Play This Tank Again: Leopard 2K''' - ''Virus''|gyrbSUvCj-8|'''Leopard 2K: the Original German Ingenuity''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|p6cWlyUnJQA|'''Top 7 off-road beasts''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|WA3jQgZLjAg|'''The Shooting Range #94''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the Leopard 2K.|vF02GuEIww0|'''Leopard 2K Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2K: A Legend In The Making]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

AFT09

2023-04-01T09:11:43Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_hj_9
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]].

A 4x4 Chinese ATGM carrier from late 1990s with up to 12 HJ-9 ATGMs onboard. Thanks to the HJ-9's unrivaled penetration, sufficiently fast missile speed and good FCS, players can send even the toughest enemies straight back to the hanger from a single hit of HJ-9.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

Players of the Chinese tech tree might think that the chassis of AFT09 looks very similar to that of [[PTL02]]/[[WMA301]]- in fact this is a correct assumption as this is also a variant of the WZ551 chassis aka WZ550 with a 4x4 config; while player of [[MEPHISTO|VAB MEPHISTO]] in France will find many similarities to it. Most of the features on WZ551 are identical on both chassis other than being a 6x6 (551) / 4x4 (550) respectively, especially the overall protection. To sum up the overall protection in a few words, it would be: paper-thin. For the protection, other than the lower part of the chassis, the whole vehicle can only stop rifle-caliber bullets; anything that is larger than a M2HB is more than enough to tear down AFT09 and its 4 crews with ease even at long distance; so be extra careful on where should AFT09 appear.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12 mm (31°) ''Upper'' 20 mm (43°) ''Lower''
| 10 mm ''Top'' 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 8 mm
|-
| Turret || colspan="4" | 8 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

Since AFT09 is based on the WZ551 chassis but reduced into a 4x4 instead of 6x6, WZ551 family mostly shares the same Detuz BF8L413F engine and ZF 5S-111GPA transmission; this reduction in size also means that it goes faster than its other cousins (at 95 km/h)while has a slightly better but still horrible -8 km/h reverse, so make sure to plan your route to cover; the overall mobility is also good so make sure to utilize it for getting into shooting position before enemy does.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=412|rbMinHp=256}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|HJ-9}}

The main and the only armament on AFT09 is the HJ-9 ATGMs onboard, these 12 rounds of missiles are the 2nd generation ATGM of PLAGF from late 1990s; players might found this missile looks like a longer BGM-71 TOW with an anti-ERA detonation rod, but do not underestimate the missile itself- at a top speed of 500 m/s and having an unrivaled tandem warhead with 1,200 mm penetration at its tier that is more than enough to even send the infamous [[T-80BVM]] at top-tier to their kingdom come, it can be ensured that any vehicles it hit will either be destroyed instantly or severe damage from the missile itself; which is also true for light vehicles that would be overpressurized by the missile itself.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[HJ-9]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 12 (4) || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 13.2 || 18.3 || 22.2 || 24.5 || 26.1 || rowspan="2" | 15.00 || rowspan="2" | 15.00 || rowspan="2" | 15.00 || rowspan="2" | 15.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:HJ-9/Ammunition|HJ-9}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''3''' || 0 ''(+3)'' || Yes
|-
|}
Note: the final 4 missiles at the internal rack clears out only when all missiles has been fired.

== Usage in battles ==

Players of [[MEPHISTO|VAB MEPHISTO]] will soon find themselves home as AFT09 shared a very similar config of missile launcher and chassis; both vehicles are 4×4 and have a retractable launcher with 4 missiles. AFT09 shares the same chassis with the [[PTL02]], but thanks to its relatively lighter weight, it has a higher top speed than the latter and a slightly faster reverse speed; although this might not sound like much for such a lightly-protected vehicle, the mobility itself can ensure AFT09 be fast enough to take advantage positions before enemies do, be ready to counter enemies assault or retreat as soon as the tides have turned. Do remember that the overall protection of it is only rated for rifle-caliber bullets, anything larger is like a hot knife through butter, therefore covers are the most essential element to ensure the overall survival of the vehicle. The number of smoke grenades on the vehicle might be low, but it is still enough for a quick retreat.

AFT09 has a triumph card in hand- its HJ-9 missiles. At its current tier, there is practically no vehicle that can stop its 1,200 mm penetration missile that flies at 500 m/s, this also ensures its capability even at the top tier as HJ-9 can even penetrate some of the most infamous MBTs in-game with ease. Fitted with ±10° vertical limits and a 1st generation TVD, this also ensures players can find targets at a faster rate and deliver the fatal blow to enemies; alternatively, its 5.5 km range is also threatening to hovering helicopters since most missiles at this tier can barely fly 4 km, a precise hit on them will very likely knock them out right away if they are unaware of such a huge missile.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely high 1,200 mm penetration, enough to finish off any tank even at high tier (e.g. [[T-72A]], Leopard 2A4, [[M1A1]])
* Thermal gunsight with high zoom (3x-12x) allows efficient targeting in all weathers
* -10° gun depression makes hull-down a viable tactic
* Low profile, easier to conceal
* Extremely good mobility
*

'''Cons:'''

* Horrible -8 km/h reverse speed, fatal for a wheeled light vehicle
* Sluggish mobility on soft surface
* Can only fire when stationary which is dangerous in a sudden encounter
* Thin armour all around, can get penetrated by machine guns and shrapnel easily

== History ==

As the development of the previous generation ATGM has settled (HJ-73) and earlier HJ-8 were proved ineffective against the latest MBTs from both USSR and NATO, PLAGF was in dire for a new heavy ATGM with new guidance system as well as sporting their latest FCS. The new missile started its pre-development theorization in early 1980s and officially started its development in 1988, the result was the HJ-9 that has been finalized in 1995; the new missile was first shown in the 50th and 60th National Day Parade as the vehicles G phalanx and 14th phalanx respectively on a WZ550 chassis with different camouflage designs. In NORINCO catalogues, they also displayed a tripod variant as a standalone weapon system or onboard a open-top Iveco truck as its main weapon; the only export customer, Rwanda opted for an APC with a HJ-9A launcher on top instead.

=== [[wt:en/news/7826-development-hj-9-the-red-arrow-en|Devblog]] ===
Being based on a shortened version of the Chinese ZSL92 APC, the HJ-9 features excellent mobility, typical for most wheeled vehicles regardless of rank. Specifically, the HJ-9 can reach an excellent top speed of 95 km/h on paved roads thanks to its 290 horsepower diesel engine. On the other hand, the vehicle's comparably low combat weight and the resulting high power-to-weight ratio enable it to cross even rougher terrain with relative ease - just be wary of boggy areas and deep snow as these considerably hamper the mobility of wheeled vehicles in general.

In most cases, wheeled vehicles don't feature heavy duty protection so as to not hamper their mobility. This principle also applies to the HJ-9. Engineers only equipped the HJ-9 with steel armor up to 12 mm in thickness as well as bulletproof glass for the windows. Needless to say, this makes the HJ-9 highly susceptible to everything but small arms fire and shrapnel. Aircraft in particular may prioritize the HJ-9 over other targets due to its poor protection and lack of a defensive roof-mounted machine gun. As a result, commanders are best advised to make the most use out of the HJ-9's excellent mobility and constantly change position after each engagement to ensure they remain an elusive target on the battlefield.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_hj_9 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[MEPHISTO]] - A very similar missile carrier from France

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7826-development-hj-9-the-red-arrow-en|[Devblog] HJ-9: The Red Arrow]]

{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
{{China tank destroyers}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

F2H-2

2023-03-31T18:55:25Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f2h-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f2h-2.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The F2H-2 Banshee is a fantastic jet-fighter with great overall speed and good manoeuvrability. It is most recognized for its ability to remain stable even past its speed limit break (933 km/h or 580 mph) and also for its fantastic high-altitude performance.

The Banshee is a very stable platform at high speeds. Speed warning appears at 940 km/h (584 mph), but it can reach over a 1,000 km/h (621 mph) and still not rip apart if flown carefully and kept it in a straight line.

Overall this jet is one of the best US early jets, its BR coupled with its very good performances make it a very pleasant aircraft to fly and grind the whole US air tree.

The aircraft is very powerful and even if one of the engines is taken out, the machine can still return to base safely.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F2H-2 Banshee is a carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. The plane is powered by the Westinghouse J34-WE-34 engine, the same that can be found in the F3D-1, although it is over 90 km/h faster than the former in level flight at sea level, it can reach 933 km/h. The Banshee is significantly faster than the F-80C and slower than jets from other nations, the Yak-30, M.D.452, J29 or export versions of the F-84G, also the structural speed which is 994 km/h is lower than their maximum level speed, so it can struggle with catching up to them.
Its level acceleration is decent, it varies a lot on the fuel amount since the plane carries a lot of it and when there is 30 minutes or less left it is very comparable to jets at similar battle rating, but any F-86 or MiG-15 version will easily outperform it. When it comes to climbing it can start struggling against any other planes, when the plane is fully loaded it is only 27 m/s and increases to ~37 m/s when there is only 20 minutes (30%) of fuel left.
The F2H can fly for around 30 minutes at 100% of power, then it can start to overheat. There is no time limit for flying at 94%.

The manoeuvrability is also decent: at low and medium speed it can give a hard time to jets with swept wings and some other like the F-84G, performing a full horizontal circle will take 25 seconds at 1000 m with full fuel tanks and around 20 seconds with 20 minutes of fuel. The flaps also can decrease the turn time by 20% but their drawback is their quite low speed limit. The plane will suffer from high speed compressibility near 1000 km/h IAS. Since it is a carrier-based jet, its stall speed is low: it varies from 185 to 205 km/h IAS, depending on the weight.
The positive and negative G limit for wings are very low, the plane can suffer from wing failure after reaching close to 9G with full loadout. When rolling, it can reach up to 100 degrees per second at 600 km/h IAS and it is mediocre below 300 km/h IAS, 50 degrees per second and lower. The Banshee has also access to airbrakes which can help during landing or in combat situations to slow down the plane.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 910 || 884 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.8 || 27.8 || 21.6 || 20.2 || rowspan="2" | 670
|-
! Upgraded
| 947 || 933 || 25.8 || 26.0 || 33.9 || 27.4
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 503 || 473 || 325 || ~8 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 620 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | Empty mass || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Westinghouse J34-WE-34 || 2
| colspan="3" | 5,620 kg || colspan="3" | 335 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 69m fuel
|-
| 600 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 6,674 kg || 7,178 kg || 7,980 kg || 8,689 kg || 9,142 kg || 11,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 69m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 1,469 kgf || N/A
| 0.44 || 0.41 || 0.37 || 0.34 || 0.32 || 0.27
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,469 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.44 || 0.41 || 0.37 || 0.34 || 0.32 || 0.27
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

''Compressor'' and ''Engine'' are always useful upgrades and all acceleration unlocks are a top priority. Given the ''uniqueness'' of the AN/M3 armament ''New 20 mm cannons'' and ''[[G-Suit]]'' should be preferable tier 4 goals. The stock belts are better than any other type of ammo, due to more two times more HEFI-T inside of them, but for the improved cannons, they need to be researched, albeit that can wait past the G-Suit. To help with the manoeuvrability issues, boosters should be considered a priority as well.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M3 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M3 cannons, nose-mounted (150 rpg = 600 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AN-M57 (250 lb)|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|HVAR}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 8 x HVAR rockets
* 4 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8
| rowspan="5" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb AN-M57 bombs
| || || 1* || 1 || 1 || 1* || ||
|-
! 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs
| || || || 1* || 1* || || ||
|-
! HVAR rockets
| 1 || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="9" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 300 kg
|-
| colspan="10" | * 500 lb bombs cannot be equipped with ordnance in the adjacent hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Banshee is first in the US naval jet lineup and possesses many characteristics that make it a fantastic start for jet players.

Some tips to use it effectively are:

*Staying at a high altitude (side-climbing)
*Avoiding/evading higher-flying prop and jet planes (Stay aware of your surroundings and watch for enemy fighters)
*Using Boom & Zoom or Hit & Run tactics

In AB, the F2H is actually quite mediocre. Its high BR makes it liable to be put with superior jets such as the Me-262 (which has unlimited fuel, as is characteristic of AB) or the F-86 Sabre.

AB will initially be frustrating as the un-upgraded Banshee is a very poor performer. Its cannons jam, it has a relatively poor climb rate, and acceleration is poor as well.

Once upgraded, however, the Banshee can be a very effective and useful plane.

The F2H-2 is most effectively used as an energy fighter. It has great energy retention, turns well, and accelerates quite well once fully researched. However, the stock Banshee is terrible compared to super-props such as the [[Tempest Mk II]], [[F8F-1B]], [[La-9]], and others. Therefore, it is recommended to climb at the beginning of a match to at least 4-6 km as the Banshee performs extremely well at these altitudes. However, keep in mind that evasion of superior planes such as the F8F-1B or the [[MiG-15]] is key. Once optimal altitude is reached, Boom & Zoom can be employed. The F2H has sluggish controls at speeds below 482 km/h (300 mph) so try to maintain above that speed in level flight. But when facing super-props, low-speed stability coupled with an airbrake makes the Banshee an extremely good prop-killer. If you maintain a high speed during combat, you can outrun most jets at your [[Battle ratings|Battle Rating]].

If you are unlucky, you will face the [[F-86A-5|F-86A]] and [[MiG-15]] in some battles, be sure to avoid them at all costs as they climb far better than the Banshee and have superior top speed.

Unfortunately, like most other jets, modifications take a long while to grind. Go for anything that increases the Banshee's climb rate. Leave the cannon ammo belts alone because default has the most HE shells (besides Stealth), and research the ''New Cannons'' modification; It will markedly improve the terrible spread of the cannon.

The cockpit of the F2H-2 is fantastic- the bubble canopy provides good visibility to the front and back of the aircraft.

Even with good advantages as a starting jet fighter (if you went with the Naval Line of USA Fighters), it has some disadvantages going up against MiG-15's and MiG-17's. It can certainly outrun La-174's and La-15's with splendid ease, but it will never be able to outrun a MiG once it's on your tail. As for MiG-9's, they can't outrun the Banshee but can probably out-turn it if the MiG-9 pilot is properly trained and experienced.

It's best used as a support fighter in EVERY situation unless you are down-tiered and you are put against Ho-229's and Me-262's. In this case, you can become an aggressive fighter and easily score some kills. Although if you are put up against MiG-17's, MiG-15's and La-15's, best prepare yourself to side-climb and get behind your allies. Get some altitude and be patient to pursue MiG's that are either chasing Hunters or Sabres or an unfortunate bomber.

A good recommendation is that you should never go for [[IL-28|IL-28s]] alone. Other recommendations are that you should never take rockets or bombs unless you're in a squad and you bomb points together. It is NOT recommended either way. Another tip is to try holding your speed and use airbrakes when being tailed by a MiG.

=== Radars ===

The F2H-2 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Amazing firepower (especially when spaded)
* Very good energy retention
* Good sustained turn rate
* Landing hook for carriers
* Useful radar

'''Cons:'''

* Cannon jams quickly and are very inaccurate when stock
* Large turn radius
* Poor instantaneous turn rate

== History ==

The twin-engine F2H Banshee was a follow up to McDonnell's successful FH-1 Phantom and was designed to become the Navy's next carrier-borne aircraft. The two aircraft appear very similar but the F2H was improved in several ways. Primary upgrades include larger airframe, heavier armament, and better power-plants. Nearly 800 Banshees were built for the Navy and Marine Corps during the early 1950s.

The Banshee saw use in Korea with the Navy and Marines escorting Air Force B-29s on bombing missions but would never encounter an enemy fighter throughout the whole war. As a fighter/bomber, the Banshee saw limited use, but the greatest role the F2H performed in the war was doing reconnaissance over hostile territory. A majority of the F2H's service took place in the Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans but its appeal came from its ability to go unnoticed by enemy forces and would primarily serve recon or escort purposes. The Navy and Marine Corps would retire the Banshee from active service around the early 1960s and would replace it with aircraft such as the F9F Cougar, F3H Demon, and the F4D Skyray. In the 1950s several refurbished Banshees were purchased by the Canadian government where they saw limited service on the HMCS ''Bonaventure'' until the early 1960s when they were finally retired from military service.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f2h-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:FighterImage_Banshee2.jpg|The Banshee in flight with other identical aircraft.
File:FighterImage_Banshee1.jpg|F2H attacking swarm of Me 262s in test flight mode.
</gallery>

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/264956-mcdonnell-f2h-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

F2H-2

2023-03-31T18:54:51Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f2h-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f2h-2.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The F2H-2 Banshee is a fantastic jet-fighter with great overall speed and good manoeuvrability. It is most recognized for its ability to remain stable even past its speed limit break (933 km/h or 580 mph) and also for its fantastic high-altitude performance.

The Banshee is a very stable platform at high speeds. Speed warning appears at 940 km/h (584 mph), but it can reach over a 1,000 km/h (621 mph) and still not rip apart if flown carefully and kept it in a straight line.

Overall this jet is one of the best US early jets, its BR coupled with its very good performances make it a very pleasant aircraft to fly and grind the whole US air tree.

The aircraft is very powerful and even if one of the engines is taken out, the machine can still return to base safely.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


The F2H-2 Banshee is a carrier-based jet fighter aircraft. The plane is powered by the Westinghouse J34-WE-34 engine, the same that can be found in the F3D-1, although it is over 90 km/h faster than the former in level flight at sea level, it can reach 933 km/h. The Banshee is significantly faster than the F-80C and slower than jets from other nations, the Yak-30, M.D.452, J29 or export versions of the F-84G, also the structural speed which is 994 km/h is lower than their maximum level speed, so it can struggle with catching up to them.
Its level acceleration is decent, it varies a lot on the fuel amount since the plane carries a lot of it and when there is 30 minutes or less left it is very comparable to jets at similar battle rating, but any F-86 or MiG-15 version will easily outperform it. When it comes to climbing it can start struggling against any other planes, when the plane is fully loaded it is only 27 m/s and increases to ~37 m/s when there is only 20 minutes (30%) of fuel left.
The F2H can fly for around 30 minutes at 100% of power, then it can start to overheat. There is no time limit for flying at 94%.

The manoeuvrability is also decent: at low and medium speed it can give a hard time to jets with swept wings and some other like the F-84G, performing a full horizontal circle will take 25 seconds at 1000 m with full fuel tanks and around 20 seconds with 20 minutes of fuel. The flaps also can decrease the turn time by 20% but their drawback is their quite low speed limit. The plane will suffer from high speed compressibility near 1000 km/h IAS. Since it is a carrier-based jet, its stall speed is low: it varies from 185 to 205 km/h IAS, depending on the weight.
The positive and negative G limit for wings are very low, the plane can suffer from wing failure after reaching close to 9G with full loadout. When rolling, it can reach up to 100 degrees per second at 600 km/h IAS and it is mediocre below 300 km/h IAS, 50 degrees per second and lower. The Banshee has also access to airbrakes which can help during landing or in combat situations to slow down the plane.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 910 || 884 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.8 || 27.8 || 21.6 || 20.2 || rowspan="2" | 670
|-
! Upgraded
| 947 || 933 || 25.8 || 26.0 || 33.9 || 27.4
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 503 || 473 || 325 || ~8 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 620 || < 650 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | Empty mass || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Westinghouse J34-WE-34 || 2
| colspan="3" | 5,620 kg || colspan="3" | 335 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 69m fuel
|-
| 600 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 6,674 kg || 7,178 kg || 7,980 kg || 8,689 kg || 9,142 kg || 11,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 60m fuel || 69m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 1,469 kgf || N/A
| 0.44 || 0.41 || 0.37 || 0.34 || 0.32 || 0.27
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,469 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.44 || 0.41 || 0.37 || 0.34 || 0.32 || 0.27
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

''Compressor'' and ''Engine'' are always useful upgrades and all acceleration unlocks are a top priority. Given the ''uniqueness'' of the AN/M3 armament ''New 20 mm cannons'' and ''[[G-Suit]]'' should be preferable tier 4 goals. The stock belts are better than any other type of ammo, due to more two times more HEFI-T inside of them, but for the improved cannons, they need to be researched, albeit that can wait past the G-Suit. To help with the manoeuvrability issues, boosters should be considered a priority as well.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M3 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 4 x 20 mm M3 cannons, nose-mounted (150 rpg = 600 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AN-M57 (250 lb)|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|HVAR}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* Without load
* 8 x HVAR rockets
* 4 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8
| rowspan="5" width="25%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb AN-M57 bombs
| || || 1* || 1 || 1 || 1* || ||
|-
! 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs
| || || || 1* || 1* || || ||
|-
! HVAR rockets
| 1 || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1 || 1* || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="9" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 300 kg
|-
| colspan="10" | * 500 lb bombs cannot be equipped with ordnance in the adjacent hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Banshee is first in the US naval jet lineup and possesses many characteristics that make it a fantastic start for jet players.

Some tips to use it effectively are:

*Staying at a high altitude (side-climbing)
*Avoiding/evading higher-flying prop and jet planes (Stay aware of your surroundings and watch for enemy fighters)
*Using Boom & Zoom or Hit & Run tactics

In AB, the F2H is actually quite mediocre. Its high BR makes it liable to be put with superior jets such as the Me-262 (which has unlimited fuel, as is characteristic of AB) or the F-86 Sabre.

AB will initially be frustrating as the un-upgraded Banshee is a very poor performer. Its cannons jam, it has a relatively poor climb rate, and acceleration is poor as well.

Once upgraded, however, the Banshee can be a very effective and useful plane.

The F2H-2 is most effectively used as an energy fighter. It has great energy retention, turns well, and accelerates quite well once fully researched. However, the stock Banshee is terrible compared to super-props such as the [[Tempest Mk II]], [[F8F-1B]], [[La-9]], and others. Therefore, it is recommended to climb at the beginning of a match to at least 4-6 km as the Banshee performs extremely well at these altitudes. However, keep in mind that evasion of superior planes such as the F8F-1B or the [[MiG-15]] is key. Once optimal altitude is reached, Boom & Zoom can be employed. The F2H has sluggish controls at speeds below 482 km/h (300 mph) so try to maintain above that speed in level flight. But when facing super-props, low-speed stability coupled with an airbrake makes the Banshee an extremely good prop-killer. If you maintain a high speed during combat, you can outrun most jets at your [[Battle ratings|Battle Rating]].

If you are unlucky, you will face the [[F-86A-5|F-86A]] and [[MiG-15]] in some battles, be sure to avoid them at all costs as they climb far better than the Banshee and have superior top speed.

Unfortunately, like most other jets, modifications take a long while to grind. Go for anything that increases the Banshee's climb rate. Leave the cannon ammo belts alone because default has the most HE shells (besides Stealth), and research the ''New Cannons'' modification; It will markedly improve the terrible spread of the cannon.

The cockpit of the F2H-2 is fantastic- the bubble canopy provides good visibility to the front and back of the aircraft.

Even with good advantages as a starting jet fighter (if you went with the Naval Line of USA Fighters), it has some disadvantages going up against MiG-15's and MiG-17's. It can certainly outrun La-174's and La-15's with splendid ease, but it will never be able to outrun a MiG once it's on your tail. As for MiG-9's, they can't outrun the Banshee but can probably out-turn it if the MiG-9 pilot is properly trained and experienced.

It's best used as a support fighter in EVERY situation unless you are down-tiered and you are put against Ho-229's and Me-262's. In this case, you can become an aggressive fighter and easily score some kills. Although if you are put up against MiG-17's, MiG-15's and La-15's, best prepare yourself to side-climb and get behind your allies. Get some altitude and be patient to pursue MiG's that are either chasing Hunters or Sabres or an unfortunate bomber.

A good recommendation is that you should never go for [[IL-28|IL-28s]] alone. Other recommendations are that you should never take rockets or bombs unless you're in a squad and you bomb points together. It is NOT recommended either way. Another tip is to try holding your speed and use airbrakes when being tailed by a MiG.

=== Radars ===

The F2H-2 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 2,750 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Amazing firepower (especially when spaded)
* Very good energy retention
* Good sustained turn rate
* Landing hook for carriers

'''Cons:'''

* Cannon jams quickly and are very inaccurate when stock
* Large turn radius
* Poor instantaneous turn rate

== History ==

The twin-engine F2H Banshee was a follow up to McDonnell's successful FH-1 Phantom and was designed to become the Navy's next carrier-borne aircraft. The two aircraft appear very similar but the F2H was improved in several ways. Primary upgrades include larger airframe, heavier armament, and better power-plants. Nearly 800 Banshees were built for the Navy and Marine Corps during the early 1950s.

The Banshee saw use in Korea with the Navy and Marines escorting Air Force B-29s on bombing missions but would never encounter an enemy fighter throughout the whole war. As a fighter/bomber, the Banshee saw limited use, but the greatest role the F2H performed in the war was doing reconnaissance over hostile territory. A majority of the F2H's service took place in the Atlantic and Mediterranean oceans but its appeal came from its ability to go unnoticed by enemy forces and would primarily serve recon or escort purposes. The Navy and Marine Corps would retire the Banshee from active service around the early 1960s and would replace it with aircraft such as the F9F Cougar, F3H Demon, and the F4D Skyray. In the 1950s several refurbished Banshees were purchased by the Canadian government where they saw limited service on the HMCS ''Bonaventure'' until the early 1960s when they were finally retired from military service.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f2h-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:FighterImage_Banshee2.jpg|The Banshee in flight with other identical aircraft.
File:FighterImage_Banshee1.jpg|F2H attacking swarm of Me 262s in test flight mode.
</gallery>

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/264956-mcdonnell-f2h-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2

2023-03-31T17:32:00Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=dh_110_sea_vixen
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} British jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 5.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen after using one of its [[Red Top]] AAMs.]]

=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 100 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,109 || 1,093 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.5 || 25.5 || 42.7 || 39.4 || rowspan="2" | 325
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,117 || 1,109 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 68.8 || 55.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,195  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 407 || 324 || ~9 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 685 || < 750 || < 440 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208 || 2
| colspan="2" | 12,872 kg || colspan="2" | 291 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel
|-
| 2,361 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 14,274 kg || 16,359 kg || 17,545 kg || 21,205 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,029 kgf || N/A
| 0.70 || 0.61 || 0.57 || 0.47
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,029 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.70 || 0.61 || 0.57 || 0.47
|-
|}

[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 2.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen flying on [[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]].]]

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

The Sea Vixen FAW.2 has no armour plates but has bulletproof glass for the pilot. The engines are both mounted in the centre of the airframe, with fuel tanks mainly in the wings. The tail overall is fairly weak and can be blown off easily by large calibre cannons, however the flap on the rear of the elevator can sometimes absorb shots, protecting the main elevator from damage. Unfortunately the Sea Vixen generally handles poorly when damaged, performance is reduced fairly significantly by damage to the wings and asymmetric damage can make control very difficult.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 3.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen launching a [[Firestreak]] AAM.]]

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|H.E. M.C. Mk.II (500 lb)|Mk.M2 (540 lb)|H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|Firestreak|Red Top}}
{{main|AP Mk II|RP|RP-3}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:

* 4 x Firestreak missiles
* 4 x Red Top missiles
* 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (2,160 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 16 x RP-3 rockets
* 24 x AP Mk II rockets
* 144 x RP rockets
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (4,160 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x Firestreak missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 144 x RP rockets
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 72 x RP rockets
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles (1,000 lb total)

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! AP Mk II rockets
| || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 ||
|-
! RP rockets
| || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 ||
|-
! RP-3 rockets
| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
|-
! AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! Firestreak missiles
| || 1* || 1* || 1* || 1* ||
|-
! Red Top missiles
| || 1* || 1* || 1* || 1* ||
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 700 kg
|-
| colspan="8" | * Firestreak and Red Top air-to-air missiles cannot be mixed, only one type may be carried across hardpoints
|}

== Usage in battles ==


;Air Realistic battles

The Red Tops are generally much better missiles to equip, compared to the Firestreaks, as they have the largest warhead of any air-to-air missile in game and have a slightly better top speed (Mach 2.5). Because of this, the Sea Vixen's best tactic is to climb to one side at the start of the battle and attack enemy bombers. The Red Tops are very good for attacking from the side and this tactic is a good idea to avoid enemy tail gunners and will make your missile more likely to hit because of the Red Tops' poor range from the rear.

Alternatively, you can use the Red Tops in Boom-n-Zoom attacks on enemy fighters, who are not watching out for missiles or fighters, which have lost speed. The Red Tops are most useful when fired from the side between 1.0 and 2.5 km range. Avoid getting into dogfights as the Sea Vixen has no cannons and its missiles will be useless, unless you have allies to cover you or can force the enemy fighter to climb and lose speed.

Enemies worth noting: All MiG 15s and 17s as they can out turn you and [[A-4E Early]] as they have flares when fully modified, which will make your missiles redundant if used.

[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 4.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen after destroying a target with its [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] Bullpup.]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very high top speed of over 1,100 km/h at sea level
* Good acceleration thanks to its two powerful engines
* [[Red Top]] missiles can be very hard to dodge when used correctly
* Climbs better than most aircraft it faces
* Is surprisingly manoeuvrable
* Can carry [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] air-to-ground missiles
* Decent ground attack ordnance loadouts
* Can drop bombs / fire rockets separately instead of in pairs
* Can take-off and land from aircraft carriers
* The AI Mk.18 radar is better than that found on most aircraft you face.

'''Cons:'''

* The Sea Vixen has no guns or cannons, relying entirely on missiles for air-to-air combat
* Missiles are rear-aspect only so you cannot engage targets you are approaching head-on (or from the front aspect in general)
* Both [[Red Top]] and [[Firestreak]] missiles do not have great range when fired from directly behind a target.
* Only having four air-to-air missiles with no other air-to-air armament limits how many kills you can get without re-arming
* Unlike in aircraft with guns you cannot opportunistically kill ground targets while flying around
* Targets with flares can be very hard to kill
* Having only missiles enforces a fairly high minimum engagement range on you (missiles require time to start tracking after launch, and arm their proximity fuse).

== History ==

The de Havilland '''Sea Vixen''' is a British twin-boom, twin-engine carrier air-defence aircraft employed by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm from the 1950s to 1970s.

The Royal Navy had interest in a carrier defence fighter after the Second World War, and issued a requirement for such an aircraft in 1946. De Havilland began producing an aircraft, the DH 110, to fulfill this requirement. However, the Fleet Air Arm decided to proceed with the Sea Venom instead as it was cheaper and available sooner. In spite of this, De Havilland continued work on the DH 110 independently, finishing the first prototype in September of 1951. This prototype exceeded expectations and could regularly attain supersonic speeds during test flights.

Tragedy soon struck when the DH 110 prototype disintegrated in midair during the Farnborough Airshow in 1952, resulting in the deaths of 31 people including the crew of two. As a result, the DH 110 underwent significant design changes to improve its structural stability, resulting in its maximum speed being reduced to Mach 0.91. This aircraft was offered to the Fleet Air Arm and replaced the previous Sea Venoms as the RN's primary air defence fighter. In February of 1955, 110 aircraft were ordered, with the name "Sea Vixen".

The Sea Vixen was built with an unconventional twin-boom design, which de Havilland had perfected through its design of the twin-boomed [[Vampire FB 5|Vampire]] and [[Venom FB.4|Venom]] fighters. The Sea Vixen was also the first British combat aircraft with no internal gun armament, relying entirely on its suspended ordnance. The FAW.1 variant was capable of carrying 4 Firestreak AAMs for fleet defence, while the FAW.2 variant could carry the more advanced Red Top missile. The aircraft had two Rolls-Royce Avon engines producing 33 kN of thrust each and a crew of two, with the pilot's canopy offset to the left and the radar operator's seat flush within the fuselage.

The first Sea Vixens entered service with frontline squadrons in 1959. The Sea Vixen failed to see any combat action during its short service, but served with the Fleet Air Arm in deployments off of Iraq, Tanganyika (part of modern-day Tanzania), Indonesia, and more. The aircraft were replaced by the more modern [[Phantom FG.1]], a British variant of the American F-4 Phantom II. The last Sea Vixens were retired from active duty in 1972; a total of 145 were built, though 55 had been lost to accidents.

===[[wt:en/news/7160-development-sea-vixen-faw-2-breaking-convention-en|Devblog]]===
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 1.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen on HMS Ark Royal (R09).]]
Development of the Sea Vixen began in 1946 when de Havilland entered talks with the Admiralty on designing a future radar-equipped naval jet fighter with all-weather capability. Official requirements were drawn up in January 1947, by which time however de Havilland was already working on a design based on the preceding Vampire and Venom fighters designated DH 110.

Despite decreasing interest in the project by the late 1940's, in September 1951, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. However, only a year later, the same prototype crashed during an air show, thus further impeding the project's progress. While the RAF abandoned the idea of purchasing the DH 110 by the mid 1950's, the FAA gained a renewed interest in the aircraft and placed an order for 110 machines to be built in February 1955. Along with the order, the DH 110 received its official designation 'Sea Vixen'.

As the Sea Vixen entered service with the FAA in 1959, de Havilland took note of the feedback gained from operational use of the aircraft and continued working on the Sea Vixen in an effort to improve its design. As a result, the Sea Vixen FAW.2 made its debut in 1962 which featured a number of improvements, of which one of the more notable ones was the ability to carry the Red Top air-to-air missiles. Over 140 Sea Vixens were built, most of which were converted over to the FAW.2 modification after its commissioning into service.

Although the British Sea Vixens never took part in any wars, they were still involved in a number of different combat operations primarily in Africa and the Middle East where they provided fire support for ground troops and flew patrols.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=dh_110_sea_vixen Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Camouflages
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Sea Vixen Shark camo.png|The Sea Vixen "Shark" skin available for GE
File:XJ488 camo.png|Sea Vixen XJ488 RN test squadron camo
</gallery>

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zn2uhgI2PPg|'''Best twin-boom aircraft''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 01:37 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ObEcMPqFBbE|'''The Shooting Range #259''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[Scimitar F Mk.1]]
* [[Buccaneer S.2]]
* [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]]
* [[Sea Venom FAW 20]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7160-development-sea-vixen-faw-2-breaking-convention-en|[Development] Sea Vixen FAW.2: Breaking Convention]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/526082-dh-110-sea-vixen-faw-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Mi-4AV

2023-03-15T12:17:40Z

U56862421: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=mi_4av
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet attack helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

The Mi-4 is one of the earliest Soviet helicopters to enter service. It served in many different roles in the Soviet Union and many countries around the world. In the game, the Mi-4 is represented by the armed assault transport Mi-4AV ("V" stands for "Vooruzhennyy" — "armed") variant.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Heli-Flight}}

As a first generation transport helicopter, the {{PAGENAME}} is very slow, it is rare for it to reach 200 km/h. Additionally, the {{PAGENAME}} has a poor roll rate. When fully loaded, the performance deteriorates even more, making the helicopter an easy target. Pilots should keep this in mind when choosing the payload.

The newest pilots should not attempt to roll the helicopter more than 35°, since the {{PAGENAME}} is underpowered and cannot handle such manoeuvres. The weight will force the helicopter down (worse when fully loaded) and the main rotor will be unable to sustain the helicopter in this awkward position, making recovery impossible. The risk of stalling is significant, and it is recommended to set the the collective pitch to 80% for cruising, and 100% only when climbing is needed.

It should be noted that even in hover mode, the underpowered engine will start overheating, forcing you to reduce engine power and slowing down the machine even more. Even once fully upgraded, this remains a burden. This is particularly important on hot weather maps such as [[Sinai]] or [[Tunisia]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 173 || 162 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 206 || 190
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Heli-Armour}}

Unlike the later helicopters in the Soviet/Russian helicopter tree, the {{PAGENAME}} is essentially a transport helicopter with weapons strapped to it, and it carries no armour plating whatsoever.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also very vulnerable to engine damage because the engine is located in front of the pilot, in the nose of the helicopter. This means that it will often take the majority of the hits from ground fire. Once the already underpowered engine is hit, this will deteriorate the performance even more, to the point where the helicopter may no longer be able to stay in the air. Getting the pilot knocked out is also not an uncommon experience, which will end a game in the Mi-4 very quickly.

The airframe itself is relatively resilient to machine gun fire, although cannons will easily rip the helicopter to shreds. The fuel tanks are self-sealing, but this will be one of the least hit parts on the helicopter.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
It is highly recommended to prioritise the K4V modification (which unlocks the Falanga anti-tank missile) and any performance upgrades as soon as possible.

One relatively easy way to use this helicopter is to play on Arcade Assault mode where you can rearm constantly and help your team against waves of enemies AI, while also researching more modules for the more challenging mixed battles. Researching the bombs first will be highly useful against AI units in the Arcade Assault mode, but their use is rather limited in mixed battles. The S-5K rockets are of very limited use against the modern MBTs the AI uses, and stock the helicopter is going to be dead weight in the Assault mode, which will contribute to a team's loss and dramatically cut rewards.

Helicopter Enduring Confrontation can allow for greater profit and module research. However, it is risky to fly there, since there are a lot of technologically superior enemies (such as the [[Ka-50|Ka-50)]] that will make quick work of the Mi-4 with their long-range guided missiles, giving it little to no chance of survival. It is up to the pilots whether the risk is worth the greater reward.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
What the {{PAGENAME}} lacks in performance and durability, it makes up for in armament. Of the Rank V helicopters it is easily the most heavily armed, once fully upgraded, capable of carrying rockets, bombs, and anti-tank missiles.

=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}

{{main|A-12.7 (12.7 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 1 x 12.7 mm A-12.7 machine gun, nose turret (900 rpg)

The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with a single flexible Afanasev A-12.7 machine gun. This gun has a limited arc of only +- 30° horizontally, -55° and 8° vertically. The gun possesses a decent amount of ammunition (900) and a high rate of fire (1,100 rounds per minute). This machine gun is mostly effective against soft vehicles and ground targets, such as artillery emplacements, armoured cars, trucks, and light vehicles. It lacks the penetration to damage anything heavier than some light tanks' roof armour.

Due to the limited arc and the relatively low calibre, air-to-air engagements relying on this machine gun can be difficult. It works best as a defensive armament against other light and poorly armoured helicopters such as the Franco–German [[Alouette (Family)]] and the American [[UH-1 (Family)|Hueys]].

[[File:Mi-4AV convoy.jpg|thumb|{{PAGENAME}}s flying in formation carrying 96 x S-5K rockets]]

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}

{{main|FAB-100sv (100 kg)|FAB-250M-46 (250 kg)|9M17M Falanga|S-5K}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 96 x S-5K rockets
* 96 x S-5K rockets + 2 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 6 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (600 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles + 96 x S-5K rockets
* 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles + 6 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (600 kg total)
* 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles + 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (1,000 kg total)

The S-5 unguided rockets are available without research. They are not accurate and do not have a large explosive payload. Since it uses a shaped-charge warhead, a direct hit is required in order to damage most enclosed armoured vehicles, and aiming is complicated by the fact that the {{PAGENAME}} does not have a ballistic computer.

The 9M17M Falanga should be considered the main weapon of the {{PAGENAME}}. These missiles are semi-automatic (SACLOS), which means that the pilot does not need to manually fly the missile all the way to the target. It does, however, require that the pilot keep the sight crosshairs on the target in order to ensure a hit. This, in turn, means the helicopter must remain relatively stable, making it a vulnerable target. The Falanga has the longest range of all the anti-tank missiles available to starter helicopters (4 km vs. 3 km for the [[AS.11]]), which allows the {{PAGENAME}} to attack while remaining out of reach for most contemporary SPAA. It is also important to note that the Falanga has a minimum effective range of around 500–600 m.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also capable of carrying bombs up to 250 kg in weight. Their use is quite situational because they require the helicopter to fly over the target, which is quite risky in a helicopter as slow and fragile as the {{PAGENAME}}. In Realistic and Simulator battles, a time delay (2–3.5 s) should be set so the {{PAGENAME}} does not damage itself with its bombs.

== Usage in battles ==

Pilots should be aware this helicopter is not made for dedicated CAS (Close air Support), mainly because of some traits such as low top speed, big size, low manoeuvrability and zero countermeasures. Instead consider using it as tactical anti-tank support with mobile capacities around the allied half of the map, where it is far enough from enemy radars and anti-air vehicles.

The pilots must be alert of their surroundings, as they do not want to bring undue notice upon themselves. Ending being downed by a plane is a common situation. Strategy plays key in this helicopters ability to sneak into position, let loose a volley of rockets or zero-in an anti-tank guided missile onto an unsuspecting target. Use structures and terrain to act as shields when possible.

=== Mixed battles ===
It might be wise to use this helicopter only for ATGM duties in most long open maps, while benefiting from the rocket pods or bombs in close and cramped maps. Stay away from enemy tank packs and hunt light tanks flanking your team on the sides of the map with the rockets pods, or load ATGMs and become an efficient 4 km sniper. Multiple tactics for different maps. Trial and error should be made to ensure self-survival and team victory.

Do not forget to watch for any enemy aircraft spawning and be ready to swiftly return to base. Avoid staying around too much since helicopters are easily noticeable by sound and will be quickly taken down. Consider using this helicopter to control enemy offensives and defend points with ATGMs.

'''Night battles'''

Night battles, is possibly a decent moment to spawn with the Mi-4. Thanks to the NVD equipment, it has the visual upper hand against planes. The darker and the worst visibility, the easier will be for pilots on the Mi-4 to perform daring attacks. Always keeping in mind there are radars on the line, waiting for aerial threats. Stick to the Mi-4's rules of engagement during the daylight and you likely succeed.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

Just like it was historically considered, the NATO's tank represent the greater threat to the Soviet helicopter pilots.

* [[Gepard]] and [[Chieftain Marksman]]: The Marksman anti-air system available on these anti-aircraft is really dangerous on medium-long distances. With powerful radar, high turret rotation speed, and lethal cannons. They can open fire even before soviet pilots cross the horizon of the landscape thanks to their radar fire predictor. This is completely antagonistic for Mi-4's low speed and big size. The best odds is to make them a priority target and let loose a rapid rocket salvo. Their turrets are huge and with low armour, Mi-4's rockets will be capable of a precise dispatch.

* [[SIDAM 25]]: This Italian anti-aircraft's 4 cannons are extremely dangerous for your close attacks. They especially deadly on close-medium distances. The small size of this tank compared to other NATO's AAs make it harder to spot and once you get hit, it's unlikely you survive. As with most of the anti-aircraft vehicles, they have poor armour. Use an unguided rockets salvo to make them run for cover or take advantage of the long-range of your Falanga missiles.

* [[M3 Bradley|Bradley]], [[Warrior]] and [[Begleitpanzer 57|Begleitpanzer]]: These American, British, and German IFVs are not only threatening to ground vehicles, but also for low flying aircraft. They are well-armed, they equip a modern system of thermal optics and they are highly mobile. This means they will find helicopters comfortably anywhere on the map during the day or night and attempt to bring them down very hastily with their auto-cannons, ATGMs or time fuzed shells. The stealth and distance element is your best advantage versus them, avoid hurrying into the battle from obvious helicopter spawn points, instead opt for a short flank then get just barely altitude to engage them. Using things like trees and mountains as your reliable cover.

=== Role in the team ===
Once the Soviet Mi-4 pilots choose to spawn, there are several points they need to prioritize to actively boost their team during the battle.

* Where on the map are the enemy forces?
* Where on the map our forces need air support? (attempting to capture a zone for example)
* Is one of our capture points in need for defense? (quite often the enemy will even seize allied spawn point)

This will now let pilots ponder about how to engage, race slowly in, or stay far and use the Falanga ATGMs. The prudent tactic is usually to stay far but this may differ on different maps. Their role in the team can go about the ability to spot the threats from a greater and higher angle than the ground forces teammates. Effecting things such as opening a rocket salvo on a quick enemy flanker will enable the team to notice and destroy the threat. If the Mi-4 hasn't yet. The 4 Falanga can be put to good use on skilled hands, defeating 4 enemies with them will surely setback the enemy's spawn points. Mi-4's S-5K can be used to suppress the enemy groups pushing, on urban maps for example. If the battlefield is safe or uncared enough, the helicopter is fully able to capture a distant point by landing inside it. Possibly, coordinate with the allied fixed-wing aviation for a multi-directional attack on the opponent's anti-aircraft locations.

Spawning, closing in, sighting, and engaging targets then retreating to then repeat. This all should be potential tactics to survive and actively support the team during the battle.

Also remember that;

* Despite the natural difficulties of the mode, Simulator mode is greatly rewarding due to the stealth element. Situationally allows to execute a more offensive close approach.
* The pilots should promote the habit of checking for enemy planes up before spawning. This will avoid imminent annihilation by enemy planes already on air.
* A group of Mi-4 is more like to survive than a single Mi-4. Don't be irresolute to call for backups or communicate with your teammates for a coordinated attack.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:Radar_chart_Mi-4AV.png|thumb|Mi-4AV's attack helicopter capacities]]
'''Pros:'''

* Excellent payload options compared to other Rank V helicopters.
* Falanga missiles can outrange cannon-based SPAA.
* 12.7 mm turret machine gun can be fired in the ATGM shooter view.
* Extremely durable airframe, can take tank HE shells.

'''Cons:'''

* No armour or bullet-proof glass.

* Huge, adequite speed.

* Missile tracking field-of-view is quite narrow.

== History ==

The Soviet Army Aviation owes its emergence mostly to the transport landing helicopter Mi-4. The Mi-4 paved the way for helicopter usage in the Soviet national armed forces.

The Korean War was the main impetus in which provided the need for a Mi-4 helicopter which started its official development in the early 1950s. At the time, the American military was widely using helicopters as a force multiplier which enabled troops to advance and reinforce areas much quicker than when travelling by vehicle or more to a pinpoint location without needing finding or building an airfield. Through the use of helicopters, rapid and large scale operations became a possibility that had yet to be exploited to its fullest. At this time, the Americans were using different types of helicopters to do various tasks, depending on what payload was needed. Light helicopters were used for duties such as taking wounded back to hospitals, means of communication and spotters for artillery units. More massive helicopters were utilised for delivering troops, vehicles, supplies and artillery directly to the battlefield. The Korean War demonstrated the increased need for a role which rotor vehicles could fulfil within the Armed Forces.

Once realising their folly of not developing helicopters for inclusion in the armed forces, Soviet leadership decided they needed to make up for lost time and get to work designing and building their helicopter force. In October 1951, the leading aviation designers of the Soviet Union were called to the Kremlin. As a result of the meeting, tasks for developing new rotor vehicles were given to the aviation designers. Here, the Mil Design Bureau specifically was assigned to the designing and creating a landing-transport helicopter which could carry up to 12 persons. Quick work was needed because experimental models were required to be ready for trials one year after receiving this assignment.

Mikhail Mil began to work on a solution; however, unbeknownst to many, he already had a head start on this project which he called the VD-12 or Vertolyot Desantniy (a landing helicopter) which was designed to hold 12 persons. The design of Mikhail Mil's had been around since the end of the 40s. However, it never went anywhere because nobody was willing to support the project at the time. The lack of support extended from the military through the highest leadership in the country because they did not understand the battlefield benefits this tool would provide their soldiers. It wasn't until the Soviets were spectators in the Korean War that they saw firsthand the effectiveness of helicopters on the battlefield.

Initially the VD-12 was designed to receive a 1,000 HP engine; however, when the helicopter was ready to begin construction and to receive it, the engine was determined not to be ready for the deadline trials. Mil was then required to redesign the VD-12 to accept a more powerful and heavy engine, the Ash-82 developed by Arkadiy Shevetsov which was a couple of generations newer than the Ash-73TK utilised on the Tu-4 bomber. This piston engine had proven itself an excellent engine when employed on various aeroplanes. To accept this new engine, the helicopter needed to be enlarged to adequately encompass it. Yakovlev DB had intended on providing the rotor, main rotor head, wobble plate, reduction gear and engine for the project, however that was for the smaller VD-12 and all that had to be scrapped for the newer and larger helicopter. Igor Sikorsky developed the S-55 (H-19) which was very similar in size and layout, and Mil decided to model the more modern and larger helicopter off of the aspects of the S-55 which applied to his larger helicopter. The Radial engine was placed in the front nose with the drive shaft passing through the cockpit and turning the rotor, which left the lower section of the helicopter to be a large cargo cabin. Again the cabin needed to be able to hold 12 troops or various military equipment which weighed up to 1,600 kg.

With this plan in action, designers were working almost around the clock to complete the schematics. Within four months of the project starting, the prototype was rolled out of the hanger and prepped for flight. With the radial engine firing, the rotor began to spin, however during acceleration of the motor; the blades started to bend severely, threatening to break apart and destroy the helicopter. The rotor was powered down, and the minds went to work attempting to figure out what the issue was. Mil settled on the problem being the rotors fluttering, which for aircraft surfaces bending or flexion which causes material fatigue and the parts disintegrate thus destroying the entire project. To validate this theory, special weights were built in one night and then installed on the blades. A repeat of the experiment was conducted, and the rotor behaved in a manner it needed to work correctly. Further testing created a blade which was constructed to eliminate any flutter.

Seven months after receiving their assignment to develop and build a helicopter, the first helicopter trials were ready to begin. While the first test had the helicopter tethered to the ground to prevent any mishaps, on the 3rd of June, Vsevolod Vinnitskiy made the first free flight in the new helicopter. At this point, the VD-12 was the most significant and most massive lifting helicopter in the World. With the completion of the state's trials, the VD-12 began mass production, and its name was changed to Mi-4 and was introduced into service the next year.

In many ways the Mi-4 surpassed the US helicopter H-19's capabilities as the rear of the Mi-4 could open up and through the use of a ramp, men, vehicles and artillery could quickly be loaded and unloaded. Also installed under the nose of the helicopter was a gunner position with a 12.7 mm machine gun. The Soviet military found many uses for the new helicopter beyond just transporting people and equipment, and as more equipment was outfitted, the helicopter also took on roles such as ground attack and submarine hunter. More than 3,000 Mi-4 helicopters were produced during its years in service and proved to be an essential force multiplier on the battlefield for the Soviet Armed Forces.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mi_4av Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:MI-4AV userphoto 1.png|
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;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lTR8bhL4BUc|'''The Mi-24 Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:47 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|h_Gng-eiEXE|'''The Shooting Range #113''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:00 discusses the Mi-4AV.|Ndj0AenHKN8|'''Mil Mi-4 Transport Helicopter Making Of - MADE in the USSR''' - ''Epic Soviet Documentaries''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[H-34]] - Sikorsky Choctaw
* [[H-34 (France)]] - French variant of the Choctaw

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5708-development-uh-1-and-mi-4-early-birds-en|[Devblog] UH-1 and Mi-4: Early Birds]]

{{AirManufacturer Mil}}
{{USSR helicopters}}