Gaijin Entertainment is happy to announce that the next major content update “Sky Guardians” for the military online action game War Thunder will be released this March.
It will bring the modern Pantsir-S1 air defense system, the ultralight AH-6M Little Bird attack helicopter, new maps for air and ground battles, as well as dozens of other new types of military vehicles, and much more.
The 96K6 Pantsir-S1, a self-propelled, medium-range surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery system on a KamAZ 8×8 truck chassis, was adopted by the Russian army in 2012. It combines a mid-range detection radar, 12 surface-to-air missiles and rapid-fire 30-mm cannons with HE and AP belts ready to fight both air and armored ground targets. Pantsir-S1 is capable of acquiring targets at distances up to 20 km, as well as simultaneously tracking and attacking in the 45×45 degree sector up to four targets at the same time. Pantsir SAMs of different modifications are also used by the armies of Morocco, Syria, Algeria, Iraq and other countries.
The AH-6M Little Bird is based on the civilian MD 530 helicopter and is designed primarily for Special Forces operations. AH-6M machines took part in the combat operations in Iraq and in the famous operation of the U.S. Special Forces in Mogadishu in 1993. It is an ultralight machine without any protection, but fast, compact and armed to the teeth. The pilot has a rotating-barrel machine gun, unguided and guided missiles, and Hellfire II anti-tank guided missiles in their disposal.
Finally, the update debuts the new “Pyrenees” map, as well as winter versions of “Seversk-13”, “Ardennes” and “Maginot Line” maps. “Pyrenees” is designed for air battles. Small villages with farm fields are spread upon valleys, ancient castles and medieval abbeys compete for the most picturesque view of the surroundings, and the clear water of the mountain lakes sparkle bright in the green hued highlands.