Gaijin announced that the "Sky Guardians" content update for military online action game War Thunder is available now across Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Mac and Linux. War Thunder's Sky Guardians update adds dozens of new military vehicles, including the Yak-141 - experimental Soviet VTOL fighter, the Czechoslovak M53/59 wheeled anti-aircraft gun and modern British tank, the Challenger 2E. The update also introduces the first French naval ships, ejection mechanics, new effects for aviation, and more.

The Yak-141 was developed as the main aircraft for Soviet aircraft carriers being designed and built and set 12 world records for rate of lift and payload. The program was closed in 1992 due to an accident with one of the flight prototypes and the collapse of the Soviet Union. Possessing an excellent climb rate, this jump jet very quickly breaks the sonic barrier, and at high altitude is able to accelerate to over 1,800 km/h at minimal payloads. A good radar, radiation warning system and effective missile armament allow Yak-141 to work perfectly as an interceptor. Ground targets, if necessary, can be attacked by incendiary and HE bombs up to 500 kg, cannons and unguided rockets.

Todays update also improves some of the physical aspects of flight. For example, the vapor cone effect that can be seen at transonic speed of the aircraft due to the local pressure gradient looks more realistic now. Other improvements include the new effect of the contrail left by the running aircraft engines and the wingtip flow separation effect.

Also, “Sky Guardians” has brought the mechanics of ejection seats for aviation from later periods. It visualizes how the cockpit canopy is torn off by pyrotechnic charges, the effect of the pilot's seat being ejected from the cockpit, after which the seat is disconnected from the pilot and finally the rescue parachute is triggered.

Finally, the first two ships of the French Navy, the light cruiser Duguay-Trouin and the destroyer Aigle, have become available for purchase. Closed testing of the entire French Navy tech tree will take place in one of the upcoming updates, and owners of one of these ships will be the first to have access to it.

War Thunder is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, PC, Mac and Linux.

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