Hey everyone! That’s right, cluster bombs are coming to War Thunder Air Battles! In today’s dev blog, we’ll go over what they are and what they’re used for. Let’s dive in!

So, what exactly are cluster bombs? They are a specific type of munition designed to engage multiple targets over a large area. Rather than being a single large bomb, they act as a container that disperses a number of submunitions across an extensive area. A cluster bomb is released from an aircraft just like any conventional munition, then at a predetermined altitude, a fuze triggers, and the submunitions are propelled outward, covering a wide area on the ground. When you’re using cluster bombs against concentrations of lightly armored or unarmored vehicles, this weapon achieves an effect that a conventional bomb of the same weight simply cannot match.

In Air Battles and Nuclear Escalation, cluster bombs can be especially good against AI-controlled vehicles, where they are concentrated around key bases. Cluster bombs will be effective against anti-aircraft systems, infantry fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers and just about any transport vehicle.

We’ll be introducing cluster bombs to the game in the Eagle’s shadow major update and we’re planning to add several types of these bombs for various nations. For example, this includes the well-known American CBU-87 Combined Effects Munition, which contains 202 submunitions that combine shaped-charge penetration, fragmentation, and incendiary effects. Soviet/Russian aircraft, as well as those from Warsaw Pact nations, will receive the RBK-500, which is a 500 kg bomb carrying anti-tank submunitions. The British BL755 contains 147 HEAT submunitions. Other European additions will include the French BM-400 and the highly distinctive BLG-66 Belouga, which features submunitions that are ejected from the bomb casing through specialized openings. In terms of gameplay, the destructive impact of these cluster bombs will be roughly equivalent, regardless of the specific type of submunitions they carry.

Happy dropping, pilots! We’ll be back soon with more details on the upcoming major update. Stay tuned!