The top tier air meta in War Thunder moves fast, and right now it's sitting at a genuinely interesting crossroads. The F-15C GE has become the aircraft everyone is talking about, the F-22 Raptor is a recurring debate on every forum thread, and questions about missile balance between nations are getting louder by the patch. Here's a clear breakdown of where things stand and what actually matters for your gameplay.
Why is the F-15C GE dominating top tier right now?
The F-15C GE ranked as the second best-performing aircraft in the game based on March 2026 data, outperforming two-thirds of AESA-equipped Typhoons, the Su-30SM2, and the Rafale. That's a significant result for a single airframe.
One detail worth flagging: the statistics site Statshark, which community members reference for these comparisons, combines Air Realistic Battles (ARB) and Ground Realistic Battles (GRB) data for kill/death and kill/sortie metrics, even though it does split air and ground kills separately. Forum user miki3084 raised this point specifically, noting that the F-15C GE is not used for CAS in tank RB, which could skew direct comparisons against aircraft that split their time between both modes. The consensus among forum posters is that this mixed data probably doesn't shift the overall picture dramatically, but it's worth keeping in mind when you see those numbers cited.
The F-15C GE's edge comes down to one thing above most others: access to the AIM-120D. At the moment, the US operates three aircraft in-game carrying that missile. Britain operates one platform with it, and Germany and Italy operate none. That missile advantage is real and it shows in the stats.
What would the F-22 Raptor actually bring to the game?
This is the conversation that dominates the forum right now. Community opinion is split, and the debate is more nuanced than the usual "add the best plane" arguments.
Forum user MiseryIndex556-psn put it plainly: the F-22 is both overhyped and underhyped depending on who you ask. The concern from one side is that Gaijin will deliberately tune the F-22 to be mediocre, leaving US players frustrated that one of the most capable aircraft ever built underperforms in-game. The concern from the other side is the opposite: that it arrives with enough advantages to make top tier feel lopsided.
The specific technical questions being debated include:
- Whether the F-22 will ship with HMD (Helmet-Mounted Display) and IRST, or just the base 1990s configuration
- Whether it will carry AIM-120Cs or AIM-120Ds
- The AN/APG-77 radar's azimuth angle, which Wikipedia lists at 120 degrees. Forum user Sanguisage noted this could feel limiting at top tier, where aircraft like the EF Typhoon and Su-35S operate with wider gimbal limits. One suggestion floated is that Gaijin might need to adjust the azimuth to 140 degrees to keep it competitive with other AESA radars at that BR, though others argued no artificial buff is needed given the F-22's flight model and thrust-to-weight ratio advantages.
User exeisdefeatable's read: the F-22's BR placement will likely be only marginally higher than current top tier aircraft, not the dramatic jump some expect.
The F-22 was reportedly considered and denied for addition in the current update cycle. By the time it does arrive, HMD may be more fully implemented in the game, and possibly the AIM-260 as well, which would change its competitive position significantly.
How does missile balance work across nations at top tier?
This is where the forum debates get most heated, and understanding the logic helps you predict what Gaijin is likely to do next.
The Meteor missile is the central flashpoint. Britain operates it on the Typhoon and plans integration on the F-35B. Forum user Morvran argues the Meteor should be available as a direct counter to the F-22, given Britain's F-35B is the weaker variant (heavier, reduced internal weapons load compared to the F-35A and F-35C) and needs a missile advantage to compensate.
MiseryIndex556-psn counters that the Meteor should only be added alongside comparable missiles from other nations. When pressed on what US missile equals the Meteor in performance, the honest answer given in the thread was: nothing currently in the US arsenal is a direct equivalent. The PL-15 was mentioned as the closest comparison, described as dual-pulse propulsion, but not a perfect match.
If you're grinding the British tech tree right now, the Typhoon's eventual Meteor integration is a strong reason to push toward it. The missile's longer no-escape zone compared to AIM-120 variants gives you a genuine BVR advantage in the right conditions.
Here's how the current missile situation breaks down across the major top tier nations:
Statshark statistics combine ARB and GRB data for K/D and K/S metrics. Don't treat those numbers as pure air battle performance without accounting for how much each aircraft is used for CAS in ground RB.
What does the arrival of 5th gen jets mean for the current meta?
Forum user exeisdefeatable raised a point about AWACS integration that's worth paying attention to. The suggestion from multiple community members is that Gaijin may introduce 5th gen aircraft alongside a new aerial warfare game mode that includes AWACS support, placed 200km or more from the battlefield with electronic warfare capabilities. This would change how BVR combat functions at the highest tiers.
For players grinding toward top tier now, the practical takeaway is this: the current meta rewards BVR missile advantage above almost everything else. The F-15C GE's dominance is a direct result of having better missiles than most opponents. When the F-22 arrives, its stealth characteristics and flight model will matter, but the missile loadout Gaijin assigns it will determine whether it's actually dominant or just impressive on paper.
The ASRAAM is another missile in the balance conversation. Britain's ASRAAM is considered superior to the AIM-9X in close-range performance, and forum discussion suggests it will eventually come to British platforms. The sequencing of these additions, which nation gets which missile when, is the real balance lever Gaijin controls.
How should you approach grinding top tier air right now?
Based on what the community data and forum discussion shows, here's the practical approach:
- Prioritize the F-15C GE if you're on the US tree. Its current AIM-120D advantage makes it the most reliable performer in ARB at 14.3 BR.
- Don't sleep on the Typhoon for German, British, or Italian trees. The AESA radar and eventual Meteor integration make it a strong long-term investment even if it's currently slightly behind the F-15C GE in raw stats.
- Hold off on rushing toward the F-22 specifically. Its addition timeline is uncertain, and the configuration it arrives with (missiles, sensors, BR placement) will define its actual value. Grinding toward it now means investing heavily in a vehicle with unknown in-game specs.
- Learn BVR discipline. At top tier, most kills happen before visual range. Understanding notching, chaff timing, and when to go cold versus maintain lock matters more than aircraft selection in many engagements.
For players new to shooter games at this level of complexity, top tier air in War Thunder is genuinely one of the most demanding environments in the genre. The skill floor for getting value out of these aircraft is high.
The 70-degree gimbal limit on current AESA radars at 14.7 BR is already noticeable in practice. When the F-22's AN/APG-77 potentially ships with a 60-degree limit, off-boresight tracking will be a real constraint. Practice keeping targets in your radar cone rather than relying on extreme off-axis locks.
For more tactics and vehicle breakdowns across all tiers, the War Thunder guides collection has you covered on everything from early jets to the current top tier meta.