War Thunder’s Hawk T Mk1A Is Coming With a 49.99 Pre-Order Pack
The Rank V British strike aircraft will rely on a 30 mm ADEN gun pod and rockets instead of guided weapons or air-to-air missiles.
War Thunder‘s upcoming major update will add the British Hawk T Mk1A in both researchable and premium forms. Gaijin Entertainment announced the aircraft in a Steam news post, which also details a 49.99 pre-order pack for the premium Hawk T Mk1A (FRP).
The two-seat jet will enter the Great Britain tree at Rank V as a strike aircraft. Its main job will be close air support, where its low-speed handling and agility can help it make quick attacks before returning to cover. The aircraft will be subsonic and will not carry guided weapons or air-to-air missiles.
The Hawk T Mk1A favors low-level ground attack
Hawk T Mk1A pilots will have access to a centrally mounted 30 mm ADEN cannon pod, up to 36 SNEB rockets, and several bomb loadouts. That gives the jet a useful set of options against ground targets, although its lack of guided ordnance will demand accurate attack runs.
Speed and maneuverability are meant to compensate for the aircraft’s missing defensive systems. The Hawk T Mk1A will have neither a radar warning receiver nor countermeasures, leaving pilots exposed to air defenses and hostile aircraft. Its two-seat layout offers some extra survivability, since losing one pilot will not immediately remove the aircraft from action.
Gaijin says the Hawk T Mk1A will fit into the 7.7 to 9.0 Battle Rating range and work well alongside Rank V and Rank VI ground vehicles in Ground Realistic Battles. The aircraft’s lack of air-to-air missiles is deliberate, keeping it in a lower range where its handling can remain useful without placing it against more advanced fighter-attack aircraft.
Researchable and premium Hawks share their core performance
The standard Hawk T Mk1A is based on a slightly earlier version of the aircraft, while the premium Hawk T Mk1A (FRP) uses a later tail design. Their performance and loadout will be functionally identical. The premium version will stand apart through its display-aircraft liveries, including the No. 208 Squadron golden demo camouflage from RAF Valley.
Neither version has entered the game yet. The announcement does not provide a release date for the upcoming major update, and Gaijin notes that the aircraft’s specifications may change before the addition goes live.
What comes with the Hawk T Mk1A (FRP) pack
The pre-order pack includes the premium Rank V aircraft, along with several account and cosmetic bonuses:
- Hawk T Mk1A (FRP) for Great Britain
- Premium account for 15 days
- 2,000 Golden Eagles
- Unique “Trustworthy Teacher” title
- Unique “Red goshawk” decal
- Unique No. 208 Squadron golden demo camouflage for RAF Valley
Steam players can reach the Gaijin Store from the in-game hangar by selecting Shop > Online Store. The pack is priced at 49.99, while the researchable Hawk T Mk1A will be part of the British aviation tree.
Do you think the Hawk T Mk1A’s low-level attack role will make up for its lack of missiles and defensive equipment? Share your thoughts in the comments, and follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.
War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is a free-to-play vehicular combat MMO featuring aircraft, ground vehicles, and naval craft spanning from the early 20th century to the modern era. Players progress through technology trees across multiple nations, unlocking increasingly advanced military vehicles. The game offers three realism tiers for each vehicle type: arcade, realistic, and simulator modes. Originally developed as a flight simulator under the name "World of Planes," the game expanded to include tanks in 2014 and naval forces later, becoming a combined-arms experience. A mobile version was released in 2023.
- Genre Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Perspective First person, Third person, Virtual Reality
- Modes Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release January 28, 2013
- Publisher Gaijin Entertainment
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