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Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft (SPAA) vehicles are critical in ground battles in War Thunder. Since planes are extremely effective against slow tanks in ground battles, SPAA vehicles are the only proper defense against such air attacks if your team does not have any aircraft to counter the enemy.
SPAA vehicles get more and more advanced as the tiers increase. The earliest ones have to be manually aimed, while the more modern ones get tracking radars and missiles.
Here is a ranked list of the five best SPAA vehicles that you can find in this free-to-play vehicle combat MMO.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer.
Which are the top 5 SPAA vehicles in War Thunder?
5) Ozelot
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The Ozelot is a rank VII, BR 9.7 SPAA in the German ground tech tree. It can carry eight Stinger ground-to-air missiles, which are not only useful against vehicles of similar BR but also in top-tier matches.
Since the Stinger missiles are heat-seeking, enemy aircraft do not get radar lock warnings. Moreover, the Ozelot is extremely small and very mobile, making it a harder target for aircraft to spot.
4) FlaRakRad
The FlaRakRad is the top-tier German anti-air in the game. This SPAA vehicle sits at rank VIII, BR 11.7, and can carry 10 VT-1 or Roland-3 ground-to-air missiles. Moreover, it requires radar lock and manual cursor movement to lead the missiles to their targets.
Although the FlaRakRad is a large target and pretty slow, it makes up for its shortcomings with its second-generation thermal sights and the VT-1 missiles. The VT-1s are the second-fastest ground-to-air missiles in War Thunder and have a range of 12 km.
3) 2S6
The ZPRK 2S6, or "Tunguska," is the second-best Russian SPAA in the game. It has been a part of the game for years and has kept on being a formidable anti-CAS vehicle.
The 2S6 is not very fast, but it has eight 9M311-1M anti-air missiles as well as two 30 mm auto cannons for engaging close targets. It is also equipped with a strong radar and good thermal sights for easier tracking and spotting of enemy aircraft.
2) ADATS
The ADATS is a rank VIII, BR 11.7 anti-tank missile launcher as well as a Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft vehicle in the American tech tree. It is the top-tier American SPAA, which, like the 2S6, has been a huge threat to aircraft for years in the game.
But unlike the 2S6, the ADATS is very capable of destroying tanks as well. Its MIM146 missile can be used as both anti-tank and anti-air. It is also equipped with a 25 mm autocannon that can fire APDS rounds, making it useful for close-range defense against both ground and air targets.
1) Pantsir-S1
The Pantsir-S1 is the best SPAA in the Russian ground tree and is also considered to be the best anti-air vehicle in the game. It is a slow and large target, but its weaponry is the best of its class.
The Pantsir is equipped with 12 95Ya6 surface-to-air missiles, which are the fastest in the title and have a range of 18 km to 20 km. This machine also has four 30 mm autocannons for point defense.
The radar on the Pantsir is the best among all other anti-aircraft vehicles, and its second-generation thermal sights are the icing on the cake.
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