[Coming Soon] Ship Rank VII and CIWS

Greetings, Captains! The seasonal update arriving on June 10th, 2026 marks a new milestone for the fleet with the introduction of Rank VII combat ships!

General Information

Previously, modern missile ships and late gun-based ships frequently found themselves sharing the same battlefield. This created a clear imbalance: fast missile boats easily destroyed gun ships, which could offer almost no resistance in return.

The new Rank VII splits missile technology into two distinct eras. Rank VI retains early missile ships, which are stronger than Rank V gun-based ships but remain vulnerable if the team coordinates effectively. Meanwhile, modern missile ships with more powerful armament, are moving up to Rank VII.

Additionally, Rank V ships will also gain new protection against missile-armed opponents. The CIWS system (detailed in the article below) will give gun-based ships meaningful new tactical options when when defending against missile attacks.

Rank Adjustment

Rank VI and VII ships will undergo adjustments to their firepower and survivability to ensure they better align with their new ranks.

Depending on their current performance, some ships may be buffed or nerfed, while those that are already well-balanced will remain unchanged.

The following ships are moving from Rank VI to Rank VII:

• USA: USS South Carolina, USS Virginia
• Germany: Sachsen, Baden-Württemberg
• USSR: Pr. 1144, Pr. 11661K, Pr. 885
• Japan: JDS Asagiri
• United Kingdom: HMS Astute, HMS Type 45

When determining which ships to move to Rank VII, three main factors were considered:

• Modernity – both the vessel's keel-laying year and its specific in-game modification.
• Combat effectiveness – the ship's real-world statistics.
• Firepower potential – the combined power of its missile and gun armament.
• The combination of these factors determined which ships will make the move to Rank VII in this update.

New Researchable Rank VII Ships

Braunschweig

• A modern German K130-class corvette equipped with RBS-15 Mk3 anti-ship missiles.

Pr. 1134B

• A heavy Russian missile cruiser of the Berkut B project, featuring the Rastrub-B anti-submarine system, Shtorm and Osa SAM systems, and rapid-fire AK-630 CIWS.

JDS Chokai

• A Japanese Kongo-class destroyer with the Aegis combat system, Mk 41 vertical launch system, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles.

HMS Type 31

• A new British Inspiration-class frigate fitted with a Mk 41 vertical launch system capable of firing SM-2 surface-to-air missiles and Tomahawk cruise missiles.

*The final armament of these ships will be announced closer to the update’s release, as the vehicles are still in development.

Over the next 5-6 months, we will introduce one new researchable vehicles per nation, ensuring every national research tree receives its own missile-armed Rank VII flagship.

New Feature: The CIWS System

The headline new feature of the season – a gun-based Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) designed to intercept and destroy incoming missiles.

For ships historically equipped with this system, we have added the ability to shoot down enemy missiles using rapid-fire anti-aircraft guns.

How it works:

• In automatic mode, the system intercepts missiles targeting your ship.
• If an ally is nearby, your CIWS will automatically engage missiles aimed at them as well.
• The system is not 100% effective, just as in real life.
• Activating it does not guarantee complete protection.
• The system can be overwhelmed by a simultaneous volley of missiles or a coordinated attack from multiple directions.

Important! CIWS will appear not only on Rank VI–VII missile ships but also on late-game battleships and battlecruisers at Rank V – giving Rank V ships a meaningful new layer of defense against missile attacks.

Q&A

Stay tuned for more news, and we’ll you in War Thunder Mobile (WTM) naval battles, captains!