Thunderworks and Aerosoft are glad to announce they have created a partnership to release Jet Thunder: Falklands/Malvinas late this year.
While created by a small team, the game and graphics engine behind Jet Thunder is powerful, modern and flexible. Even at high speed and at low level the terrain is beautifully rendered while the skies and the weather are highly realistic. The fully functional virtual cockpits allows you to use the detailed aircraft systems so you are able to perform the tasks the mission system will prepare for you.
The Falkland/Malvinas conflict between the UK and Argentina is seen in different light by different people. In the UK it is regarded as the last time the UK showed what naval power could do and it saved the Thatcher government. It is also seen as a closed issue. In Argentina it kick-started democracy and is far from a closed issue. It was a relatively clean war, if such a thing exists, where civilians were not a target. It is also the last war were two air forces of roughly equal power (though very different in size and style) battled for air superiority. It is an ideal theatre for a serious combat flight simulator!
Because Jet Thunder: Falklands/Malvinas Conflict is a large and complex project it will be release in three 'stages' where each stage builds upon the feedback from customers and adds more features. The first two products will be digital download only, while the last (and final) version will be available in download and worldwide in boxed form. Splitting the project in stages also will enable us to gradually increase the complexity of systems and introduce this generation of jets to customers who have never flown combat flight simulators.
The first release (Jet Thunder: Royal Air Force Harrier) will include the full Falklands/Malvinas islands as a backdrop for the missions flown with the Royal Air Force 1(F) Squadron's Harrier. Starting from the HMS Hermes the user will have battle the Argentinean fighters in support of the Fleet Air Arm Sea Harriers, defend the British ships from attack, prepare the landing operations and provide close air support for the Royal Marines and Paratroopers. The Harrier is expertly modeled and fully operational. From a 'cold and dark' start, all the way to shut down the systems are as they are in the real aircraft. As far as we know this will be the first time full VTOL procedures will be realistically possible in a simulator. Release is scheduled for late 2010, download only, at a of price €20 (plus VAT when applicable).
In 2011 there will be additions that will add many more flyable aircraft, the Argentinean side, and finally the boxed/download version that combines it all.
