War Thunder mid-October update: SEAD event returns and Southeastern City joins Nuclear Escalation

War Thunder had a packed week. On October 16, 2026, Gaijin Entertainment brought back the asymmetrical Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) event and released Update 2.59.0.72, which adds a Southeastern City mission to Nuclear Escalation random battles. A day earlier, Update 2.59.0.68 added native ARM support to the Windows version, and Community Update No.13 introduced login streak freezes and a preview of the next major update.

SEAD: the asymmetrical air event is back

The SEAD event runs from October 16 to October 19 (11:00 GMT). One team attacks, the other protects S-75 surface-to-air missile sites. You'll find it in the hangar under Events & Tournaments, then Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses.

• Who can play: anyone with a rank V or higher aircraft in their hangar.
• Vehicles are assigned for you, so you don't need to buy anything.
• Defenders fly the MiG-21bis with air-to-air missiles.
• Attackers can pick both planes and helicopters.
• No enemy markers: you find targets with your aircraft's own systems.
• 3 respawns per player, so you can switch tactics and vehicles.
• Rewards: research points and Silver Lions. Spawn costs are refunded if your aircraft survives or you leave through a safe exit zone.

Anti-radiation missiles are not allowed. Gaijin says internal tests showed they made the attackers too strong. You can still use them in Nuclear Escalation.

Southeastern City joins Nuclear Escalation

After a test event from October 7 to 9, Update 2.59.0.72 added a Southeastern City mission to random battles in the Nuclear Escalation sub-mode. The test used the mode's usual Battle Rating range of 8.7 to 14.7. Gaijin also adjusted some object placement after testing.

The reworked map now uses height-map terrain for more detail. The northern area, once open fields, has new forests and villages. Vegetation is denser, and water and weather were reworked. Gaijin warned that the smaller map could get crowded at top tiers, so a Battle Rating cap is possible later.

Native ARM support on Windows

Update 2.59.0.68 (October 15) added native support for ARM processors to the Windows version. If you play on an ARM-based Windows laptop, the game no longer has to run through translation. The same patch:

• fixed a crash on PlayStation 5 Pro with ray tracing on;
• fixed a Microsoft Store bug that broke frame generation, ray reconstruction and FSR;
• temporarily removed Hürtgen and Grave Robbers' Cliffs from Air Battles until a bug is fixed.

Login streak freezes

Community Update No.13 announced automatic login streak freezes. You earn one Freeze for every 12 days you log in, up to 30 per account. If you miss days, Freezes are used automatically and your streak continues when you return. The feature is on for everyone by default.

A first look at the next major update

Gaijin shared work-in-progress plans that may still change:

• New ground vehicles: the ZBD04 infantry fighting vehicle for China and the Dutch Cheetah PRTL anti-aircraft vehicle for France.
• New aircraft for Japan: a Thai Firefly Mk 1 and an Indonesian Avia B-33.
• GCS-1 bomb for Japan: dropped like a normal bomb, it then searches for and locks onto large heat sources such as ships.
• Man-in-the-Loop guidance for helicopters, including Apache variants with SPIKE NLOS. Gaijin may raise the Battle Rating of these helicopters.
• WE177A nuclear bomb for the British Tornado GR.1 in Nuclear Escalation.

Also this month

• Free decal: the code STUDENTPILOT unlocks the "Student Pilot" decal on the official site until October 30 (10:00 GMT).
• Vautour IIN sale: 30% off at 5,992 Golden Eagles until October 19 (09:00 GMT).
• Halloween decals: spooky monthly task decals are available until November 12.

What's next

The SEAD event and the Vautour sale both end on October 19, so play this weekend if you want either. Gaijin says dev blogs and a dev server come before the next major update, so watch for those next. New to the game? Read our War Thunder beginner's guide before your first battles.

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