War Thunder has deployed its latest major update, "Heavy Cavalry" (Update 2.57), and the theme is right there in the name: bigger bodies, bigger cannons and a push to expand the game's top-tier lineups. Gaijin Entertainment rolled the update out on June 24, 2026, adding new ground vehicles, aircraft, helicopters and naval units alongside a batch of system changes.
For a game that lives at the intersection of accessible arcade combat and serious vehicular simulation, high-rank content is where the community's attention concentrates — and Heavy Cavalry aims squarely at it.
Modern Armor Takes Center Stage
The standout ground additions are newer Abrams variants for the United States: the M1A2 SEPv3 and the M1A2 Trophy HV, both bringing stronger turret protection and access to the potent M829A3 APFSDS round. Britain also gains new Abrams options, including an Australian M1A1 squadron vehicle and a researchable M1A2, spreading modern main-battle-tank firepower across more than one tree.
Other nations are not left out. Italy receives the Palmaria self-propelled howitzer, while Israel gets the Hunter armored fighting vehicle, armed with Spike LR missiles and a 30mm cannon.
Air and Sea Get Their Share
Heavy Cavalry is not purely a ground update. The air and naval branches receive their own reinforcements, ranging from the Welkin and the IA.58A Pucará aircraft to the USS North Carolina, a battleship joining the naval roster.
Here is a snapshot of what Update 2.57 brings:
- New US Abrams — the M1A2 SEPv3 and M1A2 Trophy HV with the M829A3 round.
- British armor — an Australian M1A1 squadron vehicle and a researchable M1A2.
- Other nations — Italy's Palmaria SPH and Israel's Spike-armed Hunter AFV.
- Air and naval — the Welkin, the IA.58A Pucará and the USS North Carolina.
Maps and Systems Get a Pass
Beyond the vehicles, Gaijin reworked existing battlegrounds and tuned several systems. The ground maps Ash River and Winter Ardennes received visual improvements while keeping their familiar layouts, so veterans get a fresher look without relearning the terrain.
The update also folds in quality-of-life and mechanical changes, including new damage models, updated MFD screens, man-in-the-loop missile control, aiming points for salvo firing, and even rewards tied to aircraft crashing near you without your involvement. It is the usual War Thunder pattern: marquee vehicles up front, a layer of simulation refinement underneath.
The Takeaway
Heavy Cavalry is a top-tier-focused update that gives modern-armor fans exactly what they came for — multiple new Abrams, a fresh battleship and additions across every branch — while quietly improving the maps and systems that frame those battles. If you have been grinding toward high rank, Update 2.57 is a clear reason to jump back in. And with War Thunder's free-to-play model, sampling the new lineups costs nothing but the research grind.
