War Thunder's History of Classified Document Leaks

Patrick.Yu

It’s happened again. War Thunder, the free-to-play military simulator known for its detailed tanks, jets, and helicopters, is once again in the spotlight. This time, it is not because of gameplay updates, but because another player leaked restricted military documents on the War Thunder forum. Over the years, users have posted classified or export-controlled manuals to argue that the game’s vehicle stats are wrong. The growing list of War Thunder leaked documents has become both a security concern and an ongoing joke in the gaming world.

What is War Thunder?

War Thunder is a free-to-play combat simulator developed by Gaijin Entertainment. It features realistic battles across air, land, and sea, with a strong focus on military vehicles from World War II to the modern era. Players can pilot tanks, fly fighter jets, and command naval vessels in online matches against others around the world. The game is well known for its attention to detail and technical accuracy, which has made it popular with military enthusiasts, including current and former service members. The War Thunder forum is where much of the community gathers to discuss vehicles, share feedback, and debate game balance. It is also, strangely enough, where several real-world document leaks have occurred.

Why do classified military documents keep getting leaked on the War Thunder forum?

The War Thunder forum is filled with some very passionate players who care deeply about realism. Some of them are military veterans or active-duty personnel. Others are deeply technical hobbyists who treat vehicle specs like scripture. These are the types who notice if a bolt is the wrong size or if a radar system reacts half a second too slowly. When debates break out over how accurate a vehicle is in-game, some users take things to extremes. In multiple cases, players have posted restricted or export-controlled military documents to prove a point. These War Thunder leaked documents often include performance data, armor specs, or classified weapon systems.

Many assume that older manuals or widely shared files are harmless. But even if a document is years old or found on unofficial websites, it may still fall under laws like ITAR or include a U.S. Distribution Statement that limits who can view it. Once posted, the documents are quickly removed and the user is banned. But the damage is done. Each War Thunder leak adds to the growing list of real-world security risks tied to a video game.

List of confirmed War Thunder leaked documents

Over a dozen known cases of restricted military material have been posted to the War Thunder forum, often during technical arguments about in-game accuracy. Here are the most notable incidents:

• Challenger 2 main battle tank – July 2021
  A user claiming to be a former tank commander shared pages from the UK's restricted AESP manual.
• Leclerc tank (France) – October 2021
  A player leaked classified turret rotation data during a debate over vehicle stats.
• DTC10-125 tungsten penetrator (China) – June 2022
  A user leaked official Chinese military documentation for the kinetic energy penetrator during a forum argument. The post included a photo of the round next to the original manual, confirming authenticity. This weapon is used in the ZTZ-99 tank.
• Eurocopter Tiger – Late 2022
  Users uploaded restricted armor layout details for the French-German helicopter.
• F-16 Fighting Falcon (USA) – January 2023
  A NATOPS manual page detailing radar functions and weapon systems was leaked.
• F-15E Strike Eagle (USA) – January 2023
  Additional technical documents were posted in a follow-up thread.
• Su-57 and MiG-29 (Russia) – Early 2023
  Forum users shared radar cross-section and avionics specs.
• Eurofighter Typhoon – August 2023
  Flight manual documents for a test variant were uploaded and deleted.
• F-117 Nighthawk (USA) – September 2023
  Export-controlled stealth system data was leaked. Supposedly it was the flight manual, but I cant confirm.
• AH-64D Apache (USA) – September 2023
  Users posted technical assembly documents for its turret systems.
• VT-4 tank (China) – December 2023
  Unclassified but export-restricted documents from the Norinco VT-4 were shared.
• M2A2 Bradley IFV (USA) – December 2023
  Technical manuals were leaked during a balance discussion.
• T-90M, T-90S, T-80BVM (Russia) – July 2024
  Players posted restricted Russian tank documents across several threads.
• Eurofighter Typhoon (again) – December 2024
  Leaked flight data and radar specs from Italian MoD sources.
• AV-8B Harrier II (USA) – June 2025
  The most recent case involved a NATOPS manual marked “Distribution Statement C.”

Each incident followed the same pattern: a user uploads a restricted document to win an argument, moderators delete it, and a ban is issued. Despite repeated warnings, the War Thunder leaked documents saga continues.

Will more leaks happen on War Thunder forums? Yeah, probably

By now, it's become a strange tradition. A heated thread on the War Thunder forum spirals out of control, and someone drops a real military manual to prove a point. Even with strict rules in place and users getting banned, the War Thunder leak problem keeps coming back. The game’s obsession with realism attracts people who take accuracy very seriously, sometimes too seriously. With more modern vehicles being added and players continuing to nitpick every stat, there is a good chance we haven’t seen the last of these War Thunder leaked documents.

So, will there be another War Thunder stealth bomber leaking or classified tank diagram posted by a guy with a spreadsheet and a grudge? Probably. And if it happens, I’ll be sure to update this article.

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