CS7 Thunderhawk

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CS7 Thunderhawk
Vehicle in Just Cause 3
Type	Jet fighter
Weapons	Cannon and homing missiles
Rarity	Common
List of owners	Medici Military The Rebellion
Top speed (km/h)	353 (level) 410 (level with nitrous) 355 (diving) 410 (diving with nitrous)
Top speed (mph)	~219.3 (level) 254.76 (level with nitrous) ~220.5 (diving) 254.76(diving with nitrous)

The CS7 Thunderhawk is a fighter aircraft in Just Cause 3.

Appearance

The CS7 Thunderhawk is a delta-wing jet fighter, resembling several different fighter jets, such as the Dassault Mirage 2000 and the Saab JAS 39 Gripen, but without the canards, and also the Indian HAL Tejas, with less swept wings.

The aircraft has folding wings, a design feature typically used by carrier-based aircraft on aircraft carriers. The aircraft can be seen with its wings folded whilst being transported by a Train, and when it is parked by Rico in a small space. It will sometimes spawn with folded wings, depending on if it's in a smaller space, both when spawning naturally at a base and in Rebel drop.

The wings can be made to stay open if Rico rolls the plane forwards at its slowest speed and jumps to the Stunt position, causing the plane to brake automatically.

This plane is a single engine jet fighter, unlike the U-7 Dravec which is a twin-engined jet fighter.

Performance

This aircraft has a top speed of 353 km/h, which places it as the fastest vehicle in the game. As a fighter, the aircraft is very agile and maneuverable at high speeds - at times rather twitchy. It has a remarkably short take-off and landing distance, characteristic of a STOL aircraft.

When equipped with Nitrous boosters, it can reach over 400 km/h.

The aircraft's armament comprises a cannon and homing missiles. Missiles are fired one at a time, with or without a lock. The cannon is located within the aircraft's nose, just in front of the cockpit.

According to the Rebel drop description: "When it comes to aerial firefights, few top the CS7 Thunderhawk, featuring the M98 machine gun, M62 Mako repeating missiles and M-78 Kauga heat-seekers."

Armament

While most of this vehicle is armed with homing missiles and a machine gun, there is also apparently a variant of this vehicle that is retrofitted to drop bombs.

One of the initial cutscenes of A Terrible Reaction shows Di Ravello ordering the Medici Military to raze Costa Del Porto. During the cutscene, two of these fighter jets are seen attacking the town, but the explosion effects are clearly bombs exploding and not missiles hitting something.

Later, when Rico is liberating Porto Tridente, the Medici Military will call in reinforcements consisting of two of these plus two U-7 Dravecs. The two bombers do drop bomb payloads, but these two are never seen firing their missiles. In fact when they pass over an area, the explosion effects are clearly also bombs exploding.

The Cima Leon: Centcom FOW consists of an "airstrike FOW." However, if Rico does not do The Secret of Vis Electra and liberates said base, two of these fighter jets will appear in the air and clearly deliver the airstrikes. This FOW is also controversial in that the FOWs are seemingly built into the base itself, while clearly, these planes are independent of the base, unless they are like unmanned armed drones.

The Dionysus PLDS-H also delivers an airstrike to coordinates set by Rico. Yet the plane delivering the airstrike is also this and not the U-7 Dravec.

With all of the above points, it is possible, albeit unrealistic, that some of these jets were retrofitted with bombs. Otherwise, none of the above would make sense.

Locations

Medici Military

• Griphon military airbase.
• Vulture military airbase.
• Porto Cavo military airbase.
• Guardia Grande Pastura II military outpost.
• Falco Maxime: Centcom.
• It can be found stowed with the wings folded up on trains. The aircraft can be launched directly from these trains, with a very short take-off distance required. In order to do this, the train needs to be in normal motion and the plane has to "pull up" at maximum climb rate. It can also be launched by reversing off the train, then launching as if you’re on a runway.
• Two of this vehicle is apparently the FOW at Cima Leon: Centcom.
• In air traffic around Medici:
  • Rarely flying circles around the Stingray Area before leaving and crashing into a cliff in Libeccio.

The Rebellion

• Becomes available for Rebel drop following the liberation of Griphon airbase.
• At liberated military bases in Medici. Note that they only spawn at bases/outposts with airfields.
• At Grotta Contrabandero in Cauda in Insula Dracon.
• At Refugio Umbra in Umbra in Insula Striate.
• Near the Wind Turbines at Maestrale, close to the lake. Approximating around N 40 46.200 E 5 39.200. This one only spawns after Maestrale is captured for the Rebellion.
• At a rebel checkpoint about a kilometer to the west of Porto Coclea. Approximating around N 40 47.370 E 5 39.600. This one only spawns after the province is captured for the Rebellion.
• Has to be used in Rico and the Rose.
• Provided for Son of Medici. Although a U-7 Dravec could also be provided.
• Flying over Rico at the approximate altitude of 1 km when he orders something from rebel drop, indicating that the shipping container is dropped from this plane.
• Can sometimes be found flying south, high over the Lavanda province in the Insula Fonte region.

Other

• Both variants have been seen flying above Griphon, Vulture, and the northern coast of Maestrale.

Trivia

• This plane is the successor to the Ulysses-McCoy Redcloud, the older delta-wing fighter in Just Cause.
• It is built by the fictional company Capstone.
• Mako, the manufacturer of the aircraft's "M62 repeating missiles", is a weapons manufacturer from Just Cause.
• The folding wing design may indicate that this aircraft was once carrier-based, perhaps on the sunken aircraft carrier at Grotta Contrabandero.
• These planes are known for having air brakes and reverse thrusters that "scream".
• By stunt jumping onto the plane, destroying it mid flight, and quickly getting back in, it is possible to ride in the destroyed cockpit all the way to the ground. Simply stunt jump behind the cockpit, shoot the plane until it explodes (to do this easily, shoot it twice with the CS110 Archangel) and quickly get back in. If done correctly, Rico will re-enter the now destroyed cockpit as it falls to the ground.
• It's really odd as to why the military versions are on trains, if there was no way to get them to airfields.
  • The railroad in Insula Striate only passes through two locations, but there are no airfields at those locations.
  • Vulture is near that railroad, but there's no sane way to bring it there, unless there was a loading dock somewhere.
  • A possible explanation is that the Thunderhawks are in fact either intended to be launched directly from the train using the aforementioned method. The prevalence of tunnels around the map and the existence of underground airfields could be indicative of preparation for some nuclear attack on the part of the Medici Military. If this is so, the deployment of air-to-air focused fighters on the train may serve as a mobile launch platform.
• When a train engine is destroyed and the car holding the Thunderhawk is left to despawn, the Thunderhawk gains odd physics quirks. The biggest of which is that the plane's hitbox seems to disappear, allowing it to fly through terrain such as trees, rocks, and even the ground (video). See more about this at Just Cause 3 Bugs and glitches.
• Strangely the Dionysus PLDS-H calls this in as an airstrike aircraft, even though it doesn't drop bombs in game, where the U-7 Dravec does.
• Another odd thing is the fact that it is used to drop the rebel drop container, despite the fact that the U41 Ptakojester is obviously better suited for this role.
• It's actually possible to hijack the rebel drop version. The easiest method to do this is to go onto the bridge which crosses the valley close to Guardia Lacos I and call a rebel drop from here. The item(s) can be anything from the list. Make sure the beacon lands on the ground below, otherwise the drop can badly damage the bridge you're on. The Thunderhawk will fly very close to your altitude. Grapple to the aircraft and hijack it. Now, you should be able to fly the aircraft. However, it has no special abilities. This can be considered a useful way to obtain this vehicle before liberating Griphon or doing Rico and the Rose.

Gallery

The Rebellion

Blowing up a Drone Depot.

The Rebellion version near Guardia Massos V.

Rebellion version near Corda Dracon: Centcom.

A Rebellion version at sea near some strange lights. These turned out to be part of Insula Lacrima.

Trying to take off at Falco Maxime: Centcom in vain.

Approaching Stingray before the mission that takes place there.

Medici Military

Taking off from a train track after taking the jet from a derailed train.

As seen for the first time in a pre-launch Nerd³ video.

Rico is inspecting the engine.

Miscellaneous

One of the earliest promotional artworks and the first place where these were seen.

Another artwork of the plane and a large ship. Note how it's actually a Dassault Mirage 2000 Photoshopped with Medici flags. The car (also not actually in the game) is an Aston Martin.

Photoshopped artwork version vs Mirage 2000. The exact Mirage used in the game artwork is seen at the wikipedia article, identified by the unique camouflage pattern.

Being transported by a Train.

As seen in the Rebel drop list.

The unlock screen, after liberating Griphon.

A military version that just got destroyed by Rico in Bavarium on a Plane.

An example of how fast this plane can go. Just try not to get caught by the missiles.

A Dassault Mirage 2000, one of the aircraft this vehicle closely resembles.

The HAL Tejas, another vehicle this vehicle is based on.

Both variants together.

Video