War Thunder Forums Leak Confidential Documents Yet Again

Red Dog Security

26 Jun 2025 — 2 min read

Another War Thunder player has been banned from the game’s official forums after posting a page from the AV-8B Harrier’s flight manual—marking at least the ninth known incident where users have leaked classified or restricted materials in an attempt to win arguments.

This time, a user named MatrixRupture shared an excerpt from the NATOPS (Naval Air Training and Operating Procedures Standardization) manual for the AV-8B and TAV-8B Harrier, aircraft used by the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.

The document was labeled "Distribution Statement C", meaning it is not approved for public release and is restricted to U.S. government personnel and authorized contractors. Legally, such material cannot be disclosed publicly, regardless of whether it is technically classified as "Secret" or "Top Secret." War Thunder developers must comply with export control laws and other legal restrictions.

A War Thunder community manager confirmed the document violated forum rules and was immediately removed, with the user receiving a temporary ban. The game’s developers enforce a strict policy against posting classified, export-controlled, or otherwise restricted materials—regardless of the poster’s intentions.

A Recurring Problem

As noted by UK Defence Journal, this is far from the first such leak. Previous War Thunder forum disputes have led to the unauthorized release of documents related to:

The British Challenger 2 tank
The French Leclerc tank
The Chinese ZTZ-99 tank
The Eurocopter Tiger helicopter
U.S. aircraft, including the F-16, F-15E, and F-117
Most recently, the Eurofighter Typhoon

The Same Pattern Every Time

These leaks follow a predictable cycle:

A player argues about in-game vehicle accuracy.
To "prove" their point, they upload restricted or classified documents.
Moderators delete the post and ban the account.

Even if some of these documents circulate unofficially online, they remain subject to ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) and other national security laws. Posting them can have legal consequences, regardless of how "outdated" the information may seem.

Gaijin’s Stance

The developer, Gaijin Entertainment, has repeatedly stated that classified materials are never used in the game’s development. Instead, they rely solely on publicly available, legal sources. The studio has also warned players against sharing or discussing restricted documents—to no avail, as leaks keep happening.

Key Takeaways:

Another War Thunder player leaked restricted military docs (AV-8B manual).
This is the ninth known incident of its kind.
The manual was Distribution Statement C (not for public release).
Gaijin deleted the post and banned the user—as they always do.
Previous leaks included tanks, helicopters, and fighter jets.
Even "old" or "unofficially available" docs can still violate ITAR/export laws.
Gaijin does not use classified info—they rely on open-source data only.

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