Just over a month ago, Top Mach Studios asked the MSFS community to help pick its next fighter, putting eight jets on the ballot, from the Saab JAS 39 Gripen E/F to the Chengdu J-20. Now we have a first answer. In its October development blog, the studio says that, based on feedback from that survey, it has begun 3D modeling work on the Gripen E/F, and that a finished aircraft could release as soon as late 2027.
That’s the headline of an update that touches nearly every aircraft in the Top Mach hangar, and the studio says it will publish one of these blogs every month from now on.
A vote that turned into a project
This isn’t the first time a Top Mach poll has reached the workshop. When the studio ran a similar survey in March 2025, the question of whether to build the F-15E Strike Eagle or the F-15EX Eagle II ended with both variants being confirmed as projects.
The Gripen timeline comes with a clear caveat, though. Top Mach says late 2027 depends on how the other projects in its development queue progress, and that queue is long. The Su-57, the Su-35 and both F-15s are all ahead of the Gripen, so it’s probably wise to treat that date as a best case.
F-22A v2.2.0 is on its way to the Marketplace
The aircraft most people are flying right now is the MSFS 2024 F-22A, which Top Mach rebuilt almost from scratch and released this summer. The studio says version 2.2.0 is being prepared, with its initial Marketplace submission planned for the week of October 19. Top Mach promises a long list of new features, enhancements and fixes, but hasn’t shared the details yet, so we’ll report back once the changelog is public.
Livery packs are also close. According to the developer, work is nearing completion on a set of liveries and skins, and with any luck they will be available before the holidays.
PlayStation 5 owners, meanwhile, are still waiting. Top Mach says there’s no word yet from Sony or the Marketplace team on a PS5 release, and that while it’s in regular contact with Microsoft, it has been told the F-22 is in line with everyone else for Sony’s review. The studio describes that process as entirely out of its control. It’s a familiar situation for PS5 simmers, and other developers are going through the same queue, as we saw recently with PMDG’s 737 heading to PlayStation.
Su-57 moves into texturing, F-15s close behind
Of the new aircraft, the Su-57 Felon is furthest along. Top Mach says the exterior mesh is nearing completion and that texturing and base livery work are well underway. The cockpit mesh is also close to done, though the team has taken a short pause to make sure there’s enough detail modeled in before texturing begins.
The Su-35 SuperFlanker is moving more slowly, with its exterior mesh at roughly 90% or more. Top Mach expects that work to pick up speed once the Su-57 mesh is finalized.
As for the F-15E and F-15EX, the exterior mesh is nearing completion, cockpit mesh revisions are underway, and scoping has begun on the common avionics platform the two variants will share. In April, both were described as being at 95% on exterior and cockpit mesh work, with the systems side pushed to later in the year, so this lines up with that plan.
A full hangar
Put together, the October blog paints a picture of a small studio juggling a lot at once: a fresh F-22 update and livery packs, two Flankers, two Eagles, a Gripen, a planned B-2 refresh and a possible native Red Hawk.
You can keep track of all of these, and many more, on our list of aircraft in development for MSFS.
