Avimimus

I think that makes it more impressive, honestly.

I would pay for a full-fidelity version of Echelon Wind Warriors. I doubt ED would allow it to be a paid module. Maybe a separate project leasing the same engine though?

Ah! So the actual circuitry for the release interval is in the pylon itself and set by ground crew! It'd be interesting to see how this would be implemented in DCS (e.g. set as an option in the mission editor, or through the rearm menu)? It'd also be interesting to see if this functionality could be added to the Su-25 by ED at some point. Anyway, very interesting! Thank you for the breakdown. I am in your debt!

I'm sure we'd all prefer you to look after your overall life and wellbeing - and after that - I think we'd probably think that your time is better spent on the Su-22 than on answering my questions. But thank you! I've been wondering about some of these things for over fifteen years.

That might be feasible if we were all willing to pay a substantial amount for the upgrade. Personally, I'm fine with the OH-58D subsidising the development of the tech... that said, I'd probably be willing to pay something for a fixed flight model, more armament options, and a civilianised version (or at least the ability to delete the minigun and retain the forward view)

I've been waiting for that announcement for years! Cheers for hope!

I thought that might be the case! Ah! So a bit like the old KABB experiments? Was it always necessary to do that? Or could the bombs be released on a separate second pass (or be released first, with the rockets released on a second pass afterwards)? Also - with regard to the MBD racks - I've wondered for several years whether the release interval can be adjusted. Originally, when ED first modelled them it was a separate press to release each bomb. Now one press releases all of the bombs on the rack in a sequence. However, the interval is fixed (so the bombs tend to land very close together). The same goes for the KMGU cells... can the release interval be adjusted? Even if they can't be adjusted by the pilot in flight - I always thought it would make sense for these systems to be adjustable by ground crews at least (e.g. a high speed attack would use a rapid interval, whereas a lower speed attack one would want to use a slower interval to spread the bombs out a similar amount). Thanks again!

Thank you @SVKSniper! I've spent several months wondering and looked at a lot of photos trying to figure this out. It never occured to me to just ask you! I really appreciate the information. Can any of these weapons be carried while also carrying bombs? P.S. I wonder if the aircraft in these photos has been loaded incorrectly (as is often the case with aircraft loaded for display/photography)? SPPU-22 | Weaponsystems.net

I'm curious if it can carry rockets and bombs at the same time... if so it'll be a bit more flexible than the Tornado or the Viggen (albeit with the bombs consisting of a couple of FAB-100s... but if one aims well I suppose it'd still work)! I rather like the forward view - very good for an aircraft of its era. It might be the first trainer I get.

My argument would be that it this produces a different experience: Taking out one or two truck or an artillery position becomes an accomplishment in a way that it could never be if you were flying an A-10 or an AH-64... one feels ever gun round and every trigger press that much more... and conducting COIN against a small enemy force (e.g. a few technicals and a BRDM in a scouting troop) makes it that much more intense. Impacts are smaller but more meaningful. It is a bit like flying a Gazelle or an OH-58 in the COIN role (i.e. a fixed gun with limited ammunition and seven to eight rocket rounds)... one has to design the missions around the more limited firepower, but it can actually be a lot more satisfying.

Quick questions: What arrangements of rockets and gunpods were permitted? Photos suggest that the under-fuselage hardpoints could also carry SPPU-22 or Rocket pods (which differs from the DCS AI model). It'd be neat to be able to carry six rocket pods (i.e. 2/3rds the load of a Su-25 rather than 1/2 the load)... it'd also give it a bit of an edge on the Mig-23/Mig-27... so it would make it more attractive overall. It also seems that the rear facing SPPU-22 arrangement was used by Poland? Operationally! Which is interesting - I'd always thought of it as an experimental loadout. Were any presets used with this - or were the weapons just set at a fixed angle? Of course, I will pre-order it regardless!

Or alternatively - being able to remove the minigun from the minigun variant... Basically any opportunity to fly more in variants with an almost perfect forward view (e.g. no doors, no sighting tv/pedestal)! That is my big desire (other than a FM rework).

It depends. Some of the UH-1 (transport helicopter) gun mounts could be traversed and elevated for instance. In the AH-64 the rocket pods can be adjusted in elevation, but the missiles can't. In the Ka-50 the missiles can be adjusted in elevation but the rockets can't. In the Mi-24P both the gun and the rocket are fixed to fire forwards. A lot depends on doctrine. I think the weight savings and greater rigidity/accuracy of having a 20mm on the Gazelle be fixed would make that the preferred solution in this case.

I agree. That said - I think it is reasonable for people to offer to pay extra for additional variants/eras of an aircraft - or for the export examples. I'd love to pay for an export Mi-24P with PKT door guns and UPK gunpods... even better if it was an Mi-24V and came with the MBD bomb racks for it.

Do either of you have references for this? Or is it based on your DCS experience only? Anyway, it is possible - one just has to fire off the first hardpoint and then deselect/reselect to reset the system. With the Kh-25L this is pretty easy, since it is only one missile: So just carry it on the first hardpoint and fire it off first.

I'm hoping for good news - I have had the money for pre-ordering squirreled away for some time

I'd just like an ability to low two or four (rather than six) missiles per hardpoint The Apache has this feature for its Hellfires, and it should be really easy for the devs to implement. Some of the early BS3 screenshots showed a model with only two Vikhrs per wing - so the 3d models were almost created in development (and this is a case where they could probably modify the existing 3d model to just have less tubes). It should be pretty easy.

It is really noticeable if you create a COIN mission for a Gazelle and then change it so you are flying an Mi-8... all of a sudden you can't hover near the infantry safely!

Ah! That does mean that the cosmetics of the cockpit (e.g. weapon stowage) will likely come in multiple variations! Anyway, that decision probably moves me to a day-one pre-order

I do think it'd be a nice feature to be able to remove some of the items from the dash. Some of us will be creating peacetime scenarios (or scenarios which are a bit too early for the gunsight)... so having options to hide some of the dash items might be very good for immersion (and clean up the forward view a bit). I do intend to fly this thing as a 1980/1990s era 'CH-136' in Canadian use... I know it won't be completely accurate (especially the avionics), but it'd still be nice to clear up the dash. I'm sure lots of people have other scenarios for which the smoke and model of rifle don't fit.

The Mi-8 forum had an Mi-24 thread (begging for the Mi-24) for many years - consider this thread an homage to that...

Honestly, I'd like that Yak-b 12.7mm gun. It potentially allows engaging multiple soft-skinned vehicles during a single pass. It also has some utility in increasing the area in which MANPADs can be suppressed. I've often looked through the gunsight while in the front seat and wished I could fire a burst at what I was seeing!

I think the issue is that mods don't have a budget for maintenance... and tend to get broken with DCS updates. So, I still think it would be ideal to have two DCS versions - one which only allows full-fidelity modules, and one which allows simpler systems modelling modules (kind-of like the existing WWII asset pack). I agree. I suppose it is just - with no simulator covering modern aircraft - it might be good to have some ability/compromise which allows the DCS engine to cover some of these aircraft (perhaps in a separate environment like MAC, but also not in a super-arcady gamified way).

The ones which bother me use cockpit components from helicopters... fever dream stuff. Apparently the designers were asked to do a study about what could be built after a war where most factories are destroyed but a few parts of the production lines survive. So these frankenplanes would be built to police what remained after a major war (think counter-insurgency after a moderate sized nuclear exchange). You can't build helicopters anymore, but part of the factory which can machine an Mi-24 cockpit survives... so you use those parts etc. A more practical prop (or hybrid) Su-25 competitor is MAI Foton: Soviet COIN and light Shturmovik Projects | Secret Projects Forum The basic idea was to reduce cost, target size, and signature through creating the smallest aircraft possible using high lift devices... hybrid jet/turbo-prop... given that the Su-25 often in combat only uses two or four hardpoints these days the reduced payload probably wouldn't have been much of a problem. There is an interesting picture comparing it to a WWII Il-2... interesting to see how much smaller they got it.

Very interesting! That means that Paralay's drawings (e.g. the outer wing) are based on more than just interviews! In terms of late Soviet projects - I always thought the T-12 would be interesting. For one thing, the early versions could re-use the existing cockpit - which would make it easy to make flyable as a mod. Apparently Gunin himself worked on the renders/article - so they should be pretty accurate (if some hindsight hasn't crept in). Anyway, definitely worth a read: От штурмовика Судного Дня до Штурмовика 90.: pkk_avia — LiveJournal English translation here: Sukhoi T-12 | Secret Projects Forum You might also find this article interesting (although it will haunt your dreams): Штурмовик Судного дня.: pkk_avia — LiveJournal