graveyard4DCS

For those interested, and following this general discussion about diversion airfields and fuel calculations, I released a generic kneeboard page for diversion at Kandahar airfield. In a couple of days, you will also find another kneeboards with precise fuel calculations for the F/A-18C Hornet and Mirage 2000C.

Hello ! I'd love to hear how you approach fuel calculations in a combat environment, and more specifically the minimum fuel for landing or in-flight refueling, a quantity of fuel that is closely linked to the diversion airfields you've chosen. To kick-start the discussion, here's a short article introducing the concept of diversion airfields in the context of military aviation. Enjoy your reading! Diversion Airfields for HPMA: Introduction In military aviation, safety and mission effectiveness depend heavily on having well-planned contingency options. Diversion airfields are critical elements in ensuring that HPMA (High-Performance Military Aircraft, i.e. fighter jets) have a safe haven in case their primary destination becomes unavailable. These airfields act as lifelines, particularly in dynamic operational environments where emergencies, adverse weather, or other unforeseen factors (like enemy military action) can disrupt mission plans. I'll introduce here the purpose of diversion airfields, the principles of fuel planning, and the additional considerations that ensure mission success, before a next article that will apply it to the Afghan case. Diversion Airfields: Purpose and Selection Diversion airfields are carefully chosen to meet the operational demands of HPMA. These selections are based on factors such as proximity to the mission area, runway capabilities, support infrastructure, and overall security. For military jets, runway length is a paramount consideration, as the runway must accommodate the high speeds and potential heavy payloads upon landing. The availability of military-grade fuel, maintenance services, and munitions handling facilities further influence the choice of suitable diversion airfields. In high-threat zones, security becomes an equally important factor. Diversion airfields in such areas must be secure from enemy activity and equipped with defensive measures to protect personnel and assets. AIP page for Kabul International Airfield stating that military grade F-34 fuel is available: it's a suitable diversion option in terms of fuel. Another crucial aspect of diversion airfield planning is the strategic placement of at least two suitable options near the primary recovery base. This ensures operational flexibility and contingency coverage, as the fuel requirements upon arrival at the primary airfield depend not only on its weather conditions but also on the conditions at these alternate diversion sites. This approach mitigates risks and enhances overall mission safety. However, since alternate airfields choice is a risk management decision, the rules can be changed depending on the actual operational situation by a commander with the sufficient level of authority. For example, we can imagine that reducing the alternates option to a single airfield can be decided, or even to no alternate options, for carrier operations at large for example (also called "blue water ops"). Fuel Planning and Minimum Reserves Given their high instantaneous fuel consumption, fuel planning for military jets needs to be a meticulous process that balances operational requirements with safety. The calculation begins with estimating cruise fuel burn, which is the amount needed to reach the diversion airfield under normal cruise conditions. Reserve fuel is then added to account for potential deviations, holding patterns, or emergencies. These reserves are critical, as they allow pilots to execute specific procedures after reaching the diversion airfield. National regulations often dictate the specific procedures enabled by minimum fuel reserves. For example, in France, the minimum fuel for VMC/day operations ensures the ability to perform a go-around procedure followed by 10 minutes of low-level navigation before bailout. For IMC/night operations, the reserves account for a go-around, a second IMC procedure, another go-around, and an immediate bailout. In contrast, civilian aviation adheres to stricter fuel reserve rules, such as carrying enough fuel to reach an alternate airport plus 45 minutes of holding time. While effective for commercial airliners, this approach is totally impractical for high-performance military aircraft. Following such rules would leave combat aircraft with virtually no fuel for combat operations. Instead, military fuel planning emphasizes adaptability, incorporating real-time mission demands and environmental conditions. Note that additional fuel reserves are often allocated to account for local circumstances. For example, operations may require extended holding times due to heavy air traffic or regular runway closures. For example, in Afghanistan these closures could result from routine inspections, such as those conducted after mortar attacks on airfields. By anticipating these factors, mission planners ensure that pilots have the fuel needed to navigate complex and unpredictable scenarios. Military personnel taking cover in a bunker during a rocket attack at Kandahar airbase. Essential Diversion Data for Mission Planning The effective use of diversion airfields relies on having accurate and comprehensive data. Inflight guides and mission planning tools need to be created in order to provide essential information to ensure safe and efficient in-flight decision-making. Key data points include: Relative Location: information on range and heading to diversion airfields helps pilots quickly assess options. For example, Creech AFB is located 36 NM from Nellis AFB on a heading of 290°, while Edwards AFB is 160 NM away at 225° (see picture below). Runway Dimensions: runway length and orientation are critical for landing and takeoff. Diversion airfields like Edwards AFB offer long runways (15,000 feet), while others like Creech AFB provide shorter options (9,000 feet) suitable for day/VFR conditions . Navigation Aids (NAVAIDs): TACAN or VOR frequencies allow for precise navigation. For instance, Creech AFB operates on TACAN Channel 87 (INS), while Edwards AFB uses Channel 111 (EDW) . Ideal Transit Altitude: specified altitudes optimize fuel consumption and air traffic deconfliction. For example, en route altitudes to diversion bases in the Red Flag exercise range from FL190 to FL250, depending on the distance . Fuel Consumption for Transit: guides often include fuel usage for specific routes. For example, transitioning to Fallon NAS from a specified location requires 5,000 pounds of fuel with reserves . Example of diversion data for Nellis. This picture is not specific to an aircraft type. Understanding the assumptions underlying these fuel calculations is also vital for their effective application. Assumptions often include factors such as the aircraft’s load, weather conditions, expected airspeeds, and transit altitude. Assumptions about payload configuration will impact fuel burn rates, particularly for aircraft carrying external stores. By knowing these underlying assumptions, pilots can adjust calculations to reflect real-world conditions and adjust the fuel to the closest necessity. Detailed assumptions made for fuel calculation by a A-10 crews for a live fire exercise. Another important consideration is how this data is presented. Diversion data is typically displayed in either tables or graphical representations. Tables provide structured, detailed information such as range, headings, runway lengths, and fuel requirements. However, graphical presentations, such as maps with overlayed annotations or visualized flight paths, are often more effective in operational contexts. A visual representation allows pilots to quickly grasp critical information, including the relative positions of airfields and key navigation details. This is particularly useful in high-stress situations where rapid decision-making is essential. While tables remain a valuable planning tool, graphical presentations offer a clearer, more intuitive way to process information during flight operations. Another example of divert data presented in a table: while all the information if readily available, it's certainly less easy to use in flight than a schematic representation. These data points, combined with mission-specific factors, enable pilots and planners to make informed decisions. By integrating this information into pre-flight planning and real-time operations, military aviation maintains its focus on safety and mission success. As a conclusion, we can say that developing accurate diversion data and graphical kneeboard pictures for every deployment base is a mandatory step to improving mission planning and in-flight diversion execution. These resources ensure that pilots can make efficient and reliable decisions, both on the ground and in-flight. In a following post, I will give you an example by as creating detailed diversion data for operations in Afghanistan, focusing particularly on Kandahar.

Thanks for the head's up! However, please note that IFR waypoints are seldom used by fighter jets for departure and recovery procedures, let alone VFR ones. That's most probably the reason why you don't see them appear in the docs I compiled. Nevertheless, you'll find some of the VFR waypoints in those charts instead. Obviously, these IFR waypoints are heavily used by all civilian and military strategic transport aircraft following IFR rules to Kandahar.

Soon

ONC, TPC, topo and ESRI maps, as well as all current airfields for the Iraqi theater in CombatFlite are now available as well. Enjoy! (Note: NAVAIDs data still WIP).

To give you an idea of the beauty of Afghanistan in winter, above are a few photos taken on a previous journey... It has nothing to envy of theaters like Kola!

If you are interested, there are also several official US maps for Desert Storm (and Iraqi Freedom) available online. Like this one: I turned it into .mbtiles file for those willing to use it in CombatFlite.

If you take Google Earth pictures from August 2012 for example, you can see both Belgian Air Force apron on the north of the airfield, and the US Air National Guard apron on the north west.

Hello, I recently made a post to explain how to import miz files to any new theatre. To explain it briefly here, CombatFlite doesn't know the new DCS theatres, so you have to trick it into believing that the miz file you try to import is on one of its known theatre. For that, there are two things to do: 1) modify the theater origins in the theaters.xml file in CombatFlite (the theater.xml you use is already modified) and 2) modify the miz file to trick the software (that's the point you're missing). All the steps are detailed in the post linked above. That's the main issue with CombatFlite not being updated to handle new theatres, it can be circumvented, but it's definitely not really handy. I personally never load miz files to CombatFlite, but use other tools like DCS Viewer instead. I hope it helps... Don't hesitate to MP me if you have more questions to deal with your situation.

For those curious about it, I wrote about the CGRS grid you are talking about in an earlier post. My source is different and confirms the grid origins.

Hello, Here is a quick review of my publications during the last months of 2024, in case one of these topics is interesting you more particularly: - Targeting: discovering the Electronic Target Folder, introduction to the Collateral Damage Estimate process, ETF example for initial OEF campaign, introduction to the No Strike List and NSL example for Afghanistan; - CombatFlite maps: Iraq maps (like ESRI and ONC), Middle East 1:5.000.000 GNC map (from Syria to Afghanistan), Kola maps (ONC, TPC, topo, etc...); - Weaponeering: bomb fuzes guide, recommended bomb fuze settings for the Hornet, Viper and Warthog; - Airport charts and procedures: explanation of tactical take-off and landing procedures in Afghanistan, landing charts and procedures for several airport (in particular, Kandahar); - Maps: introduction to MGRS and CGRS grids, examples for Afghanistan (MGRS maps, CGRS grid for OEF); Many more will follow, and I'll be happy to get your feedback and hear about your topics of interest in order to guide my work. Enjoy your reading!

Kuweit.kmlIraq.kmlSaudi Arabia.kml Here you'll find plenty of real world SAM site locations for the Desert Storm AO. Use Google Earth's 2002 era pictures to see them more clearly, since many areas have been heavily built on nowadays.

Strange, it's working nicely on my side... Thanks for the work!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/SwHawUUDoHbDZzLv6

Hello, I released my first two maps for the Iraqi theater on CombatFlite. Due to ED's users files size limitation, they will only be available on my personal page: ESRI map and ONC map. Enjoy!

Yes, correct. I'll be working on the SA maps shortly.

I wouldn't say so. It's almost perfectly working on any theatre. The only tricky action might be the .miz file import/export on new theatres, but other than that it remains the only planning tool for DCS.

Hello, I just shared in ED's user files a mission for the Hornet in Afghanistan. I consider it a training mission because the overall context is very basic, but it still gives the opportunity to test your skills in various domains, like fuel and time management, tactical landing, LGB delivery, SAM threat management, etc... Also, the mission starts in the air, and I suggest to end the flight in Farah, even if doesn't make any sense give the historical context. But it is also an opportunity to discover third-party tools, like CombatFlite for planning or Tacview for debriefing. For those interested, I created the kneeboard pages using https://dcs-mdc.com/ and I usually load my flight plan in the jet with DCS-DTC. Also, I generated the ATO with Combined Ops. Don't hesitate to use this thread to ask questions, in particular if you struggle to decipher the ETF (Electronic Target Folder), the ATO (Air Tasking Order), or if you can't understand why these particular bomb fuze settings have been chosen. Also, I'd be interested if people who flew this mission could share their attack plan and BDA (Battle Damage Assessment), it would be a nice opportunity to discuss tactical choices. Note: obviously, fell free to modify this mission and change the aircraft type in the mission editor if you'd like to fly it in the Viper or any other aircraft of your choice! However, make sure that you choose the correct weapon load and fuze settings!

In the previous days, I released several other maps for use in CombatFlite: 1:500.000 TPC map Terrain elevation map 1:500.000 composite map with 2024 airspace for Norway, Sweden, Finland and Russian Federation All this with the .xml files and necessary information to create your own Kola theater in CombatFlite. Enjoy you mission planning on this amazing theater!

Quick head's up to let you now that the 1:1.000.000 ONC map for Kola theater is now available in DCS user's files. Enjoy your planning!

The terrain elevation map for CombatFlite is now available in DCS user's files: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/files/3342400/ Enjoy your planning!

Basically, if you're using a DSU-33, at about 20 feet above the surface (depending on the angle of impact, type of surface, etc...), the DSU will tell your tail fuze to start the functionning delay. Knowing that a JDAM impacts at a speed of 250 to 300 m/s or 800 to 1000 ft/s, you can then determine the height of burst (HOB) above the surface: with a delay of 0 ms, HOB at 20ft, with 10 ms, HOB around 10 ft, with 25 ms, HOB around -5 ft, etc... Note that a negative HOB can be useful (but in very specific situations), for example if you're dropping your bomb above the forest canopy: an impact fuze won't be triggered when it reaches the treetop, but a proximity sensor certainly will be, and by knowing the height of the trees and the bomb's dive angle, you can calculate the delay required for the fuze.

Technically, the DSU-33 is a proximity sensor for installation in the nose fuze well of general-purpose warheads. So it is not a fuze in itself, but it is a sensor that triggers the beginning of the functional delay of the actual fuze. As stated before, it's particularly well designed for personal in the open and non armoured vehicles. More details here if you want.

Amazing (especially FOB Rhino)!

I eventually took the time to regroup all the various articles already published on my personal page and publish them as a single pdf file. I also createded kneeboards that summarize recommended operational settings for the F/A-18C and the F-16C in DCS World. The kneeboards are better understood after reading the more comprehensive guide obviously, that's why the full guide is included with the kneeboards. Enjoy your reading!