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Many thanks!

Yes the laser code is correct. I am using CTLD JTAC so they are automatic. You are spot on regarding not using the Hornets laser, in fact I tried the mission with no Litening pod and just by dropping the LGB's over the general target area, I got good hits. Although this was from 15,000 feet so they had plenty of time to acquire the JTAC laser! So I surmise its something to do with the Litening pod and the JTAC, conflicting perhaps? No matter what I did, when using the Litening pod, I couldn't get the LGB or E Maverick to lock. Fired with the (E) Mav's own uncaged laser tracker, all worked fine? I still prefer the Harrier, but that's just me! Cheers!

2.5.6 release. LST will not lock onto a JTAC target. My procedure is; Approach target, A/G on, Master arm on, LGB Auto fuse inst, press LST right MDi button 17, select WP designate target, no search and no lock. Using FLIR and steering target marker onto target using TDC and designating TDT depress, locks FLIR onto target. But the bomb/laser mav doesn't lock on to the JTAC target and when dropped/launched just misses. Uncage just resets the MDI FLIR to -180L. I thought if you had the HUD on the target area and you hit Uncage, or LST on the MDI, then the seeker should lock on to the JTAC laser? I cant get this to work. I have to steer the cue onto the target manually, point track but even then the weapon is not tracking JTAC laser, it misses. I must be missing a step here? Cheers

I think it's the same in LST mode. You have to have the LST locked in the DDI before anything shows in the HUD. After that, you can unlock and slew the popper in the HUD. But the LST doesn't search and show a lock in the HUD, you need the TGP in the LST mode on the DDI.y confusion was due to flying the Harrier, which uses HUD to LST! Boy are these modules confusing, especially if you try to learn several aircraft at once! I'm not that good!

2.5.6 release. Any chance we can get a sharper image in the FLIR? CCD is not good either. The brightness adjuster doesn't seem to work on the image, only on the symbology? Thanks Edit. While I am moaning, can I ask if the LST is working properly? I have a mission I made that I use to test JTAC and LST. I don't have any issues with LST in the Harrier. However, in the Hornet, the LST in HUD SOI seems very slow and doesn't show a lock. When I do get a lock the position is not translated to the DDI FLIR, so I cant see what has been locked. Switching to DDI FLIR in LST seems to take so long that I have to use Active Pause whilst the LST acquires a target. Also Waypoint designate target does not move the DDI FLIR view onto the TGT? This is probably just my experience. I am relatively new on the F18. We know how much training is required on these modules! Kudos to ED! When using LGB's I get a lot of misses. The LST for Maverick seems OK.

Thank you sir, your understanding of English is excellent, it puts my language ability to shame! I'm using easy Comms since I can easily give commands to my wingmen, without redialing the thumb wheels. I was experimenting with the radio transmission, as a radio direction finder. I can tune the R800 to the unit that I have assigned a radio transmission, the 828 unit will only tune to NDB's. The mission I am working on actually uses the Tarawa, with a UK Black Shark! Why you may ask am I using the Tarawa? It's because I can only take off three helicopter's from the Kutznetzov, so I loose a wingman? Anyway, regarding the radio as RDF. I find that I loose the station after I have tuned to my wingmen. When I try to re acquire the RDF transmission, I find it's disappeared? To clarify what I'm doing, I have assigned the RDF radio to a "rescue" helicopter, transmitting a looped message on 255 am at 50w. The rescue helo is flying alongside the Tarawa! Ultimately this really is not necessary, since I learnt yesterday, that you can request azimuth bearings from your carrier. The ATC then replies with the azimuth and the RDF needle on the HSI briefly moves to the bearing. I live and learn! Thank you for your replies. I enjoy the Black Shark, as you may guess! Cheers. Spasiba!

OK I tried a radio transmission from a helo that flew alongside the Tarawa. Set it's frequency to 255 FM. Then got it to playback a looped wav sound. This worked for a short while. When I used the radio to contact wingmen, or the ship, the frequency changed. Upon dialling back to 255 I couldn't get the wav sound or the direction finder to operate. Now here's an interesting thing I found. If I contacted the Tarawa or the Stennis and requested azimuth to land, the RDF/NDB needle on the HSI rotated to the bearing given by the ship's ATC. Then after a couple of seconds the pointer returned to its reading position at 12 o clock on the dial. So you can request an azimuth bearing to your carrier. My guess is this would work with any aircraft with a working radio to call ATC. Cheers The moving zone sounds interesting. Worth a try.

Haven't tried that. There's a menu item in the ATC for directions. It should work but I wonder if ED has done it for moving ships? The radio tx as a direction finder is a good idea. I have forgot how to set it up, but tried it a few years ago. What I did was take off (I'm using the Tarawa in a UK skin Black Shark) fly the mission. Then on the ABRIS I saw my take off position marked as a TACAN symbol? So I flew to the symbol. I then flew on the original course of the fleet. They had steamed on their original course, at 11 Knots, so I found them quite easily. We have a satellite nav system linked to the ABRIS and can see our wingmen on the map, it's realistic to think the fleets satellite position could be shown? It looks like the ABRIS marked the take off position (actually it had a "tkr" notation under the TACAN symbol?) so I will experiment further. Thanks again for the replies. Using the Shark at sea is interesting! Cheers.

I am experimenting with the Ka-50 and seaborne assault. Does anyone know how I can set up a TACAN or NDB, or some sort of homing beacon on either the Tarawa, Stennis or Kuznetzov? At the moment, whilst you can launch from the Tarawa/Stennis/Kuznetzov in a Black Shark, you need dead reckoning to re locate your carrier. Unless the new Super carrier has some editable homing beacons? But in the Ka-50 we only have our NDB, ARK-22, which we must tune. There's a Man portable TACAN TTS 3030 in the AI under Fortifications. This can not be placed on a ship and I'm unsure ED has actively coded it yet? Cheers

This would be great. I am experimenting with the Ka-50 and seaborne assault. Does anyone know how I can set up a TACAN or NDB, or some sort of homing beacon on either the Tarawa or Kuznetzov? At the moment, whilst you can launch from the Tarawa/Stennis/Kuznetzov in a Black Shark, you need dead reckoning to re locate your carrier. Cheers

Thanks. So we are using a cheat radio in fact, when we use \ easy Comms radio. The thing I noticed was that, when trying to use the "real Comms", there is no way to adjust the radio frequencies from inside the cockpit. I gather these are pre set by the technicians on the ground? When trying to enter frequencies from the mission planner radio frequency editor, I am unable to re tune them. I know the range is limited to 59.9, which must be a Russian Air force limitation? I am enjoying the Black Sharks new cockpit and those rain effects are superb! Put rain at 8 and go from 100 knots to hover. There is a waterfall of rain on your canopy... superb! Now ED needs to make the wiper clear the rain! Cheers.

Thanks. Ive tried every setting. Take off from runway Takeoff from ramp takeoff from parking hot takeoff from ground takeoff from ground hot These are all I have available. Every single time I am flying above the carrier, going aft of it? My DCS version is 2.5.6 release. We must have different versions. Or there's something wrong with mine? I'm baffled! EDIT!! GOT IT! I was using the CV 1143.5 Admiral Kuznetzov(2017) and this carrier version wont allow take offs! When I used CV 1143.5 Admiral Kuznetzov, this version works perfectly! My mistake, sorry. Why I didn't see two Kuznetzovs before I don't know? Anyway that's what was wrong. Many thanks again. Best regards

How do you set the take off position in mission editor? The selection of "Start from runway" etc...which one do you use? I tried them all and my Black Shark is always flying above the carrier as if I selected an air start? I am still using the original version. Haven't got the super carrier one yet. Cheers.

Dear ED, can you please make it possible to take off from the Kuznetzov? I can land and also land my entire flight of Ka-50's on the deck, but can not assign a take off! So the deck is solid, there must be a line of code you could put in? Thanks.

Yep, it's a bug hunt! I'm on easy Comms and that sorts it, for now. I tried amending the radio freqs in the mission planner. I can't seem to alter them by editing. What I like to do is see if I can drop the Black Shark into missions that are designed for other modules. Those, like Baltic Dragons, generally require specific freqs to talk to other assets. Still, the data link in the Ka-50 is a really good feature! Speaking of features, if you put rainy weather in the mission, when you slow to a hover the effects are superb. I am seeing a waterfall of water, assisted by the rotor downwash. I've never seen rain effects that good! I would just ask ED to make the wiper clear the screen, then it would be perfect!

Yes, exactly! That's why I got very confused. I had access to the flight upon take off, got them in formation, then lost the radio menu? So my solution (eventually after much head scratching and trial and error) was to select "easy Comms" from options menu. I seem to recall that you can't adjust the freqs in the KA-50, so you need to use easy Comms. Anyway, it works with easy Comms. Thanks for the PTT info, I recall using that in the past. Cheers.

Thanks. I was using the UK skin. The mission I made originally used the Harrier from the Tarawa. I substituted the Harrier (UK skin, UK side) for the Black Shark. No joy with starting from the Tarawa, each selection automatically jumped to the nearest airfield. I'll try a US skin. But I would have thought any "blue" (allied) unit should be able to use a blue asset carrier. My next project is to do a red side mission. So should be able to use a Russian skin, Red side, from the Kutznetzov? Ha! Yes copy the A.I. "intelligence". Funnily enough, I played the mission through several times tonight and the AI did as they were told 75% of the time. The recce and "attack data link target" is a powerful feature. When it works it's very good. The choice of target, targets and targets of same type is a bit confusing, but "targets" seems the best option. Anyway, the new HD cockpit is superb and has revitalised my interest in the Shark. I'd forgot how to sneak about the battlefield, between trees and buildings. When it first came out, DCS had trees you could shoot through....not any more! Cheers.

I am attempting to fly a mission with 3 wing men. After take off I order a spread formation. All wing men comply. The radio menu is then unavailable. The # key or the \ key does not work and radio menu is no longer available? Anyone know what's wrong? Thanks

Hi DCS 2.5.6 release. During training mission "Data Link and Wingmen", the ABRIS Map locked up at full zoom looking at the data link targets on the disused strip. After about 5 minutes the lock up cleared. Don't know what happened, but just thought Id mention it. Data Linked targets were not always attacked by radio command. I had to use the general order to attack targets of opportunity. The AI was a bit lazy! They would report running in, then peel away and go for a jaunt about before re running in? A.I issue? Anyway eventually they all obeyed orders and did their stuff. Had DCS since it began, so know the Black Shark and A10 well. Really like the new Shark cockpit!!! Great job! If you can fly the Shark well and the wingmen obey orders, this is a heck of a module! You could take out a division of tanks with these weapons...really impressive! Please can you make the Tarawa available for the Black Shark to take off from. Unless someone knows a way of doing this? Thanks

Thanks! Got it Cheers

Hi, I am wanting to place a ogg mission sound file into a home made mission. I cant find the ogg file. Its the ogg sound file "ending mission" from the M2kCampaign. Anyone know where the ogg sound is located? Cheers

Thanks I see what's changed. The extra "sound" folder was not needed in 2.5.6. I removed it and have the recorded pilot and wingman waves back. Cheers.

Thanks Baltic. I have made some missions, some adapted from your DCS M2k Caucuses Campaign. I see there are "Bugs" in these. They worked fine in 2.5.5. The scripted radio calls now seem out of synch? Speaking of radio. I re recorded all the radio files using my own voice and re did a separate package in German. I can not get these to work at all!! About a weeks work lost and ( for me) some realism too! Thanks for the reply. I know how good Red Flag is. Good luck with bug squashing! Best Regards.

Now running 2.5.6 release. Mission 15 is unplayable. There is no contact with Bruiser. No radio message to contact him, no menu item in F10. Briefing says to check in with Bruiser prior to contacting Moonbeam. I am missing that trigger. Tuning to Moonbeam and requesting lazing produces no lazing? Although JTAC responds but doesn't laze anything. LGB just fall as dumb bombs. Wingman is useless. Order him to attack Air Defences and he refuses? There are 4 ZSU's, initial load is three LGB's? Re loading with four is no use anyway since there's no JTAC lazing going on. This is worse than in 2.5.5. I see Berger ignores oncoming F5's? Rest of flights just orbit the target? Eventally JTAC lazed the ZSU's and I got 3 I then used cannon on rail cars, but still failed mission. Unless I'm very wrong this mission cant be completed as it stands. If I could edit it I would use CTLD JTAC. The DCS JTAC is still flaky! Sorry to moan, but I did complete the Red Flag 18 months ago, so I know it did work once. Cheers.

Hello Dmitry, I can not get my sound files to play as in 2.5.5. I only get the standard DCS American voices? My paths are; C:\Users\herky\P3dv4\Saved Games\DCS\Sounds\Speech\Sound\ENG\Common\Player and C:\Users\herky\P3dv4\Saved Games\DCS\Sounds\Speech\Sound\ENG\Common\Wingman\1 There must be something I'm not doing?