bies

Thanks for the light grey fighter Eagle! I've seen in FAQ the F-15C will be mid-2000s MSIP II covering 2005+ timeframe. Please make also late Cold War/Desert Storm original 1985-2004 MISP II - either as separate variant or at least as selectable tick in editor - removing Link-16, JHMCS, GPS-nav, AIM-9X, few APG-63v(1) functions. To fit Iraq map Desert Storm and Fulda Gap divided Germany map as we already have all the proper era enviromet, and AI air/ground/sea assets from late Cold War. And both sides, NATO and Soviets/WarPac flayable modules. And as it was the most important part of F-15C career. To be a counterpart for 1980s MiG-29 9.12 Fulcrum and all other late Cold War DCS modules like Tornado IDS, A-6 Intruder, A-7 Corsair, Su-17M, MiG-21bis, Mirage F.1, F-14 Tomcat, Mi-24 Hind, Gazelle L, Viggen, Bo-105, Kfir, L-39, FC3 Su-27S, A-10A, Su-25A etc. Already in 1985 F-15C MSIP II received Programmable Armament Control Set (PACS), Multi-Purpose Color Display (MPCD), AN-ALR-56C RWR, AN/ALE-45 Chaff/Flare Dispenser, TWS radar mode, Non-Cooperative Target Recognition (NCTR), AIM-120 integration and wiring, new F-15 Advanced Control Stick Grip (ACSG) etc., cockpit already looks the same as mid-2000s, so adding this variant would be relatively easy, just removing few newer things. And it would significantly improve the value of the whole module, adding 2 decades (!) of real life scenarios and F-15C service to play with, from 1985 late Cold War, through 1991 Gulf War, 1994 Balkan War, 1999 Allied Force up to early 2000s. cheers!

AIM-120 was during final evaluation between 1988-1991, USAF didn't use it in combat during Desert Storm, even though they sent them to Iraq. But it doen't matter - it would use AIM-120 or not per mission/campaign creator choice. What matters is Link-16, JHMCS, APG-63v(1) as those may or may not be possible to disable by mission creator to make it suitable for late Cold War/Desert Storm.

I hope they make both variants; original MISPII from late 1980s/Desert Storm, given the plethora of late cold war modules including MiG-29 9.12, Tornado IDS, F-14, A-6, A-7, Su-17, Mi-24 and many more. And maps like Iraq for 1991 Desert Storm and late Cold War Fulda Gap. When the Eagle was the ultimete apex predator. and mid-2000s more modern variant (if sufficiently declassified) F-15C with Link-16, JHMCS etc. to fit our Hornet and Viper. But if only one would be possible i would obvioulsy prefer originial 1980s/Desert Storm MSIP II.

Not really - current modules like Hornet, Viper, Apache etc. are in big part declassified, with manuals in public, hundreds of real life pilots verifying many things. They were too moden, but acceptably realistic.

F-35 with publicly available information only, will be difficult to model with such limited data. Su-30 has even way LESS publicly available information about its avionics, sensors, weapon systems and workflows then the F-35 and it would be just WT/MOD level abomination.

I absolutely love the full fidelity F-15C, but when it comes to the F-35 so many questions come to mind: No DCS module used AESA radar before No DCS module used stealth before Real F-35 avionics alghoritms, EW, sensors integration, weapon systems, radar modes, all the software etc. has probably more lines of code then whole DCS (!) - how to code such thing, even assuming access to full documentation? It's cutting edge technology and one of NATO's trum cards just barely starting to enter service - let's be honest, it's just strictly classified... Maybe ED has received contract from the military, as 1100 F-35 has already been produced, to make a training tool for the USAF/NATO and they came to conclusion they can make it to the commercial public DCS is some shape or form? Or maybe it's better to wait for ED's take on the F-35 before speculating too much.

Thanks ED! Many have been waiting for this classic for a long time. I hope they make both variants; original MISPII from late 1980s/Desert Storm, given the plethora of late cold war modules including MiG-29 9.12, Tornado IDS, F-14, A-6, A-7, Su-17, Mi-24 and many more. And maps like Iraq for 1991 Desert Storm and late Cold War Fulda Gap. When the Eagle was the ultimete apex predator. And mid-2000s more modern variant (if sufficiently declassified) F-15C with Link-16, JHMCS etc. to fit our Hornet, Viper etc. Personally i'm hyped. What do you thing about the light-grey fighter Eagle?

It's on a final.

During Cold War REFORGER for USAF in high-alert scenarios it was 2-3 minutes for tactical aircrafts. Able Archer 1983 it was 2-3 minutes for tactical aircrafts as well.

Together with Dynamic Campaign i expect "Repair" to dissapear completely as it's grotesquely unrealistic. You either takeoff in you slightly damaged airframe again, if you are forced to and the damage is minor - or you jump in a new airframe available. Not wait some magical ~100 or so seconds (!) for the ground crew to replace your wing, one engine, a canopy, plus patch few dozens of holes in your fuselage... It's world of warplanes/WT-esque nonsense. There is a separate "godlike" mode like infinite ammo, no damage, unlimited fuel, instant repairs etc. sometimes usefull for training or just playing aroung for fun. For Dynamin Campaign damaging the enemy, not only shooting down, will be very important mechanics with realistic reasonable repair times like in all simulators of old which had Dynamic Campaigns.

Our "relatively modern" DCS modules like Hornet, Viper, Apache, Chinook etc. are modeled as 20 years old ~2005-2007 year standard. Why should ED make future map when we will never have any enviroment supporting such timefram? And even if someone would make year 2025 Patriot or S-400 or F-35 or Su-35 - it would be a totally unrealistic fiction, lacking 90% of real life capabilities. Most of DCS maps are already too modern timeframe-mismatch with DCS flayable modules and AI assets. E.g. 2008 Russia-Georgia War map, with U.S. contingent protecting Georgia, would be perfect for our most modern Hornet, Viper, Apache, Chinook modules.

ssstwitter.com_1736795372142.mp4

True. When it comes to number produced: MiG-21F-13 - fourth most produced variant, relevant in the same wars as PFM, Vietnam War, Six-Day War, War of Attrition, Indo-Pakistani Wars, Yom Kippur War. By far the lightest and the most maneuverable MiG-21 variant, good visibility bubble canopy, internal guns, entered service 1960 F-13 didn't lag far behind the best light fighters of the era like F-104, Mirage III, J-35 Draken. No radar, just radio rangefinder. MiG-21PF - third most produced, not as relevant as -PFM though stil used in many wars, introduced in 1961, it didn't have internal gun or gunpod. First with radar. MiG-21PFM - secund most produced, the most relevant in real conflicts including Vietnam, Six-Day War, War of Attrition, Yom Kippur War, Indo-Pakistani Wars, Iraq-Iran War and many more. No gun, just a gunpod like F-4D. Still a potent fighter when entered service in 1964. MiG-21bis - the most produced, relevant in Soviet-Afgan War, Iraq-Iran War, Angola Civil War, Ethiopia-Somali War, Gulf War, Yugoslav War, Libya-Chad War. Already a bit outdated when introduced in 1972. Though number of specific variant produced differ from source to source, plus license production in different countries etc.

Most definitely past conflicts. All DCS modules are modeled as historical. Even our relatively recent Viper, Apache, Chinook, Hornet are ~2007 standard variants of deep Cold War machines. It would be great to have maps like 1950s Korea, 1960s Vietnam, 1970s Middle East, 1980s Iraq or Fulda etc. We don't have and will never have even remotely realistic "modern day" assets, aircrafts, systems, sensors etc. in DCS because they are strictly classified. It would be total fiction or some completely assymetrical scenarios. "Modern Day" maps lack realism, purpose, atmosphere and completely lack proper timeframe enviroment and assets.

This is legitimate concern, though still it's equally (un)realistic to mount FCR with rotor turning as to replace/repair the whole airftame, without a wing and dozens of holes everywhere, in a minute. But it will all be WAY more important with Dynamic Campaig when repair times will be significant part of the whole campaign.

MiG-29 9.12 didn't have internal ECM. 9.13 had Gardenia ECM but it was considered useless by the Soviet military and in practice it was replaced by additional fuel tank.

FC3-like simplified F-15C would be pointless and zero revenue for the developer. But just like full fidelity MiG-29 9.12 - full fidelity either 1980s/Desert Storm F-15C MISPII, especially now with so many 1980s era modules coming to DCS and Iraq map or mid-2000s F-15C with JHMCS, Link 16, AESA APG-63(V)2 radar as mid-2000s F-16 and F/A-18 we have - would be great. Or maybe both.

Great update. Thanks and Happy New Year!

Both AMRAAM and R-27ER/ET were already integrated and used on F-15C MISPII and Su-27P/S it late 1980s and both would be used in all out conflict, but only in the very late 1980s, 2-3 years before USSR collapse. But in typical mid-1980s DCS enviroment both R-27ER and AIM-120A would be absent/fictional. First test flights: AMRAAM 1981 - R-27ER 1982. First test firings: AMRAAM 1982 - R-27ER 1983. First full integration with fighters: AMRAAM 1984 - R-27ER 1984. Full evaluation program: AMRAAM 1987 - R-27ER 1985. First delivery to the military and combat units: AMRAAM 1989 - R-27ER 1987. Production scale untill the end of 1991: AMRAAM ~3000 - R-27ER ~4000.

That's true. Both AIM-120A AMRAAM and R-27ER/ET were tested in evaluation programs since 1988 in very small test batches, but both AMRAAM and R-27ER/ET entered service only in late 1991. After the Desert storm and Cold War ended. In 1980s scenarios AIM-120A and R-27ER/ET would be a fiction.

Original Soviet Su-27S from late 1980s is impossible to model right now. Maybe some time in the future? Only time will tell. Su-30 or Su-34 are absolutely beyound any reach for DCS, even in the future. Except for amateur-made MODs with fictional avionics, flight model, systems, weapons etc. - made just for fun.

Gazelle or Viggen-like real time periscope implementatnion should be a global API, to be used by all ED and 3rd parties.

Why even considering F-2 when there is no enviroment for it? Better chose some aircraft actually fitting what already is in DCS.

1) F-15 MSIP II with all technology used in 1991 Gulf War (NCTR, MFD, TWS, AMRAAM integration, MIL-STD-1553, ALR-56C etc.), entered combat units in 1985. 2) Very fIrst Su-27SM started to enter service in 2004-2005. 20 yers later. With very limited numbers. Up to 2010 only 55-60 airframes have been modernized. 3) F-15C fleet started to receive significant upgrades (Link 16, GPS nav, JHMCS, AESA radars etc.) only in mid 2000s. (saving F-22 program against post-Cold War reduction was eating up all the resources for F-15 modernization) 4) R-77 officially entered service in Russian Air Forece only in 2015. Before that Russians just tested different prototypes and produced limited numbers for export to India and China. Overall, the 1990s were a relatively stagnant period for military aviation. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the emergence of a much smaller Russia led to massive reductions in military capabilities, number of aircrafs, active airfields and spending in Russia. Meanwhile, the United States, lacking a symmetrical opponent after the end of the Cold War, also scaled back its defense financing.