CVN Question

[Destroyer37]

Assuming with the release of the F-14 and/or the F/A-18 that we get an updated CVN can we also expect to have precision instrument approach capabilities associated with that said CVN? Such as the ICLS, LLS, PAR, and will we also have a FLOLS, IFOLS, or the MOVLAS?

[Cobra847]

Assuming with the release of the F-14 and/or the F/A-18 that we get an updated CVN can we also expect to have precision instrument approach capabilities associated with that said CVN? Such as the ICLS, LLS, PAR, and will we also have a FLOLS, IFOLS, or the MOVLAS?

 

Short answer, yep.

[Destroyer37]

Thanks for the quick reply Cobra. Keep the dream alive!

[AG-51_Razor]

Cobra,

 

Is the new or reworked CVN coming out of your shop or is ED going to be responsible for it? A second question would be, how much of this new carrier ops environment depends on ED's DCS World 2?? It seems as though many new projects are being held up or are waiting on features coming out of DCS W2. I'm not complaining mind you, just curious.

 

Regardless, my short comment to your short answer is, "THAT'S FREAKING AWESOME!!!!" :pilotfly:

[CheckGear]

I hope, like Fleet Defender, we have access to different classes of carriers; Forrestal, Kitty Hawk, Enterprise, John F. Kennedy, Nimitz.

[BlackLion213]

I hope, like Fleet Defender, we have access to different classes of carriers; Forrestal, Kitty Hawk, Enterprise, John F. Kennedy, Nimitz.

 

+1 !!

 

It will be interesting to see how hard it is to change the exterior appearance of the carrier to match different classes or individual ships.

 

I imagine that the CVs/CVNs will be highly detailed 3D models since players will spend plenty of time up close and personal during flight ops.

 

That said, the basic code would probably be really similar for each carrier since the catapults, arresting gear, ILS, and IFLOLS/FLOLS was pretty much the same on every ship across the fleet (era/time frame dependent of course). So changing exterior features might be doable without a ton of work (I hope!).

 

Adding different carriers would be a great way to augment future payware campaigns. It would make the campaigns a bit more expensive, but much more worthwhile. You could buy a unique campaign for the Tomcat or Hornet, such as a Strait of Hormuz based Tomcat campaign, that also has a unique carrier model (such as Enterprise or Ranger) or a few other unique surface units. It both improves the campaign experience/immersion and gives new units that the player can use for other custom missions. I think that would really improve the interest.

 

I would find myself buying a lot more campaigns if many of them had a unique carrier with appropriate skins for the era and operations. If the going rate for most DLC campaigns is ~$10, I would pay 2-3x more for ones with extras like that.

 

I have a feeling that LNS is already thinking about this. ;)

 

Not to mention new theaters for their existing modules in the future.

 

-Nick

[Wizard_03]

My question is will we have new and or updated AI units included with and for the carrier ops such as SH-60s, E-2s, S-3s, A-6s, C-2s A-7s ect. I assume so, but we all know what assuming does. ;)

Edited July 11, 2015 by Wizard_03

[CheckGear]

In addition to historical accuracy in the carriers (such as not having the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower patrolling the Sea of Japan), I'd also love to see historical air wings. For example, the year I was born, the USS Enterprise embarked on an epic world cruise carrying:

 

Carrier Wing Eleven (CVW-11) (NH)

VF-114 “Aardvarks” (F-14A Tomcat)

VF-213 “Black Lions” (F-14A Tomcat)

VA-22 “Fighting Redcocks” (A-7E Corsair II)

VA-94 “Shrikes” (A-7E Corsair II)

VA-95 “Green Lizards” (A-6E/KA-6D Intruder)

VAQ-133 “Wizards” (EA-6B Prowler)

VAQ-117 “Wallbangers” (E-2C Hawkeye)

VS-21 “Redtails” (S-3A Viking)

HS-6 “Indians” (SH-3H Sea King)

VQ-1 Det. “World Watchers” (EA-3B Skywarrior)

 

I'd also like to see what I refer to as "The Ultimate Air Wing," which was also the very last one to operationally employ the Tomcat, which had not one, but TWO F-14D squadrons, in addition to two F/A-18C squadrons. This was the first time in almost ten years a carrier had deployed with two Tomcat squadrons. They did it on its last deployment and it was the best model of the F-14.

[BlackLion213]

In addition to historical accuracy in the carriers (such as not having the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower patrolling the Sea of Japan), I'd also love to see historical air wings. For example, the year I was born, the USS Enterprise embarked on an epic world cruise carrying:

 

Carrier Wing Eleven (CVW-11) (NH)

VF-114 “Aardvarks” (F-14A Tomcat)

VF-213 “Black Lions” (F-14A Tomcat)

VA-22 “Fighting Redcocks” (A-7E Corsair II)

VA-94 “Shrikes” (A-7E Corsair II)

VA-95 “Green Lizards” (A-6E/KA-6D Intruder)

VAQ-133 “Wizards” (EA-6B Prowler)

VAQ-117 “Wallbangers” (E-2C Hawkeye)

VS-21 “Redtails” (S-3A Viking)

HS-6 “Indians” (SH-3H Sea King)

VQ-1 Det. “World Watchers” (EA-3B Skywarrior)

 

I'd also like to see what I refer to as "The Ultimate Air Wing," which was also the very last one to operationally employ the Tomcat, which had not one, but TWO F-14D squadrons, in addition to two F/A-18C squadrons. This was the first time in almost ten years a carrier had deployed with two Tomcat squadrons. They did it on its last deployment and it was the best model of the F-14.

 

Yes! That was a great cruise. In fact, my avatar is NH211 of VF-213 during that cruise. Here is the larger version:

 

 

Group picture of VF-213 from the cruise:

 

 

Departing Subic bay:

 

 

NH105 shortly after the cruise:

 

 

VA-94

 

 

I'd love to see that cruise recreated in DCS, but it involved a lot of theaters including the Pacific/Philippines, Mediterranean/Libya, Indian ocean, etc. Of course, you could do a solid campaign with a touch of "what if/still classified" with a Libyan coast map and the Blue Water ops map that I mentioned. :thumbup:

 

-Nick

[CheckGear]

Yes! That was a great cruise. In fact, my avatar is NH211 of VF-213 during that cruise. Here is the larger version:

 

 

Group picture of VF-213 from the cruise:

 

 

Departing Subic bay:

 

 

NH105 shortly after the cruise:

 

 

VA-94

 

 

I'd love to see that cruise recreated in DCS, but it involved a lot of theaters including the Pacific/Philippines, Mediterranean/Libya, Indian ocean, etc. Of course, you could do a solid campaign with a touch of "what if/still classified" with a Libyan coast map and the Blue Water ops map that I mentioned. :thumbup:

 

-Nick

 

The Enterprise/CVW-11/Battle Group Foxtrot team had some epic times in the '80s! They even made a big-screen appearance! :pilotfly:

 

I've come up with some ideas for a "major contingency" scenario based on that cruise. One idea I had is that the Tanker War in the Persian Gulf takes an ominous turn when an increasingly desperate Iran closes the Strait of Hormuz in an attempt to choke off Iraq economically and foil their war effort in the middle of 1986. In the second half of its deployment, the Enterprise and Battle Group Foxtrot are re-directed back to the North Arabian Sea and stand by for orders.

 

Another idea is that in its very last month of its 1986 world cruise, World War III breaks out. Currently at Pearl Harbor, the Enterprise battle group is diverted north just outside the Sea of Okhotsk to provide air cover and naval support to Japan, as well as be prepared to launch long-range strikes against North Korea, should Kim Il-sung choose to exploit the situation in Europe. Meanwhile, the USS Carl Vinson and Ranger battle groups, accompanied by the New Jersey group, are surged to relieve Enterprise. Can the "Big E" hold the line long enough before reinforcements arrive?

 

Everyone seems to have their own "World War III in the '80s" scenario; mine takes place in 1986. The opportunities are endless with the multitude of air wings and carriers that have existed over the years!

Edited July 12, 2015 by CheckGear

[BlackLion213]

The Enterprise/CVW-11/Battle Group Foxtrot team had some epic times in the '80s! They even made a big-screen appearance! :pilotfly:

 

Everyone seems to have their own "World War III in the '80s" scenario; mine takes place in 1986. The opportunities are endless with the multitude of air wings and carriers that have existed over the years!

 

Yes, Big E had several screen appearances, namely all the carrier scenes in "TopGun" and the carrier scenes in "The Hunt for Red October" - another favorite of mine. That's NH210 of the Black Lions that launches while the Ship CO and Jack Ryan are talking.

 

I think you preference for 1986 may be more than just the fact that it is your birthday. My Avatar is from the 1986 cruise and that is no coincidence. 1986 was the ideal time frame for Tomcat scenarios IMHO. The F-14A was pretty optimized having entered the fleet 12 years ago, received the TCS, and the engines were as good as they were going to get prior to introducing the F110s.

 

The Soviet Union was still a real threat and the next gen Soviet aircraft were just entering service (MiG-29 and Su-27). As you creep closer to 1990, the Soviet threat starts to diminish, and the classic Soviet threat starts to wane.

 

I also agree that CVN-65, BG Foxtrot, and CVW-11 were the place to be in the 1980s. One Tomcat pilot called CVW-11 "The San Francisco 49ers on the 1980s - everyone wanted to go there!" (magazine article published around the time of the Tomcat Sunset). Plus, the 1986 World Cruise was a classic USN adventure with lots of events. There is the action off Libya that is still classified, transiting the Suez canal, VF-213 lost NH205 on a long-range TARPs mission for which there is no info that I can find, and a ton of classic Soviet intercepts.

 

The 1986 cruise is my favorite followed closely by the 1988 cruise with Praying Mantis. We are lucky that the Strait of Hormuz is coming. Enterprise spent plenty of time in the Arabian Sea during both cruises, not to mention their real operations in 1988.

 

BTW, I love your scenarios. They all sound both plausible and awesome. This module and the new maps will open up SO MANY amazing scenarios. If Razbam gets the A-7E out the door, things will get even better!

 

Plus, Enterprise was a special ship - arguably the most interesting of all the carriers. I spend much of my work time in Alameda, CA - former home of CVN-65. If you talk to former Navy types, there are tons of stories and it occupies a special place. Everyone says it was the cleanest/best maintained of the West Coast carriers. Also, there are still rumors that it was the fastest ship in the fleet - rumored to have passed 50 kts during sea trials (just a rumor - true top speed never confirmed) due to it's excessive number of reactors - it was way overpowered. Certainly, it could always leave it's escorts in the dust if it wanted (Nimitz class carriers could do this too BTW).

 

Its also an elegant ship, even if the differences compared to the Nimitz class are subtle in pictures.

 

 

-Nick

[CheckGear]

I think you preference for 1986 may be more than just the fact that it is your birthday. My Avatar is from the 1986 cruise and that is no coincidence. 1986 was the ideal time frame for Tomcat scenarios IMHO. The F-14A was pretty optimized having entered the fleet 12 years ago, received the TCS, and the engines were as good as they were going to get prior to introducing the F110s.

 

The Soviet Union was still a real threat and the next gen Soviet aircraft were just entering service (MiG-29 and Su-27). As you creep closer to 1990, the Soviet threat starts to diminish, and the classic Soviet threat starts to wane.

 

I see an awful lot of World War III scenarios that take place in the late-'80s, some as recent as 1990. The truth of the matter is, the USSR had feet of clay and that clay had completely cracked by 1987. It started cracking in the early 1980s, especially after Leonid Brezhnev passed. The "prime time" for the USSR to have threatened and defeated NATO was probably some time between 1975 - 1985, with its best window of opportunity coming sometime between 1977 - 1983. Beyond even 1983, the USSR had begun to fall apart so badly that I think, despite peaking in terms of raw strength, numbers, and advancement, it was essentially incapable of executing any sort of military action, let alone maintain domestic order. It was just a white elephant by that point.

 

Long story short, I see 1986 as the "last gasp" for the Soviet Union. Even by then, they may not have been able to do pull off a successful operation of any sort, but past 1986, the USSR was cooked.

 

I also agree that CVN-65, BG Foxtrot, and CVW-11 were the place to be in the 1980s. One Tomcat pilot called CVW-11 "The San Francisco 49ers on the 1980s - everyone wanted to go there!" (magazine article published around the time of the Tomcat Sunset). Plus, the 1986 World Cruise was a classic USN adventure with lots of events. There is the action off Libya that is still classified, transiting the Suez canal, VF-213 lost NH205 on a long-range TARPs mission for which there is no info that I can find, and a ton of classic Soviet intercepts.

 

The 1986 cruise is my favorite followed closely by the 1988 cruise with Praying Mantis. We are lucky that the Strait of Hormuz is coming. Enterprise spent plenty of time in the Arabian Sea during both cruises, not to mention their real operations in 1988.

 

Interesting anecdotes! "San Francisco '49ers of the 1980s," what an analogy!

 

To be fair, though, there were plenty of epic deployment all throughout the decade. If we go back a bit, there was the September 1979 - May 1980 USS Nimitz deployment that saw them participate in Operation Eagle Claw. Then there were the deployments of Constellation and Ranger in 1987 during Earnest Will that nearly saw the two carriers, along with the battleship Missouri, be used in a scheme by Admiral "Ace" Lyons to incite a war with Iran. I also liked the deployment of the Carl Vinson in 1986 and 1988, as two of my favorite squadrons were VF-51 and VF-111.

 

BTW, I love your scenarios. They all sound both plausible and awesome. This module and the new maps will open up SO MANY amazing scenarios. If Razbam gets the A-7E out the door, things will get even better!

 

Thanks. I always try to keep my scenarios historically grounded. The possibilities are definitely endless.

Edited July 13, 2015 by CheckGear

[Django]

Re carrier landing and simulation, I'm very new to naval aviation in flightsim so some of my questions may be a bit over the top, anyway saw this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lp0-TgQb3lI

So I have some questions about carrier operations being simulated:

Q1) What dynamical movement of the carrier is modeled i.e. pitch, role, heave (for pitching deck landings)?

Q2) Is FLOLS simulated for true line stabilisation?

Q3) Does the FLOLS simulation compensate for landing deck offset?

Q4) Does the FLOLS simulation take into account eye to tailhook variations between different aircraft?

Q5) Is the arresting cable modeled to any degree or is a successful trap predetermined geometrically?

Q6) Will the simulation include fowl deck scenarios?

Q7) Is there an LSO-like waveoff feature with flashing warning lights e.g. for significantly below glideslope close to the carrier?

Q8 Will FLOLS system failures be modeled i.e. loss of tracking and waveoff?

Q9) Will the FLOLS lights be placed at a realistic position on the carrier i.e. Fresnel lense depth of field effect modeled?

 

Forgive me if this is not the right thread as I'm not certain to what extent the DCS World core code determines what carrier operations can be modeled.

Edited July 18, 2015 by Django