Data Link - Where does it come from?

[Pavlin_33]

This reminds me a bit of that South Park episode when they tried to turn off the internet, but please bare with me.
Where does the DL for fighters like JF-17, F-16, Su-27 come from in DCS?

The reason why I am asking is that I have seen people hide in the mountains away from the EM radiation, like EWR, AWACS and other airborne radars and yet they are able to get other targets on their DL. It seems that everything is blocked by terrain, but then where are the DL emissions coming from?

[Ramsay]

51 minutes ago, Pavlin_33 said:

Where does the DL for fighters like JF-17, F-16, Su-27 come from in DCS?

AFAIK DCS's DL is modelled as a one hop radio link from other fighters (F-16, F-15, etc.) and/or AWACS (E3/E2).

IIRC
• the DCS DL has a range of ~120 NM (not sure if modelling sat. radios will change this) - IRL intermediate aircraft can "relay" DL packets to/from  distant aircraft.
• the E3 is also modelled as a Network hub sharing SADL data to/from A-10C
• the JF-17 receives data from the E3 and/or other JF-17's but not directly from other L16 aircraft
• DCS's BLUFOR/Nato has no ground/sea based EWR/SAM datalink sources. 

For the FC3 Su-27
• SP: shows everything detected by AWACS, EWR and your AI flight (up to 3 wingmen).
• MP: only AWACS and EWR provide a DL

Note: I've spent a limited time in the JF-17 and almost none in the Su-27

Edited April 25, 2023 by Ramsay

[draconus]

19 hours ago, Ramsay said:

DCS's BLUFOR/Nato has no ground/sea based EWR/SAM datalink sources

They surely have: all Tico's and CV/CVNs can be set as DL source. I'm not sure about that ground EWR they got in recent years. I'm certain redfor has GCI (EWR) DL.

@Pavlin_33Have you tested it or it's your assumption? They still might have temporary LOS to their AWACS while you have no LOS to the enemy.

If you can reproduce it, save the track and report a bug.

[Pavlin_33]

43 minutes ago, draconus said:

They surely have: all Tico's and CV/CVNs can be set as DL source. I'm not sure about that ground EWR they got in recent years. I'm certain redfor has GCI (EWR) DL.

@Pavlin_33Have you tested it or it's your assumption? They still might have temporary LOS to their AWACS while you have no LOS to the enemy.

If you can reproduce it, save the track and report a bug.

I am not 100% sure, no. It seemed that they are in deep EM shadow away from every possible detection and yet able to receive the target data, but I cannot guarantee it.