IRL - Dispersed Airfields with the F-16?

[percivaldanvers]

So this is a question about the real life Viper that relates to making realistic missions for it, so I'm hoping it's not inappropriate to ask here. With cruise missiles increasing in their capability to strike airbases, questions arise as to the potential usefulness of the F-16 in a warzone where it might have to operate from a highway strip or other dispersed location. I'm wondering how true this is. I know many countries chose to the Hornet or the Gripen specifically for their ability to cope with this kind of environment, and I know the F-16 is supposedly very sensitive to FOD. That said I've also seen footage of the Singapore AF carrying out drills for using the F-16 in a dispersed setting, and I know F-16s practice Highway takeoff and landing on the Autobahn during the cold war.

So if I'm making a mission, is it realistic to make one with the Viper operating out of a road strip in a scenario where the air base has been taken out of action? 

Edited August 16, 2023 by percivaldanvers

[Lt.Turbo]

Here's a fact sheet about the Singapore exercise.

https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/mindef/news-and-events/latest-releases/article-detail/2016/november/13nov16_fs

And here's information about the West German exercise in 1984.

https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/ahlhorn-highway-strip.htm

Based on these I'd say there's sufficient evidence of the possibility of a F-16 road base.

Edited August 18, 2023 by Lt.Turbo

[cfrag]

6 hours ago, Lt.Turbo said:

Based on these I'd say there's sufficient evidence of the possibility of a F-16 road base.

There definitely is, and I find it a great inspiration to wathc these (living in Switzerland, I know that some roads here are prepared for the Hornet and Tiger to be used that way). Even if not, in dire situations, I'm sure that some strategically savvy air force (maybe even navy, who knows, except they have no Falcons) person will make the call to have their birds take off from make-shift locations. People are inventive under duress, and I'm sure that this will happen.

The bigger problem right now is creating such a scenario in DCS. I've tried, and while take-offs and landings on some (very few) roads is possible (and exceedingly difficult), there is a much bigger problem game-wise: many aircraft get 'stuck in the mud' the instant that they leave the road's surface (definitely in Caucasus, maybe not everywhere in SOH or Syria, did not try in other maps). So in order to test your scenario, place some of your birds on the ground off the road, have them take off 'from ground hot', and try if you can actually taxi (some aircraft, for example the Hornet and Harrier) can taxi on rougher terrain). If you can taxi, you may have a shot at creating a road-based outpost if you find a sufficiently level and straight road (of course, highways will be preferred, but very few of those in Caucasus).

And if you find such locations, please share them, as I'm still looking to implement a nice 'makeshift' mission for multiplayer.

[percivaldanvers]

On 8/17/2023 at 10:50 PM, Lt.Turbo said:

Here's a fact sheet about the Singapore exercise.

https://www.mindef.gov.sg/web/portal/mindef/news-and-events/latest-releases/article-detail/2016/november/13nov16_fs

And here's information about the West German exercise in 1984.

https://www.mil-airfields.de/de/ahlhorn-highway-strip.htm

Based on these I'd say there's sufficient evidence of the possibility of a F-16 road base.

 

Apologies for the late reply - I forgot to follow the topic and didn't get the notification and so assumed no one replied lol .

Thank you this is exactly the kind of info I'm looking for! 

On 8/18/2023 at 5:58 AM, cfrag said:

There definitely is, and I find it a great inspiration to wathc these (living in Switzerland, I know that some roads here are prepared for the Hornet and Tiger to be used that way). Even if not, in dire situations, I'm sure that some strategically savvy air force (maybe even navy, who knows, except they have no Falcons) person will make the call to have their birds take off from make-shift locations. People are inventive under duress, and I'm sure that this will happen.

The bigger problem right now is creating such a scenario in DCS. I've tried, and while take-offs and landings on some (very few) roads is possible (and exceedingly difficult), there is a much bigger problem game-wise: many aircraft get 'stuck in the mud' the instant that they leave the road's surface (definitely in Caucasus, maybe not everywhere in SOH or Syria, did not try in other maps). So in order to test your scenario, place some of your birds on the ground off the road, have them take off 'from ground hot', and try if you can actually taxi (some aircraft, for example the Hornet and Harrier) can taxi on rougher terrain). If you can taxi, you may have a shot at creating a road-based outpost if you find a sufficiently level and straight road (of course, highways will be preferred, but very few of those in Caucasus).

And if you find such locations, please share them, as I'm still looking to implement a nice 'makeshift' mission for multiplayer.

I've found a couple of decent locations on the Syria map. I will have to get some screenshots of where they were. Nothing really excellent but a few stretches of decently straight/flat/wide highway in Cyprus and Israel that I managed to work with using the F-16. That said, nothing I found yet has a really good taxi area, so the "stuck in the mud" problem is still a factor.