CH-47F Statement | Weapons Development Progress | Summer Sale Extension

[Graphics]

 

19 July 2024

Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, 

The DCS: CH-47F is almost ready for early access release. We have been using the additional time to fix issues and provide additional functionality, create more content, and test. With the “Hook” nearing early access release, we are in the process of creating instructional videos, the first of which is an introduction and a simple start procedure CH-47F Introduction and Cold Start tutorial. As we are now on short finals, don't miss the opportunity to take advantage of the 30% savings during the pre-order phase.  

We are currently developing a new variant of the AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-surface missile, as well as the GBU-8 HOBOS guided-bomb. Please read the details below. 

We have extended the DCS Summer Sale till the 21st of July, 2024 at 15:00 GMT.  Please make sure you take advantage of these final summer savings this weekend and grab yourself up to a 50% discount across most of our aircraft, terrains, campaigns and more!

Thank you for your passion and support.

Yours sincerely, 

Eagle Dynamics

 

DCS 2.9.6

Update and CH-47F Status

The comprehensive DCS 2.9.6.57650 update introduced significant new content and changes across the platform. Based on the feedback and bug reports, we have been able to identify some key issues that we are working diligently to resolve in a hot fix and before launching the DCS: CH-47F. This includes, but is not limited to issues that some of you may have encountered with the new Launcher, multiplayer dynamic spawn, VR quad view support, controllers, and the module manager. Stay tuned for more news coming soon. 

In the meantime, please make sure to check out the Introduction and Cold Start video by Matt Wagner. To best understand what the DCS: CH-47F early access release will entail, and to get you started on learning this aircraft, we have released a draft of the DCS: CH-47F Early Access Manual. Enjoy!

 

Weapons

Development Progress

AGM-12 Bullpup
The Bullpup was one of the first mass-produced, guided air-to-surface missiles and entered service before the Vietnam war. It was a Manual Command Line of Sight, or MCLOS missile, which meant that the guidance was provided by the pilot through manual steering inputs.

DCS currently features three variants of the Bullpup, the AGM-12A, the original 1958 variant for the Navy with a 250 lbs warhead and an Aerojet Mk 8 solid motor (initially designated ASM-N-7), AGM-12B, the 1960 improvement with a Thiokol LR58 liquid rocket motor (USN ASM-N-7a and USAF GAM-83A designations), and a 1964 derivative with a much larger warhead and an LR62 liquid rocket motor: the AGM-12C. 3D models were provided by Heatblur Simulations.

All variants of the AGM-12 featured a canard, cruciform aerodynamic configuration and a bang-bang steering system stabilised through a 500°/s roll rate. In addition to the engine nozzle, the rear of the missile included a pair of tracking flares that burned with an increasing intensity over time. To improve the controllability of the missile, the bang-bang canard steering was modulated. Effectively the canards deflected in short pulses, whose length and frequency depended on both the angle of deflection and the rate and duration the stick was moved. A basic form of auto-trim was also used.

One major limitation of the system was a tendency for the control axis to roll left because the roll rate increased during the deceleration to the transonic region. This was caused by delays in the control system. This was compensated for by adding a fixed offset to the roll gyro reading that did not depend on the actual roll rate. All these effects on the control system are fully modelled in DCS.

Rockwell Homing Bomb System
After the AGM-62 Walleye was introduced by the US Navy in 1967, the USAF awarded a contract for their own TV-guided bomb system to Rockwell. This resulted in a series of conversion kits for dumb bombs, dubbed HOBOS, or the Homing Bomb System. These kits consisted of an electro-optical nose seeker section, an aft control section, and a set of strakes running along the body of the bomb. The seeker and guidance used were similar to those on the AGM-62 and AGM-65, and it required the pilot and WSO to align the aircraft with the target using the seeker video feed and lock onto target contrast before release, proving to be difficult in practice.

Different daytime electro-optical and infrared seeker kits were developed for different types of bombs, of which only the KMU-353A/B kit for the Mk-84 low drag bomb saw extensive combat use. This configuration, designated GBU-8/B by the USAF, was used from 1969 onward, and is featured in DCS. The 3D model is provided by Heatblur Simulations.

GBU-15(V)/B
Despite the low effectiveness of the HOBOS, Rockwell was again contracted to continue their guided-bomb development in 1974. The result was a modular system that Rockwell referred to as Modular Guided Weapon System or MGWS. This resulted in the GBU-15(V)/B family of guided-bombs, also known as the Electro-optically Guided Glide Bombs, or EOGB.

Initially, two variants were developed: The GBU-15(V)1/B with a daylight seeker and the GBU-15(V)2/B with the same IR seeker as the one used for the AGM-65D. The configuration was similar to its predecessor, the GBU-8/B, with the Mk-84 also serving as a basis of this weapon. However it had a significantly larger set of “wings”, a more sophisticated guidance system, and an ability to communicate with the supporting launch aircraft through the AN/AXQ-14 datalink.

These new features significantly expanded the envelope of the weapon at low altitudes compared to the GBU-8/B, and it allowed for employment without a line of sight to a target at the time of release. The weapon followed a 3-stage guidance logic: After a separation manoeuvre, the weapon entered midcourse mode where it would follow a lofted trajectory along the release course. After the WSO spotted and identified the target, they would point the seeker at it and switch the weapon to transition mode. It would then turn to target heading and manoeuvre to keep the seeker at a constant look-down angle, allowing the WSO to adjust the impact angle. Finally, the WSO would select terminal guidance mode in which the bomb would either be automatically guided into impact if locked on, or flown into the target manually.

The GBU-15 is in development.

 

Summer Sale

Last chance to save

As you may already know, we extended the DCS Summer Sale 2024 in order to apologise for the delay of DCS 2.9.6. Please enjoy the 50% savings across almost our entire range of modules. Shop now! 

Thank you again for your passion and support, 

Yours sincerely,

 

[ThorBrasil]

I noticed that these instruments in the screenshot below are missing from the early access manual. Will this come during early access or has it been removed? Thank You!

 

[Beirut]

I am all about that CH-47. Gonna be fun.  

[kotor633]

News about the Mig-29A would be nice...

[bies]

Vietnam-era Bullpup and HOBOS quirks and detailed modelling looks great. Bullpup will be used not only by F-4, but also by future F-100, A-6, F-8 or even A-4 MOD. Or Draken if thet's one of HB unannounced modules. Thanks.

Edited July 19 by bies

[MAXsenna]

Great newsletter! I'm happy to see that you take the issues of the latest patch seriously, (though I'm not that affected personally), and are working on a hotfix to be released before the Chinook. Great call! Thank you!
Cheers, and have great weekend everyone!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk

[T.Power]

Patiently waiting for the Chinny here so I gratefully appreciate the EA manual to thumb through while I'm waiting.

[Raven434th]

Nevermind regarding FC3 It works now

 

Edited July 19 by Raven434th

[YoYo]

5 hours ago, MAXsenna said:

Great newsletter! I'm happy to see that you take the issues of the latest patch seriously, (though I'm not that affected personally), and are working on a hotfix to be released before the Chinook. Great call! Thank you!
Cheers, and have great weekend everyone!

Sent from my SM-A536B using Tapatalk
 

+1.

[LuseKofte]

Chinook gonna be fun

[tripod3]

What mission of the che nook? Long range transpport?

[draconus]

18 minutes ago, tripod3 said:

What mission of the che nook? Long range transpport?

Yes, it's heavy lifting mainly.

[=Mac=]

In the 20 years that I've been with DCS (from LoMAC until today) I have never wanted an aircraft more than how much I want the Hook.

[Marshallman]

LOVE the Woka Woka.......cannot wait 

[Beirut]

5 hours ago, =Mac= said:

In the 20 years that I've been with DCS (from LoMAC until today) I have never wanted an aircraft more than how much I want the Hook.

 

Isn't it great when we get to fly exactly what we want to fly? Gotta love DCS for bringing all these dream machines into our hands. 

[Mendoza]

i dont play until quadviews works again. its so fun to break the VR somewere new every big update, and now you dont have a stable version to just enjoy all your expensive gear you bought for this game. frustrating if you finaly have some freetime to spend.

[schmiefel]

12 minutes ago, Mendoza said:

frustrating if you finaly have some freetime to spend.

Yes, I had not too much trouble with this update/patch as expected (at least the F-4 works like before) but now I got very annoying micro stutters every few seconds (more like picture rendering stops for a second) and get a CTD after about 30 minutes just flying around in DCS. Already had uninstalled every Mod, additional skins or cockpit liveries and even my old mission editor templates, and did a deep clean+repair to have a plain and clean original DCS installation. But this makes DCS completely unplayable to me now … looking forward if a hotfix or when the next patches will show up.

Edited July 21 by schmiefel
typo fixed

[j9murphy]

i dont play until quadviews works again. its so fun to break the VR somewere new every big update, and now you dont have a stable version to just enjoy all your expensive gear you bought for this game. frustrating if you finaly have some freetime to spend.

There is a beta, you just wait 48 hours before installing a new version:) The DCS community happily and quickly let's everyone know what's wrong so you can decide whether to install it or not. I'm still happily running the previous version.

[Marshallman]

I am still runing XRtoolkit and Quadviews. I have zero difference to prior the last update.

 

[Gunfreak]

On 7/20/2024 at 11:19 PM, tripod3 said:

What mission of the che nook? Long range transpport?

British used their Chinnocks in Afghanistan as troop transports for all their missions long and short. Even if it was just a 10 minute hop in a helicopter, they'd used the hook. Also medivac.

[Trooper117]

Flown in them many times... parachuted out of them a few times as well... an awesome machine!

[Cheese16]

Chinook gets an early access manual and we still don't have a manual for the Hind. okay.

[Rudel_chw]

16 minutes ago, Cheese16 said:

Chinook gets an early access manual and we still don't have a manual for the Hind. okay.

 

Thank god Chuck has provided an almost 500 pages Guide, without it I wouldn't have been able to learn this bird fully.

[Hotdognz]

On 7/25/2024 at 1:49 AM, Cheese16 said:

Chinook gets an early access manual and we still don't have a manual for the Hind. okay.

The Hind should have had a manual way before the Chinny.

@BN any reason why we don't have a Hind manual yet ??

Thanks

Edited July 26 by Hotdognz

[Gierasimov]

Hind? Is this module still alive? Quick start guide is there, bigger manual in RU also, plus ton of videos.. interesting that the RU manual was not yet translated to EN, or maybe this is a feature and not a bug... however, MI-24 is so simple it hardly needs any instructions to operate after "video training".