More AI aircraft?

[Tom P]

What would be the limitations to not getting more AI aircraft? Why can't we get a F-111, Gripen etc etc? I'm aware there are mods but what's stopping the eagle dynamics team from adding more in game flavor. I'm sure the everyone especially the 10+ year DCS veterans would love something new. 

[draconus]

2 hours ago, Tom P said:

I'm aware there are mods but what's stopping the eagle dynamics team from adding more in game flavor.

Time, money and priorities.

[Tom P]

7 hours ago, draconus said:

Time, money and priorities.

But they have our support

[draconus]

5 minutes ago, Tom P said:

But they have our support

Apparently not enough.

[upyr1]

On 4/2/2025 at 10:07 PM, Tom P said:

What would be the limitations to not getting more AI aircraft? Why can't we get a F-111, Gripen etc etc? I'm aware there are mods but what's stopping the eagle dynamics team from adding more in game flavor. I'm sure the everyone especially the 10+ year DCS veterans would love something new. 

ED's size mixed with their priorities and the community's dislike for asset packs.  

ED has 10001 things on its plate, and no matter what they prioritize, someone will scream about it.  I firmly agree that assets is one of the short comings they need to address. I keep saying ED and the other developers need to think about the maps, modules and assets as forming an eco system.  Let's take the F-4 and MiG-21. The versions we have are mid/late 1970s versions. There is a list of aircraft and other assets I want to see added to DCS. These two have their place on most of the maps we have. 

   

Edited April 5 by upyr1

[upyr1]

 

The asset set needs to reflect the modules and maps we have as well as what would be in demand

Here is what I have for the cold war. I divided it into a few eras 

Early Cold War (1945 to 1953)- I consider Stalin's death and the end of the Korean War to be the end of the early Cold War. A lot of World War II leftovers were still in service in this era. So here is my list of modules we currently have or are in the works for this era (we'll ignore the specific variants). F-51, F4U, Spitfire, F-86, MiG-15, La-7, A-1,  the I-16 was technically in-service in Spain I'm not counting it tough

total

period specific : 0 

passable post period variants : 2 

WWII leftovers: 4. 

Total 6

period conflicts : Korean war, Mid East wars

 possible : WWIII

period maps none. 

 

Khrushev era (1953 to 1964) Right between the Vietnam and Korean wars. The modules we have for this era are the Mig-17, MiG-19, F-100, F-8, F-104, and G.91 to the best of my knowledge these are period variants. The A-4, A-6 and Huey entered service in this era. The A-6 with dumb bomb would probably pass. The F-86 and MiG-15 were still in service, and the last F4U, as was the A-1,  The Avionic might be wrong but I am counting the C-130 as passable 

period modules :  5

passable post period variants 4

Leftovers: 5

total : 13

period conflict : suez crisis (we have the map though not period)

Vietnam Era (1965 - 1975) Here is what we have most period correct Mirage F-1, A-4 F-4E, MiG-21 Bis, F-5E, , leftovers : Mig-15, F-86, MiG-17, A-1, MiG-19, F-100. Passable UH-1, CH-53 , C-130, A-6, A-7, Gazelle, Kiowa , BO-105(?) F-14A

period : 6

left overs : 6  

Post period passable 9

total : 20

conclusion : even without a vietnam map  we have a large vin diagram

late cold war (1975 - 1991)

Most period correct : A-10A, F-15C, MG-21 Bis, F-4E, F-5E, Mirage F-1, A-7, A-6, AV-8B MiG-29, Su-27 , UH-1, Bo-105, Gazelle , Mirage 2k, Su-33, MI-18, Mi-24, Su-25 20 (not counting armed trainers)  

Left overs : F-100, F-104, MiG-19, MiG-17, G.91, A-1 total  6

Passable :  F-16, F/A-18, F-15E , C-130, CH-57, AH-64 F-14 (A and B are both 1990s updrages) total : 7

total   : 32 that would work for the period.  

Conclusion: ED's main focus should be on the late Cold War, followed by the Vietnam era. The late cold war is probably the most complete in terms of assets. The assets that are missing would mostly overlap with the Vietnam era. My top choices for blue for Blue for assets would be F-105, F-102/6, A-3, B-66, F-111 (should be a module), EC-121, Tu-126, for ships battle groups built around the Clemencu, Iowa-class battleships, angled deck Essex or midway-class and Kiev-class carriers. 

My second choice is the early period- because of the World war II leftovers. Also I believe the Korean war map is a must have for DCS .