US Destroyer in DCS?

[Logan54]

I know, most of us like to fly airplanes, but what if we will have FF US destroyer? I think this will add more interest for naval ops, also will add advanced tactical level for both sides. AI implementation let this module to have 2-4 seats.

Short GPT review:
What Systems Could Be Modeled?
A destroyer module could be no less, and perhaps even more, complex than any aircraft in DCS.
Combat Information Center (CIC): The heart of the ship. Modeling of workstations:
Anti-Air Warfare Coordinator (AAWC): Control of the AN/SPY-1D radar, target identification, target assignment for SM-2/SM-6 SAMs, conducting engagements.
Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) Officer: Specialization on ballistic targets.
Surface Warfare Coordinator (SUWC): Detection of surface targets, employment of Harpoon and Tomahawk missiles.
Anti-Submarine Warfare Coordinator (ASWC): Control of towed sonar, helicopters, employment of ASROC anti-submarine missiles.
Electronic Warfare (EW) Officer: Operation of electronic warfare systems.
Weapon Control Systems: Separate consoles for close-in weapon systems (CIWS Phalanx, RAM Launcher).
Bridge/Navigation: Controlling the ship's movement, docking, navigation.
Air Department: Management of flight operations for a helicopter (SH-60B Seahawk), which could be integrated as a separate module or an AI-controlled asset.

What Scenarios Would Become Available?
The arrival of such a module would open up a whole new layer of missions:
Escort Operations: Defending a carrier strike group or convoy from massive attacks by enemy aircraft and surface ships.
Strike Operations: Coordinating salvos of Tomahawk cruise missiles against ground targets deep in enemy territory.
BMD Operations: Intercepting enemy ballistic missiles – a unique and extremely challenging scenario.
Naval Warfare: Engaging in battles with enemy destroyers, frigates, and corvettes.
"Survival" Scenarios: Repelling continuous waves of attacks from small boats, aircraft, and anti-ship missiles.
Amphibious Assault Support: Naval gunfire support (using the 127mm Mark 45 gun) for amphibious landings.

Conclusion
Technically, the DCS engine possesses a significant portion of the potential required to create a high-fidelity Arleigh Burke destroyer module. The main challenges lie in creating adequate AI to manage complex systems and adapting the engine for the specifics of naval ranges and combat.
Implementation in a "1-4 players + smart AI helpers" format is the most viable and would align with the DCS philosophy. The appearance of such a module would be met with great enthusiasm by a significant part of the community, as it would radically expand the boundaries of DCS, transforming it from "just" a flight simulator into a true simulator of combined arms warfare. It is a high-risk but potentially revolutionary project for the genre.

 

Edited November 19 by Logan54

[upyr1]

FF would be a Frigate a destroyer would be a DD or DDG. That aside i agree we need ship modules. Your vote appears to be for the Arleigh burke-class destroyers. 

The real questions are what classes to start with and how much ambiguity is necessary to get this to work. I know there is a Oliver Hazard Perry Sim people hold up as the gold standard. I don't know if that would be playable today. 

my vote for the first ship class has been for the Iowa-class battleships because they served off and on from 1943 to 1992, they have some obvious opFor ships and I would love it if ED could get Ryan Szimanski to help. 

If I got my battleships we would then need about 50 years worth of other models.

DDepending on how much ambiguity there is I could see two extremes the fleet ops approach to the one class per module approache.  If possible would like the ambiguity set by the red for ships. 

[jeventy26]

1 minute ago, upyr1 said:

FF would be a Frigate a destroyer would be a DD or DDG. That aside i agree we need ship modules. Your vote appears to be for the Arleigh burke-class destroyers. 

The real questions are what classes to start with and how much ambiguity is necessary to get this to work. I know there is a Oliver Hazard Perry Sim people hold up as the gold standard. I don't know if that would be playable today. 

my vote for the first ship class has been for the Iowa-class battleships because they served off and on from 1943 to 1992, they have some obvious opFor ships and I would love it if ED could get Ryan Szimanski to help. 

If I got my battleships we would then need about 50 years worth of other models.

DDepending on how much ambiguity there is I could see two extremes the fleet ops approach to the one class per module approache.  If possible would like the ambiguity set by the red for ships. 

Just need a 3rd party to take this on.  If it was good enough and they take the risk for sales... Im sure ED would give the green light

 

[Silver_Dragon]

Here is a problem, and it is the following:

• You cannot create a ship like the Supercarrier module in DCS World; that functionality is blocked and is, in fact, "hardcoded." You cannot even make a Mod.
• You cannot assign a cockpit to assign engines or other systems; one could almost say that the Supercarrier runs on "automatic." It has neither engines, nor electrical systems, nor anything similar to an airplane...
• A "multi-cockpit" has never been seen... (we don't know how the LSO and CAG stations work), or if they are cockpits that can be configured.
• In the case of making a separate bridge and CIC, you would have to know how they can be coordinated via an intercom or similar.
• Let's not even talk about sensors. The closest thing is CA, and we don't know how a CIC could be created with multiple radar, sonar, and electronic warfare stations, even if it were simplified (in fact, the only one who has done something like that is Heatblur and ED with their copilots) and it is a plugin that is not available.
• Let's not even talk about helicopter operations (even in the ASuW topic, which is the only one currently open). The Supercarrier does not have that functionality, and we don't know when they will implement it.

There is a lot to discuss and things to implement for a minimally coherent module.

Regarding a ship for DCS World, yes, an FFG O.H. Perry is the base to a ship module... we can almost say it could be the minimum.

unless we go to something more basic from WW2), which would be simpler, as a Fletcher DD

If only so that we have a DD/FFG for AAW and ASuW, while waiting for the day that ED implements the whole ASW topic.
-------------
Some refence images:
OHP Helm Bridge


OHP CIC



OHP Comunication center


OHP Gas Turbine Pannel

OHP Auxiliar Power control station

OHP recovery assist securing traversing system (RAST) control

One of the most serious problems is not knowing how the systems, screens, and terminals work. And another one is the procedures on the ship.

Edited November 20 by Silver_Dragon

[upyr1]

3 hours ago, jeventy26 said:

Just need a 3rd party to take this on.  If it was good enough and they take the risk for sales... Im sure ED would give the green light

 

There is a lot of things which ED will have to do in order for this to happen. 

Edited November 19 by upyr1

[Silver_Dragon]

Another serious point in DCS World is the complete lack of maritime interaction and marine physics. In itself, the Supercarrier is simply an aeronaval procedures module; it is not built as a ship per se (nor has ED improved anything about the behavior of the ships).

• The physics of the sea are missing, including realistic waves and interaction with the wind, and corresponding visual effects. These should affect the helicopter deck... and a realistic movement of the ships, not just a placebo carried over from LOMAC.
• Everything concerning Clutter generated by the sea surface, including its reduction due to waves, weather, and coastal environments.
• Of course, the spherical map is necessary for the radar horizon (if we use the current one, radars will see everything in "god mode"). This also affects aircraft, weapons, and missiles in terms of detection.
• Naturally, simulating the combat systems (a post-WW2 1st generation system is not the same as a 4th generation semi-automatic system carried by an OHP). This affects how one interacts with missile and armament firing.
• Simulating all of a ship's radars, not just a "generic" one. Whether in Navigation mode, Surface-to-Surface, Surface-to-Air (HF/3D/etc.).
• The entire simulation of ASM and AAW missile launching (the latter, the dual attack mode of the SM-1s, both against ground and air targets), and their capabilities against missiles. Simulating the two associated fire control radars.
• Finally simulating modern medium and large caliber cannons against aircraft and missiles. A feature that is missing in all modern ships (we have seen hints in the CV-6, where the 5-inch guns finally attack aircraft). Also, fuzes, magazines, and different ammunitions (finally creating illuminating ammunition... and appropriate physics). Furthermore, all other non-ASW weapons.
• The entire concept of Electronic Warfare (ESM, Elint, ECM, ECCM) and the decoy launchers.
• The different stations, as mentioned by Logan54.
• Some type of display to prepare the SH-60s for missions, and quite possibly, integrating the briefing room with a 3D model according to the helicopter aircrews.
• Damage Control? This would require creating ship systems and subsystems, areas with armor, and loss of components, weapons, simulating fire and flooding. And sending damage control teams to save the ship in combat. This would also fall under Alert States and Compartmentation. Implementing the New damage system in the naval environment.

Another point:

• if you have a maritime module, ED has to generate ports... you have to attack somewhere, and of course, realistic coastal navigation. And, naturally, you cannot rearm missiles at sea. As well as repairing at a shipyard...
• Ability for resupply at sea, either by aircraft carrier or other auxiliary ships via UNREP (Underway Replenishment) and also by helicopters, via VERTREP (Vertical Replenishment) (this may have to do with the logistics system).
• Ability to make formations (from another post).
• The entire topic of maritime signals (Radio, light, reflectors, and flags). In addition, integrating the whole topic of international communication. I don't know if the US Navy has something similar to Brevity codes.

[draconus]

12 hours ago, upyr1 said:

FF would be a Frigate a destroyer would be a DD or DDG.

FF was meant as Full Fildelity module in OP.

[upyr1]

16 hours ago, draconus said:

FF was meant as Full Fildelity module in OP.

Just being asinine there. Seriously How close to a ff module might we actually get? 

[upyr1]

On 11/19/2025 at 3:50 PM, Silver_Dragon said:

Here is a problem, and it is the following:

• You cannot create a ship like the Supercarrier module in DCS World; that functionality is blocked and is, in fact, "hardcoded." You cannot even make a Mod.
• You cannot assign a cockpit to assign engines or other systems; one could almost say that the Supercarrier runs on "automatic." It has neither engines, nor electrical systems, nor anything similar to an airplane...
• A "multi-cockpit" has never been seen... (we don't know how the LSO and CAG stations work), or if they are cockpits that can be configured.
• In the case of making a separate bridge and CIC, you would have to know how they can be coordinated via an intercom or similar.
• Let's not even talk about sensors. The closest thing is CA, and we don't know how a CIC could be created with multiple radar, sonar, and electronic warfare stations, even if it were simplified (in fact, the only one who has done something like that is Heatblur and ED with their copilots) and it is a plugin that is not available.
• Let's not even talk about helicopter operations (even in the ASuW topic, which is the only one currently open). The Supercarrier does not have that functionality, and we don't know when they will implement it.

This is why I say that Ed needs to work on something. I'd love to see ED add these things to the super carrier. 

[Silver_Dragon]

4 minutes ago, upyr1 said:

This is why I say that Ed needs to work on something. I'd love to see ED add these things to the super carrier. 

It's the same situation as with vehicles; there's no "assign cockpit" like you would with an airplane or helicopter. And it was something that was in CA, but it wasn't opened up for modding.

This is a request for ED: add the functionality for vehicles and ships, even if it's just for modding, even if it's limited, but we'd like to be able to tinker and do some fun things.

[upyr1]

5 hours ago, Silver_Dragon said:

It's the same situation as with vehicles; there's no "assign cockpit" like you would with an airplane or helicopter. And it was something that was in CA, but it wasn't opened up for modding.

This is a request for ED: add the functionality for vehicles and ships, even if it's just for modding, even if it's limited, but we'd like to be able to tinker and do some fun things.

I am with you