Channel Title: Matt "Wags" Wagner Channel Description: Senior Producer, Eagle Dynamics SA System: i9 13900K, RTX 4090, 64 GB RAM no overclocking, as of 22 February 2023 VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle Orion2 F-16EX Viper Joystick Combo (With Shake Kits) Orion Joystick Base Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog base plate DCS Video Settings Max FPS set to 138 to match monitor refresh. Sharpening = 0 Textures = High Terrain Textures = High Shadows = High Flat Shadow Blur = On Secondary Shadows = On Visib. Range = Extreme Civ. Traffic = High Clouds = Ultra Water = High SSAO = Off SSLR = Off Lens Effects = Dirt+Flare Heat Blur = Off Motion Blur = Off Motion Blur Amount = 0 Depth of Field = Off Screenshot Format = JPG Color Grading LUT = LUT_OFF Clutter/Grass = 1500 Forest Visibility = 100% Forest Details Factor = 1 Scenery Details Factor = 1 Preload Radius = 150000 Chimney Smoke = 5 Anisotropic Filtering = 16x Terrain Object Shadow = Default Cockpit Global Illumination = On Messages Font Scale = 1 Scale GUI = 1 Rain Droplets = On Vsync = Off <video> Questions for Eagle Dynamics | Performance Description: For discussion, please visit the topic we created here: https://forum.dcs.world/topic/344944-15yr-anniversary-qa-answering-performance-in-dcs/ We prefer to keep all the questions and discussion on the forum such that we can best respond, and I simply lack the time to properly moderate and answer questions here. Thanks. --- Last year, we opened a Q&A session as part of our 15th Anniversary celebrations. We are immensely grateful for the tremendous response we received and over the coming months we will be answering every question individually, all 1900+ of them, split by category. This video on ‘Performance’ in DCS is the first of what will be many YouTube videos and DCS Forum posts. Please find written and additional answers in the DCS Forum: https://forum.dcs.world/topic/344944-15yr-anniversary-qa-answering-performance-in-dcs/ Your patience has been commendable, and we believe that this detailed approach will be a fitting tribute to the care and time you put into DCS. DCS e-shop: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/ DCS on Steam: https://store.steampowered.com/app/223750/DCS_World_Steam_Edition/ ☑ Site: http://digitalcombatsimulator.com ☑ Discord: https://discord.gg/eagledynamics ☑ Twitter: https://twitter.com/eagledynamics ☑ Forum: https://forum.dcs.world ☑ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/eagle.dynamics ☑ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/digitalcombatsimulator/ ☑ Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@digitalcombatsim </video> <video> DCS: F-16C Viper | December 2023 Update Description: DCS: F-16C Viper Purchase: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/modules/viper/ In this DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll review the new features coming the Viper. These include Laser Spot Search, or LSS, and Laser Spot Track, or LST functionality for the targeting pod, or TGP; the Control page for the targeting pod, the Freeze function for the Horizontal Situation Display, or HSD, page; and the addition of new Viper weapons; and changes to AIM-9 functionality. Let’s get started. NOTE 1. Apologies for the audible breathing. I have a cold and am congested, but I believe better to create a video to explain these new features. NOTE 2: As always, these videos provide a preview of an upcoming feature to assist you in understanding a new feature. Later, it is quite possible that the feature will change, and the feature functionality has changed. As much as I’d like to, I lack the time re-record these videos. First, let’s look at Laser Spot Search, or LSS, and Laser Spot Track, or LST. As you might imagine, we’ll be using this to allow the targeting pod to search for specific laser Pulse Repetition Frequency, or PRF, and then be able to track it. The laser designation source could be a JTAC or another aircraft. Why would you want to use this method? Primarily if you require very specific targeting that only an external source can provide, for example, like having eyes on. From the Instrument Control Panel, or ICP, select the LIST button, then zero for miscellaneous on the keypad, and then 5 for Laser. On the laser page, we see the laser PRF that our targeting pod will lase with, and the laser PRF code that it will search for. It defaults to 1688 and we’ll use that. Note that a laser code must be an octal, meaning, only digits 0 to 8. Because we’ll be using an external laser-designation source, we’ll contact the JTAC and ask for laser designation of the target. At waypoint 2 is a target array, where the target is located. Let’s enable the TGP by bringing up on the left MPD and make it our SOI, this should be old hat by now. Note that at the top of the left side we see our LSS code of 1688. To start the LSS operation, press the Cage/Uncage button your throttle or press the LSS OSB. Once the laser code is detected, the Laser Spot Track, or LST, is transitioned from an LSS. We can now Target Management Switch forward to designate that location as our Senor Point of Interest and now conduct a standard CCRP laser-guided bombing attack. While we are here on the targeting pod page, we can now select the CNTL OSB to display the Control page. From the control page, we can elect to display the gray scale to calibrate the TGP display, and we can enable or disable coordinates, north arrow, and yard stick distance by pressing the N/M OSB. For this update, we’ve also added the Freeze (FZ) function to the Horizontal Situation Display, or HSD. It behaves differently if the HSD is SOI or not. If SOI, indicated by the box around the periphery of the display, pressing the freeze OSB sets the HSD to the centered format and ground stabilizes the HSD cursor at its location. If the HSD is not the SOI and freeze is selected, it will again center the HSD but instead ground stabilize on the ownship’s current location on the HSD. When in freeze mode, expand is disabled and steerpoints 1 to 99 are frozen. In this update, we’ve also added some new weapons. These include the LAU-68 and LAU-131 rocket pods for Hyra unguided rockets and AIM-9P, AIM-9P3 and AIM-9P5 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Speaking of the AIM-9, we’ve also updated some of its logic. First, when radar-locking a target, the AIM-9 seeker will now be auto-slaved to the target. You will no longer need to uncage. Also, if you already have a radar lock, moving the Dogfight switch to the outboard position will maintain the lock and not re-lock the target. 00:00 Introduction 00:32 Targeting Pod Additions and Changes 08:04 HSD Freeze Function 09:14 New Weapons 09:46 AIM-9 Functional Changes </video> <video> DCS: AH-64D | FCR ZOOM and C-SCOPE Description: FCR Basics: FCR Introduction: https://youtu.be/TLRC7paCeVA?si=amg7_0OVphIq_iAm FCR Pages and Controls: https://youtu.be/ztLIr8tJJDg?si=ONlMHtjA72VjITnm NOTE 4. As always, these videos provide a preview of an upcoming feature to assist you in understanding a new feature. Later, it is quite possible that the feature will change, and the feature functionality has changed. As much as I’d like to, I lack the time re-record these videos. In this DCS: AH-64D video, we’ll discuss use of the Fire Control Radar, or FCR, Zoom and C-Scope functions. The Zoom function will allow you to expand a small area of the FCR display to distinguish targets in proximity and more easily to engage them. The C-Scope function allows you to display FCR symbols over the HMD and the TADS. These functions are crew station independent, meaning, use in one station will not affect the FCR display of the other station. To use Zoom, the station that wishes to use it must have the FCR selected as the Sight. For a more detailed accounting of the FCR, I’ve listed links to previous videos on the topic. First, let’s scan ahead and detect some targets on the FCR. We can use Zoom in one of two ways: First, by pressing the Zoom button on the TEDAC right handgrip, the FCR will switch to a 6:1 format around the Next to Shoot, or NTS, target. Pressing the button again will return the FCR to the normal format. This is a fast way to zoom in on your NTS. Second, with an NTS, selecting ZOOM from R1 displays a 6:1 white box with an X through it on the FCR is displayed that indicates the footprint of the Zoomed area. Using the display cursor, we can slew the Zoom box anywhere on the FCR display to determine where we wish to zoom into. With the press and release of the cursor enter switch, the FCR will display just the area covered by the Zoom box. You can then use the NTS cycle function and the cursor designation to set an NTS from the zoomed-in display. In both circumstances, if you command a scan burst, the ZOOM format will automatically exit and then return to the Zoom format once the scan burst is completed. Now let’s look at C-Scope. C-Scope is very simple to use, in that it is just turned on or off. However, the capability that C-Scope brings to the crew’s collective situational awareness cannot be over-stated. To enable C-Scope, we’ll bring up the FCR page, and we’ll press button T1 to box the C SCP option, which indicates it is enabled. As we look around with the HMD, we can now see all the symbols that are displayed on the FCR page. These symbols include FCR target symbols, the FCR Next-To-Shoot diamond, the FCR Alternate-Next-To-Shoot triangle, and any recorded missile engagements as X-shaped symbols. C-Scope symbols are displayed in the same manner as the Navigation Fly-To Cue and are displayed virtually over their real-world locations as seen through the HMD. This allows either crewmember to maintain situational awareness of the battlefield as they look outside the cockpit. C-Scope can be enabled in either crew station independently of the other, allowing the Pilot and CPG to determine whether they want C-Scope symbols to be displayed within their respective symbologies. Now let’s hop into the CPG seat and see what it looks like when using the TADS. Ok, now that we’re in the front seat, let’s turn on C-Scope up here. Like before, we bring up the FCR page and press C SCP to enable it. Now, not only will the C-Scope symbols be displayed within my HMD, but if I sight-select TADS by pressing the Sight Select switch to the right, on the right TEDAC grip, the symbols will also be overlaid within my TADS sensor video. This will allow the CPG to rapidly acquire targets on the battlefield which have already been detected by the FCR, which can now be visually identified using TADS optical sensors. C-Scope isn’t just a valuable tool for an FCR-equipped AH-64; it can also be used in AH-64’s that are not equipped with an FCR but have received FCR target data through the datalink. Even if the FCR is not installed, you can still enable C-Scope on the FCR page by pressing C SCP at button T1. As you can see, C-Scope is simple to use, but it is a very powerful feature that can drastically improve the situational awareness of the entire flight, provided at least one AH-64 is equipped with an FCR. </video> <video> DCS Questions and Answers - January 2025 Description: NOTE 1: This video was prepared prior to the release of the 2025 and Beyond Video, and it is based on questions submitted prior. NOTE 2: As always, I cannot comment on 3rd parties and related matters. After publishing the initial Q and A video on performance, we were not satisfied with the result as it was inefficient, somewhat boring and time consuming. We held off from producing the next in the series and decided to change the format, to group your questions and concerns and try address your issues more effectively. 0:41 How did ED start 1:40 Trasperency, what's going on 3:08 Deciding new features 4:29 Picking new aircraft 5:35 Long term viability of DCS 6:35 Most challenging module 7:34 ED doing well / improvements 8:17 Community doing well / improvements 10:05 Sim vs game 10:53 Old map reworks 11:47 New map locations 13:28 Cold War maps 14:36 Expanding maps 15:25 World Map progress 16:25 World Map and DLC 17:29 World Map and multiplayer 18:17 Multicrew bombers 19:18 Improving game experience 20:17 Offline saving 20:40 Virtual squadrons 21:20 Improved ATC 22:06 Player ATC 22:38 Pilot animations 23:25 Animated ground crew 24:18 Engine migration </video> <video> DCS: CH-47F | Landing Description: NOTE 1: Apologies for the sick voice. I am fighting COVID. NOTE 2: This video shows landing without LCT and basic DASH functions. These and rotor droop will come during the early access period. In this CH-47F video, we’ll look at getting this bird back on the ground safely. We’ll learn to do so from first performing a Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC) landing and then a roll-on landing at a prepared surface. Let’s get started. Before we look at some examples, let’s look at an important indication on the VSD, Vertical Situation Indicator, when landing. Along the right side is the barometric altimeter, but to the right of that is the Vertical Velocity scale and indication. When the chevron is at zero, our altitude does not change. As we ascend or descend though the scale will move to reflect or vertical velocity regarding feet per minute with a maximum indication of 3,000 feet per minute. .5 as an example indicates 500 feet per minute and 1 indicates a thousand feet per minute. For a VMC landing, we’ll first select the spot that we want to touch down at from a hover or a very short roll. We’ll need to evaluate any obstacles in the area and ensure we’re not too heavy. If possible, try to land with a left crosswind of no more than 45 knots. You can also target a tail wind landing, but only if the wind is less than 40 knots. For winds greater than 45 knots, land with a headwind. As you might imagine, the advantage of this landing method is that you don’t need an improved surface like a runway or road. This disadvantage is that you’ll need to have a higher power margin than a roll-on landing. Once aligned with the landing spot, lower the thrust lever to adjust for altitude and adjust the cyclic for airspeed. Use left and right cyclic to adjust your ground track. When descending, you’ll generally be doing so with a nose-high attitude of about plus 5-degrees. When descending, try to avoid coming too low as this can lead to impacting obstacles. For a normal decent, target around 300 feet per minute and for a steep decent around 700 feet per minute. In this example, I’m around 500 feet per minute. A steep angle may be more useful when there are obstacles around the landing area. As you near the landing spot, you may need to add more aft cyclic to bleed off more airspeed. Once the wheels are down, adjust the cyclic to remove any velocity. Once at a stop, position the cyclic slightly aft, neutralize the pedals, and fully lower the thrust lever. A roll-on landing is much the same as a VMC landing. It’s the final stage that will differ. As before, we’ll first determine our touchdown point and intercept our approach heading. Lower the thrust lever and add aft cyclic of about 5-degrees nose high to maintain a constant rate of decent. Keep the aircraft in trim using the pedals and left and right cyclic to adjust ground track. At no less than 100 feet, add more aft cyclic to further decelerate below 60 knots ground speed. At 50 feet, use the pedals to refine your approach to align with the landing roll-on area. You should be roughly 5-dgrees nose high during this descent. This may vary as you use cyclic to adjust airspeed. Once the aft landing gear touches down, lower the thrust lever and apply more aft cycli c but no more 2 inches. Then, use the thrust lever and cyclic to adjust your nose attitude without exceeding a nose pitch of 20-degrees. This will allow aerodynamic braking. Use left and right cyclic and the pedals to remain aligned down the roll-on area. Once stationary or sufficiently slow, slowly lower the thrust lever further until the front wheels come down. Apply the wheel brakes if needed and keep the cyclic slightly aft. You can now lower the thrust lever all the way down to the ground detent. That’s an overview of the two most common ways to land the Hook. Thanks for watching and I’ll see you next time. </video> <video> DCS: AH-64 | FCR/TADS LINK Description: NOTE. As always, these videos provide a preview of an upcoming feature to assist you in understanding a new feature. Later, it is quite possible that the feature will change, and the feature functionality has changed. As much as I’d like to, I lack the time re-record these videos. FCR Introduction: https://youtu.be/TLRC7paCeVA?si=kEc5d1g1ZftWzd_p In this DCS: AH-64D video, we’ll discuss the LINK sight select that allows the TADS to be slaved to the Fire Control Radar’s Next-To-Shoot target, also called the FCR NTS target; or slave the FCR centerline to the TADS line-of-sight location. When linking the TADS to an FCR NTS, it is a valuable tool to visually identify the target and determine its state prior to an engagement, or perform Battle Damage Assessment, or BDA, after an engagement. This will cover the basics of using LINK. For more detailed accounting, please consult a future edition of the Early Access Guide which will be updated with explanations for using LINK. First, let’s use the FCR to scan ahead of us and create an NTS. If you have not viewed it earlier, please see the earlier instruction videos on using the FCR. Above is a card and I’ll list links in the video description. We’ll also bring up the TADS on the TEDAC. You’ll need to make sure neither the TADS nor FCR are set as your acquisition source and that the TADS is not being used as an active night vision (NVS) sensor by either crewmember. This is very important and may be a common point of failure when attempting to use the LINK function. With an NTS on the FCR display, all we must do is press down on the Sight Select switch, located on the Right TEDAC Handgrip. When linked, FCRL is displayed on the left side of the High Action Display or HAD. It will be preceded by a C if linked from the CPG seat or P if from the Pilot seat. Note that as I cycle the NTS through the shoot list in target priority order, the TADS automatically slaves to the new target. You can still change the TADS sensor between FLIR and DTV or select a different field-of-view; however, in this situation, TADS laser tracking, Image Auto-Track, and laser range finder designator are disabled. If you wish to manually slew the TADS while LINK is still enabled, press the Slave button. This will allow you to search and identify other targets in the vicinity of the FCR NTS target. However, it is important to remember that the FCR is still your selected sight for targeting and weapon employment, and the TADS is only being used as a sensor for target identification or BDA. To return the TADS to the current NTS target, press the Slave button again. If you wish to use the TADS for targeting, such as engaging the target with a laser-guided missile, you must select TADS as your sight using the Sight Select switch. Now that the TADS is the sight, as indicated on the left side of the High Action Display, you can now laser designate and engage targets first acquired using the FCR. Let’s now look at using this from the back seat. As before, let’s create an NTS from the FCR page. Next, from the other display, select Menu and then Video from the top, or you can simply press the VID button on the bottom right corner of the MPD itself. On the right side, select TADS underlay and select TADS again from the top to enable a full screen view. You can now see through the TADS with the ability to adjust the video aspect on the left side. We can now press down on the Sight Select switch to slave the TADS video to the NTS. Note that P for Pilot FCRL is indicated in the HAD. As mentioned before, the acquisition source cannot be TADS or FCR. As with the CPG, this allows the pilot to visually inspect a target acquired by the FCR, but keep in mind that the Pilot cannot change the TADS between FLIR or DTV or change the TADS field-of-view. Jumping back to the front seat, we can also first acquire a target using the TADS and then link the FCR scan to that target. To do so, we’ll first make the TADS our sight and slew it to a new target. Once satisfied and TADS still as our sight, we press down on the sight select switch to select LINK. The FCR centerline then slaves to that location and TADSL is displayed in the HAD. When the FCR is linked to the TADS, which is only possible in the CPG seat, you can perform FCR scan bursts or adjust the FCR scan size, but again it is important to remember that the TADS is still your selected sight for targeting and weapon employment, and the FCR is only being used as a sensor for target detection and classification. What really makes linking the FCR to the TADS so useful is the FCR’s ability to speed up the reconnaissance process, by highlighting any potential targets within the TADS field-of-view that may not be immediately seen, such as cold targets within the FLIR, or camouflaged targets within the DTV. </video> <video> DCS: Bomb Fuze Update Description: In this DCS video, I’ll be discussing new fuzing options coming to several DCS aircraft like the Viper, F/A-18C, and the A-10C II. The new fuzing options allow you select specific nose and tail fuzes for general purpose bombs, laser-guided bombs, INS/GPS-guided bombs, and canister munitions. The new feature also allows you to set the fuze parameters. This can be done from either the Mission Editor, Re-Arm/Refuel Window, and later the DTC payload editor in the Mission Planner for single- and multi-player. In this example, we’ll look at the new fuze option regarding the Viper. From the mission editor, we’ll select the Payload window. Let’s first look at general purpose and GPS-guided bombs and load some Mk-82s. In the top left corner of the station, click on the little triangle to edit the fuze settings. For the nose fuze, we have options for a mechanical M904 crush fuze, DSU-33 airburst fuze, or a plug with options. The arming delay determines how long it will take the bomb to arm in seconds once released from the jet and the function delay determines the delay in seconds or hours that the bomb will detonate after fuze initiation. When selecting the DSU-33, the mean airburst height in feet can be set. Tail fuze options include the FMU-152 Joint Programable Fuze (JPF) that can be programmed from the cockpit, the FMU-139 electro-mechanical fuze, the M904, and plugs. Some bombs will also have an FMU-143 tail fuze option. The 143 is designed for delayed weapon penetration tasks. It’s important to note that except for the FMU-152 JPF, all other fuzes must be set while on the ground, they cannot be altered once airborne. All you can do airborne is make sure the fuze settings in the Stores pages for the F/A-18C and A-10C II and the SMS page for the F-16C match the actual bomb fuze settings. From the window, you can also select the external appearance of the bomb to match USAF or USN standards. We’ll now select Precision Attack payloads and select a GBU-24 laser-guided bomb. Note that because the nose is occupied by the laser-guidance seeker, there is no nose fuze option. You just set the bomb fuze settings based on the tail fuze, in this case, the JPF, 139, and the 143. This window also allows you to program the laser-PRF code that the bomb will be looking for. Again, you cannot program this from the cockpit, only the laser-PRF that the targeting pod will be looking for. In addition to setting fuze options from the Mission Editor, we can also do in-mission from the Arming and Refueling window. Press Left Alt and ‘ to bring up the window. Just like in the Mission Editor, click on the small, yellow triangle on store window. This time, we’ll look at canister munitions like the CBU-105 WCMD, but this also applies to other weapons like the Rockeye and CBU series. There is no nose and tail fuze choices, but you can select the airburst delay time in seconds and the altitude in feet that the canister will open. Further, the revolutions per minute that the canister will spin can be set. The greater the airburst altitude and spin rate, the greater the coverage area the submunitions will spread. However, note that the coverage will be less dense resulting in a lower percentage of hits. This is the first big step in the improved fuze system. Next steps are revisiting the explosion visual effects, particularly for airburst explosions, the damage effect for airburst detonations, and the new fragmentation model. </video> <video> DCS: AH-64D | Radar Map Mode Description: In this DCS: AH-64D video, we’re back to the Fire Control Radar, or FCR. We’re going to go over the Radar Map, or RMAP, mode. Like the FCR GTM mode we discussed earlier, we can still use the FCR to detect and classify ground targets and low-flying aircraft, but we’ll also be able to generate a radar-image of the terrain to provide target reference and situational awareness. Please see for detailed video description: https://forum.dcs.world/topic/280176-dcs-ah-64d-mini-updates/?do=findComment&comment=5515350 FCR - Ground Targeting Mode Videos: FCR Introduction: https://youtu.be/TLRC7paCeVA?si=SlReLJCSYdsB0RBl FCR Controls and Pages: https://youtu.be/ztLIr8tJJDg?si=KyBdngjVj8OPTi3a FCR Zoom and C-Scope: https://youtu.be/3lGwH_eDlYQ?si=lSlmiY30gGE1qt7_ FCR and TADS LINK: https://youtu.be/9ux5Lq9WAO8?si=GhlnHhYt0CDz6_4r NOTE: Regarding RAZBAM. This is not a subject that I am at liberty to discuss. All I can say is that it’s our desire and intent to resolve outstanding issues. Please recognize that this channel is for the instruction of new features available or coming to Eagle Dynamics modules. I ask that you please respect this, thank you. </video> <video> DCS: AH-64D | Target Sharing Description: For all FCR datalink communications, it will initially be regarding multiplayer. Once the FCR and datalink are final, we’ll then add this for AI Primary members. So, to start with, let’s get some FCR target data by doing a single scanburst. I’m also going to switch my TSD to Attack phase so that it displays all the targets that I detect, not just the 16 high priority targets and display shot symbols. Now that we have some targets, we can decide how we want to engage them. As seen in my earlier Fire Zones video, see card above, we can use fire zones to separate the battlefield into areas of responsibility for each flight member, so that we don’t waste missiles by shooting at the same target as our teammates. Now, I can then send these FCR targets to my teammates so that when they unmask, they already know where to focus their sensors within their assigned zone. To do this, I’m going to send an FCR Target Report. I have the TSD on my right MPD, I press the Report, or RPT, button at T1, just as when I would send a Present Position or FARM report in my previous videos. I then press TGT, or Target, at button L2, and I am now presented with some options for what kind of Target report I send. If I want to just send the 16 high-priority targets from my FCR page, I can select PRI. If I want to send all my FCR targets, I can select ALL. However, if I want to choose the targets I send in the Target report, I de-select PRI and ALL, and then I use my MPD cursor to select each individual target that I want to transmit. When I’m finished, I select the Primary member or members to send to and then press the Send button. Report sent. I’m going to have one of my colleagues, Chaos 2, send me an FCR Target Report from his FCR. I get the notification on the EUFD along with a ring tone, and so I press the Receive, REC, button on the main TSD page, and then select the FCR Target Report to accept the data. When I receive this target report, it overwrites all my FCR targets and only shows the targets I received. The FCR can only store one “snapshot” of the battlefield at any given time. So, if I were to do another FCR scan myself, I am now replacing the targets he sent me with a fresh FCR scan. It’s important to understand that although the FCR Target Report allows you to send a lot of FCR targets to multiple Primary members simultaneously, it cannot be used for direct targeting of the aircraft’s weapons. The Target report could be used for reconnaissance data, to maintain situational awareness, or to cue other aircraft sensors to FCR target locations. “Chaos 2”, go ahead and send me another FCR Target Report. Another way we can share targets is using the Radio Frequency Handoff, or RFHO, option on the FCR page. It is different from the FCR Target Report in that it sends a single FCR target to a single Primary member. However, the advantage of this type of message is it allows another AH-64D to directly engage that target without having line-of-sight on the target themselves. Now that I have some targets, I can select which target I want to send to my teammate, Chaos 2, using the MPD cursor or the NTS button on the FCR page. I can then press RFHO button along the right side of the FCR page. A menu displays my available Primary members, and when I select one and press SEND, that single target designated as my Next-To-Shoot is then sent to my colleague in the other AH-64D. I’ll now have him send an RFHO to me so we can see how this looks on the receiving end. There’s the notification of “RFHO” on the EUFD along with the ring tone. As with received Target Reports, I’ll press the Receive button on the TSD, select the RFHO message to accept it, and now you can see that all my FCR target data is replaced with the new data. However, this data only consists of a single target. Once I’ve accepted the RFHO, the next step is to select FCR as my sight, even if I’m in an AH-64 without an FCR installed. This allows me to engage this target just as if I used my own FCR to detect it. I action my missiles, which automatically are set to RF type since my sight is now FCR. I make sure I am in launch constraints, and then I fire. Although RFHOs are used to send a single target to a single Primary member, multiple RFHOs can be sent to each Primary member at any given time. I’ll do a new scan, find multiple targets out there, press RFHO, select my Primary member, and press SEND. Each time I press the SEND button, the NTS diamond advances to the next target in my shoot list, just as if I were launching the missiles myself. By repeating this sequence in a rapid manner, I can start sending these targets to each aircraft in my flight as I see fit. Now he’ll send me several RFHOs at once. I press Receive, accept the first RFHO, launch. Press Receive again, accept the next, launch again. And so on. As you can see, this makes several AH-64D’s an even more potent fighting force when just a single FCR aircraft is added to the flight. </video> <video> DCS: CH-47F | Introduction & Simple Cold Start Description: In this DCS video, I’m pleased to introduce you to our CH-47F and instruct you on how to start it up. Please note that the cold start instructions are valid for July 2024 but may change during development during the early access period. The CH-47F is a powerful and fast heavy-lift helicopter with a tandem rotor arrangement that can operate at high elevations. It has a long and distinguished service dating back decades, but our CH-47F is based on one operating in the 2011 to 2013 period. It has the capability to haul internal loads, including infantry, pallets, small vehicles, and it’s capable of moving large cargo using the external triple cargo hook system. It is powered by two T55-GA-714A engines that are each rated at 4,869 shaft horse power. You call, we haul! For self-defense, the CH-47F includes side-door and tail ramp gunners. It will also include a radar warning receiver, a missile warning system, and countermeasures. Please note that some of these will be included later in the early access period. The CH-47F is an exceptionally easy and natural helicopter to fly and includes a force trim system to alleviate sustained controlled forces on the cyclic and pedals. The Digital Advanced Flight Control System, DAFCS, will see feature additions during early access development like the flight director. As the mission of the CH-47F centers around transport, you’ll also be able to load and unload cargo. Let’s jump into the cockpit now. The pilot sits here in the right seat and the co-pilot sits in the left seat. Both seats feature cyclic for pitch and roll control, thrust control levers for adjusting rotor lift, and directional pedals to control yaw. The pilot on the controls is responsible for flight controls during Visual Meteorological Conditions, VMC, and maintains focus outside the aircraft to navigate, maneuver against threats, and avoid terrain hazards. The co-pilot, not on the controls, has the job has all the pilot in command controls and can assist with situational awareness and manage the navigation and communication systems, among other tasks. The cockpit can be broken down into four primary areas. The Center Console, the Canted Console with the Control Data Units, or CDUs, the Instrument Panel dominated by two Multi-Function Displays, or MFDs, for each pilot and a center, shared MFD, and the Overhead Panel. We’ll come back to these in the startup. Behind us is a mass of circuit breaks on the two Power Distribution Panels, or PDPs. Please consult the manual for a complete description of all the cockpit controls. Okay, that’s a brief introduction and general layout of the cockpit, let’s know how we start this bird up. Again, though, as the module develops, some of this may change. You can find a comprehensive list of all the interior prechecks, but for the sake of keeping this video short as possible, we’ll jump to starting up the hook. We’ll first need to start the Auxiliary Power Unit, or APU. This is a small engine in the aircraft that we’ll use to start the two engines. Looking up, we’ll use the overhead panel for the bulk of getting the engines started. ● Set the Battery (BATT) switch to ON. ● Verify that the UTIL PRES light is on. ● Set the APU switch to the RUN position for five seconds, then to the START position for two seconds, and then back to the RUN position. ● If you’ve successfully started the APU, the green APU RDY light will illuminate, and UTIL PRES light should extinguish within 30 seconds. ● Set the APU generator switch to ON. Now it’s finally time to start the engines. We’ll start with engine 1 and then engine 2. It’s best to start engine 2 within three minutes of starting engine 1 to avoid engine damage. ● Set the L MAIN FUEL pump switches to ON. ● Set the XFEED switch to OPEN to allow the left tank to feed both engines fuel. ● ENG COND lever to GROUND. ● Now press and hold the ENG START switch until the Ng is greater than 12% as indicated on the Powertrain MFD page, here. You can then release the switch and the engine 1 Ng should stabilize around 55% within 45 seconds. Oil pressure for engine 1 should be greater than 5 PSI. ● We’ll now repeat these steps for engine 2, again, within three minutes of starting engine 1. ● Next, advance the ENG COND levers to FLIGHT and the NR value for the rotor both engines should be 100%. ● With both engines running up to speed, set the GEN 1 and GEN 2 generator switches to ON. Wait two seconds between turning them on. ● We can now turn off the APU GEN as the engine generators provide all the power we need. ● Turn off the APU. ● Finally, we’ll check that all POWERTRAIN indications are in the green. In the next CH-47F video, we’ll learn about ground operations, taxi, and takeoff. </video> <video> DCS: AH-64D | Radar Air Targeting Mode Description: NOTE 1: Basic FCR Controls: https://youtu.be/ztLIr8tJJDg?si=IzHC1nC2EGnIk3LZ NOTE 2: Setting up Schemes: https://youtu.be/ztLIr8tJJDg?si=yxz4aNlvLlPL-kKK&t=436 In this DCS: AH-64D video, we’ll discuss the next mode for the Fire Control Radar, or FCR: The Air Targeting Mode, or ATM. When in ATM mode, the FCR will scan for and prioritize fixed wing aircraft and helicopters with as much as 360-degree coverage. Like all FCR modes, ATM can be used from either the Pilot or CP/G seat. In this video, we’ll do so from the Pilot seat. ATM mode is a helpful way to detect aerial threats and even attack other helicopters with Hellfires or the gun. As before, we’ll select FCR as the Sight and ATM as the FCR mode. We can set these in the Controls Manager for either the Pilot or CP/G, just use the Search function to find them. As you can see, ATM uses a circular, 360-degree Plan Position Indicator format with the centerline azimuth relative to your aircraft heading. The Field of Regard Box at the bottom is replaced with an indication of your upper and lower scan limit coverage in feet above ground level. Unlike other FCR modes, there is no automatic elevation control. You must enter it manually with the up and down arrows here. Below, you can see the relative elevation angle on the scale. Just like the other FCR modes, we can either transmit continuously or as a single scan burst based on the selected scan volume. When not scanning, you can select the scan area with the Wide, Medium, Narrow, and Zoom FCR items for the FCR. If not in Wide, you have left and right arrows to offset the scan volume. As mentioned before, you must manually control the scan elevation of the FCR when in ATM. If the elevation is too low though and you are trying to scan behind the aircraft, you’ll see a blanking symbol representing the scan area that is blocked by the tail. Last, the Priority Scheme can be configured to determine prioritization in how targets are displayed. Targets inside a Priority Fire Zone, PFZ, are prioritized above all others and those inside a No Fire Zone are the least prioritized. When the Scheme is set to A or B, stationary helicopters are prioritized over moving aircraft and when set to C, moving aircraft are prioritized over stationary helicopters. Between multiple moving aircraft, those flying toward you are priority over those flying away and helicopters will be prioritized over fixed-wing aircraft. One final note on an item that seems to have caused some confusion: the US-operated AH-64D we simulate in DCS never used Stinger missiles operationally. Whilst some foreign operated AH-64D do, we are simulating the US version. Also keep in mind that the winglet stations that Stingers would be mounted to are in fact occupied by countermeasure warning system sensors. </video> <video> DCS: F-16C Viper | FLCS Dead Zone and Stick Gradient Option Description: In this short DCS: F-16C Viper video, we’ll be discussing the new option to select how the control stick Flight Control System dead zone and force gradient is calculated. Until now, the dead zone and force gradient has been calculated based on the actual F-16C FLCS input logic. However, this has been best used with Force Sensitive sticks, and not self-centering, spring-loaded sticks that the vast majority of DCS pilots use. In the last update, we added the option to either use the actual dead zone and force gradient settings for the F-16C or one that mimics your Axis Tuning values. Select the Option gear icon, then the Special Tab, and finally the F-16C. When enabled for pitch and roll, the actual FLCS control gradient is used, and best for force sensing sticks. When not enabled, it uses a linear gradient and best for traditional self-centering sticks. When enabled, the pitch dead zone is also set to a realistic value of 4.375% and roll dead zone of 5.9%, but again, this is best used for force sensitive sticks. If not enabled, the dead zone will mimic your Axis Tuning dead zone setting. Please be careful when setting the dead zone if you are not sure about the centering of your joystick. A dead zone setting of just 0% could result in commanded inputs like disabling autopilot. Remember that even a little control stick input can result in disabling the autopilot. From the Special Tab, you also can manually set pitch and roll dead zone values. We hope that this improvement will better allow players, regardless of their control stick type, to get the maximum performance out of their DCS Viper. </video> <video> DCS: Supercarrier Deck Crew Update Description: Updated Supercarrier Guide: https://forum.dcs.world/topic/228670-dcs-supercarrier-mini-updates/#findComment-5554122 Hey everyone, Wags here from Eagle Dynamics. In this DCS: Supercarrier update, we’ll be looking at the new deck crew feature that allow plane directors, yellow shirts, to direct player and AI aircraft from parking locations to catapults and from the landing area to a parking location. This is supported in both single player and multiplayer with the option to disable. We’re currently behind the six pack and waiting for the division ahead of us to launch. I’ve already got the APU running and have completed my checks. To start the new deck crew, launch procedures, we need to alert them by either selecting the Salute command from the Ground Crew radio menu or pressing the Left Control + Left Shift + Left Alt + S key combination route. If you decide to use the hot key, you may certainly wish to bind to a simpler key press in the Controls set up for Supercarrier. Our plane captain has now given us the engine start signal, and we have an “Awaiting engine startup” message. Let’s crank the right engine. Once we do, the message will be removed and replace with an “Awaiting salute gesture message”, meaning, the when next give the Salute command, we are indicating our readiness to taxi. With that done, I’m going to skip ahead to the next phase. When we are ready to taxi, we’ll give the Salute command again, and the plane captain will hand us off to the plane director ahead of us, marked with the purple icon over his head. As mentioned earlier, these helper icons are optional. At this point, we precisely follow the plan directors as the pass between each leg of the route to the catapult. Trust the directors, even if you think they are going to taxi you off the deck. Deck crew direction is quite similar after landing, and it will direct you from the box to a parking location. Once landed and the hook and flaps are raised, you must then taxi forward and not immediately taxi out of the box with no direction. Once you taxi ahead, a plane director will direct you out of the box and hand you off to the next director. If you wish to rearm, refuel, repair, or re-launch, you must first taxi and stop at the directed parking spot. Do not taxi directly to a catapult. Once at the parking spot, you will be rotated 180-degrees, and a menu appears that gives you the mentioned options. You can toggle this on or off by pressing Left Control + Left Alt + Left Shift + P. If the route to the catapult becomes blocked, you will be teleported to a different parking spot with clear route to a catapult. If you get stuck or just want to skip the taxi process, you can press Left Control + Left Alt + Left Shift + T to teleport to the parking spot. While we’re waiting, let’s go over some important points: From the Controls, Supercarrier tab, we have several new options that include the ability to enable this new deck crew feature, or only just the deck crew around the catapults as before. The ability to toggle purple helper icons over the active plane director. Toggle on or off deck taxi messages. Limit your maximum speed on the deck and have simplified signals. We’ve changed how wheel chocks work. They will now only be removed once taxi clearance has been given. It’s very important to follow plane director orders as carefully as possible and only launch from the catapult directed. When in multiplayer, we strongly recommend conducting launch and recovery operations at the same time. Better to complete all of one operation before doing the other. If not, there could be plane director errors. When landing, it’s also very important to contact carrier ATC and follow instructions properly. To not do so will cause wave offs. </video> <video> DCS: AH-64D | TADS to FCR Target Slaving, SHOT Page, and FCR Target Points Description: DCS: AH-64D - https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/modules/ah-64d/ NOTE 1. Yes, we plan to allow George to engage with the FCR, but only after we complete FCR development. Also, once the FCR is complete, we will add new datalink functions between aircraft. For now, AH-64D to AH-64D datalink is multiplayer-only. NOTE 2. We will later add LINK mode that will slave the TADS to the FCR NTS. NOTE 3. We will add the FCR to the reloading/refueling pop-up. This is currently planned for the January 2024 Open Beta update but is subject to change based on testing. NOTE 4. As always, these videos provide a preview of an upcoming feature to assist you in understanding a new feature. Later, it is quite possible that the feature will change, and the feature functionality has changed. As much as I’d like to, I lack the time re-record these videos. In this DCS: AH-64D video, we’ll discuss sending and receiving attack results over the datalink for better coordination between flight members. Once the battle is over, the flight lead can collect BDA Reports, or Battle Damage Assessments. As you probably noticed, each time you fire a missile, a green X appears on the FCR page, and on the TSD page if you have it set to Attack phase. These represent target locations that have been engaged with missiles, which you then review on the TSD SHOT page. It’s important to understand that these reports only indicate that a missile has been fired at a target, it does not indicate if the target was actually destroyed. In the second half of this video, we’ll discuss how to set FCR contacts as Target Points and ways to slave the TSD to an FCR-identified target. To view my own SHOT file, I’ll press COORD at T5, then press SHOT at T6. Each target location that I shot a missile at will display its corresponding target symbol, the missile type as RF for a radar-guided missile, SAL for a laser-guided missile, the time that I launched the missile, and the coordinates of the target. Note that these locations are recorded for all missiles, regardless of whether they were radar-guided or laser-guided variants, and regardless of whether I engaged with the FCR or the TADS. However, an Unknown square symbol will always be displayed for any engagements that are performed using the TADS, since only the FCR is able to classify a target type. If I want to send my SHOT file to another flight member, I can do so on the TSD Report page. I select the main TSD page, select RPT at T1, and select BDA at L1. I have several options to choose from. I can send my own SHOT file to my Primary members by selecting OWN, or I can send ALL SHOT files on board my aircraft. When ALL is selected, the BDA report will include my own SHOT file as well as any other SHOT files that I’ve received from other flight members, allowing me to forward them to other flights as necessary. Alternatively, I can request a BDA report from my teammate in the other aircraft, which I’ll do by toggling the MSG type from SEND to RQST (Request), select his callsign, and then press SEND. His system will automatically send me the data in reply to my request. Now, you can see additional green X symbols that are displayed in a dim green, which represent the locations that he has engaged. If I return to the SHOT page, I can now see entries that are labeled as “DL”, for datalink SHOT files, in addition to my own SHOT file entries labeled as “OWN”. If I wanted to delete any SHOT file entries received over the datalink, I can press the DEL button on the left side. But I can’t delete any of my own. I also want to go over how to store FCR targets as TSD Target points. This can be particularly useful if you intend to gather reconnaissance data on enemy positions which you intend to send to other AH-64D’s or to bring back with you for follow-on missions. Since the FCR data is overwritten after each scan, storing FCR targets in this manner can be a small but crucial capability that can pay dividends for large-scale missions. You could also slave the TADS to the Target point to visually see if the target was destroyed. The FCR has no idea of a detected unit is destroyed or not. The quickest way to store TSD targets from the FCR data is by pressing the TGT, or Target, button at L4 on the FCR page. When this is opened, the first Target point index that is unoccupied will be displayed on the right. I could cursor-select each FCR target I wish to store, but I’m in a hurry so I’m just going to select ALL and the entire 16 target shoot list is now stored, which is reflected in the list on the right. Note that this function will only work if there are unoccupied Target points between T01 and T49. If T01-T49 are already occupied by target or threat points, FCR targets cannot be stored using TGT on the FCR page. </video> <video> DCS: CH-47F Taxi and Takeoff Description: Pre=Purchase at save 30% from: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/shop/modules/ch-47f/ NOTE 1: Note that some of the performance characteristic like aircraft attitude will change once we refine the LCT, DAFCS, and add feathering. For example, less nose-down attitude in forward flight and auto-coordinated turns. NOTE 2. This is a simple taxi and takeoff video that is simply based on the early access release version. Items will change and be added. So, a full, by-the-book video will come later once all the pieces are in place. NOTE 3: Please find the DCS: CH-47F Guide here: https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/downloads/documentation/dcs-ch47f_early_access_guide_en/ As you probably already noticed, I’m dealing with a summer cold, so please excuse the voice. Picking up from the simplified start video based of what is required to start the Hook in DCS at its initial release, we’ll now discuss taxi, and two types of takeoff. Like the startup, we’ll just focus on what is required in the game at initial launch. You can find the complete, real procedures in the CH-47F Guide. Also, I’m sorry that that this video took so long following the simple, stat up video. Before I could record this video, we wanted to tune the unique takeoff performance and characteristics to more closely match the real aircraft. Although there is further work to do on this front, I think you’ll find the Hook a very easy aircraft hover and takeoff. First, on the overhead panel, we’ll enable the remaining fuel pumps, and we can turn off the fuel crossfeed switch. Note that you do have a Flight Engineer position by pressing the 3 key, but this crew member’s duties are all outside the cockpit. To taxi, the Hook’s aft, right wheel is hydraulically powered when in steering mode, and the other aft wheel follow suit. This allows the helicopter to maneuver in rather small spaces. The hydraulically powered wheel can be steered with the control knob on the center console in the cabin. These also allow much lower power settings and thus reducing rotor wash when taxiing. Before taxiing, make sure that the chocks are pulled and that the parking brake is all the way in. If we wanted to set the parking brake, we’d need to first depress the brake pedals and then pull out the parking brake handle. Make sure that the SWIVEL switch is set to STEER and slowly raise the thrust lever, not called a collective in the Hook, to start forward movement. Raise and lower the thrust lever to control taxi speed and you can use the wheel brakes. In the game, you could also adjust Cyclic pitch to adjust speed. Just be careful to not to overdo it as the aft wheels could come off the ground with too much back Cyclic. Note that this is not something you’d generally do in the real Hook. To steer, rotate the STEER knob to steer the aircraft. You may wish to bind this control to a set of key presses or an axis. You can also lock the steering or have the wheels freely swivel. When you complete your taxi, set the switch to LOCK. For this lesson, we’ll be relying on the Instrument Page. I’ve brought it up on my right display. In the center is the Vertical Situation Display, or VSD, and the Horizontal Situation Display, or HSD. Below is our Skid/Slip indicator, the radar altimeter is in the bottom right corner, the barometric altimeter is right above it along the right side of the display, airspeed is along the left side of the display. When taxing on all four wheels, make sure the Longitudinal Cyclic Trim (LCT) switch is set to AUTO and the Digital Advanced Flight Control System (DAFCS) to OFF. Set the DAFCS to BOTH shortly before takeoff. For a VMC takeoff on an improved surface, like we are, we’ll release brakes and keep the cyclic and pedals centered as we slowly pull power. We’ll start to roll forward and lift off all four wheels at the same time. Push the Cyclic forward and establish a negative five-degree pitch and release the force trim switch and center the cyclic to command this cyclic. Note you’ll need to keep on the pedals to control your heading. Using Cyclic pitch changes, you can adjust your airspeed and climb rate at around 500 feet per minute and adjust the thrust level to command altitude. Use the pedals to maintain heading. Once over 50 feet, trim the aircraft with a centered trim ball on the Skid/Slip indicator. Takeoff from a hover is quite similar. First though, ensure that the LCT Trim switch is set to AUTO and AFCS is BOTH. Set the cyclic an inch and a half aft and the center the pedals. Slowly pull power and feed in forward cyclic before sliding aft. Continue climbing in a hover. Once we add full LCT support, this will be even easier. Once ready, pitch forward with the cyclic five degrees to get forward airspeed but add a little power to compensate. When at the desired speed and attitude, set trim. That’s it. In the next video, we’ll look at landing the Hook. </video>

Contacts and Links

Description

Senior Producer, Eagle Dynamics SA
System: i9 13900K, RTX 4090, 64 GB RAM no overclocking, as of 22 February 2023
VPC MongoosT-50CM3 Throttle
Orion2 F-16EX Viper Joystick Combo (With Shake Kits)
Orion Joystick Base
Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog base plate

DCS Video Settings

Max FPS set to 138 to match monitor refresh.

Sharpening = 0
Textures = High
Terrain Textures = High
Shadows = High
Flat Shadow Blur = On
Secondary Shadows = On
Visib. Range = Extreme
Civ. Traffic = High
Clouds = Ultra
Water = High
SSAO = Off
SSLR = Off
Lens Effects = Dirt+Flare
Heat Blur = Off
Motion Blur = Off
Motion Blur Amount = 0
Depth of Field = Off
Screenshot Format = JPG
Color Grading LUT = LUT_OFF
Clutter/Grass = 1500
Forest Visibility = 100%
Forest Details Factor = 1
Scenery Details Factor = 1
Preload Radius = 150000
Chimney Smoke = 5
Anisotropic Filtering = 16x
Terrain Object Shadow = Default
Cockpit Global Illumination = On
Messages Font Scale = 1
Scale GUI = 1
Rain Droplets = On
Vsync = Off

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