DCS F-16C Fighting Falcon

[Phantom88]

"DCS: F-16C Block 50 and Other News

DCS: F-16C Update

As mentioned in our yearly wrap up, one of our biggest projects for this year is the legendary F-16C Fighting Falcon, also called the Viper. In parallel with the Hornet, we already have a sub-team working on the Viper that includes programmers who have completed their Hornet tasks. Much of their focus is currently on the flight model, Flight Control System (FLCS), cockpit and the external model. Using much of what we learned with the Hornet, progress has been good, and is in no way slowing down Hornet completion.

As we pour the concrete, we can start to pass along some of our plans. Please remember they are plans, not timeline promises.

Our Viper will be an F-16C with the Common Configuration Implementation Program (CCIP) upgrade. We feel this to be the most versatile version of the F-16 with capabilities for SEAD, precision attack, close air support, anti-ship, and of course air-to-air. We will be taking great care though to develop a very accurate simulation of the F-16C Block 50 operated by the United States Air Force and Air National Guard circa 2007.

Core systems of our F-16C include:

• F-110-GE-129 turbofan engine
• AN/APG-68(V)5 multi-mode radar
• AN/ALR-56M Radar Warning Receiver
• AN/ALQ-131/184 ECM pods
• CCIP (Common Configuration Implementation Program) update
• ALE-47 countermeasure system

This will be a massive project, so we will separate it into two phases: Phase 1 Early Access release and then Phase 2 Product Sustainment.

Phase 1 Early Access Release:

• Color Multifunction Display (CMFD) symbology, Horizontal Situation Display (HSD) format, and Head-up Display (HUD) symbology
• Digitally TACAN and Electronic Horizontal Situation Indicator (EHSI)
• BDU-33, BDU-50LD/HD, Mk-82LDGP, Mk-82AIR, Mk-84LDGP, BLU-109/B, CBU-87 CEM, and CBU-97 SFW unguided bombs
• 2.75” rockets LAU-68 and LAU-131
• Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS)
• AIM-9L/M/P/X Sidewinder
• AIM-120B/C AMRAAM
• M61A1 20mm cannon

Phase 2 Product Sustainment:

• Multifunctional Information Distribution System (MIDS)
• Link 16 Data Link
• AGM-65D/G/H/K Maverick
• AGM-88C HARM
• AN/ASQ-213 HARM Targeting System (HTS)
• Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pod
• GBU-10, GBU-12, GBU-24A/B laser-guided bombs
• BRU-57/A Smart Rack
• CBU-103 CEM and CBU-105 SFW Inertially Aided Munitions (IAM)
• GBU-31/A, GBU-32, and GBU-38/B JDAM
• AGM-154/A and /B JSOW
• AGM-158/A JASSM
• Integration of the JHMCS with the HARM Targeting System (HTS), Link 16, and AIFF
• ALE-50 towed decoy

As this project accelerates, we will be providing updates to keep you abreast of our progress to this much awaited addition to DCS World.

[Victory103]

I'll probably barely have the Tomcat landings mastered and then the Viper drops, like my current payware P3D set up, too many modules and not enough time.

[StormILM]

Falcon 5.0? lol!

[Flapsfull]

While it is nice and will doubtlessly please a lot of people, that this airplane gets implemented , I have to say I' m not that happy with the general approach
ED is seemingly taking towards developement of DCS these days.

Its just my personal opinion, but it seems to me that this is becoming more and more a hype-driven simulator with the developement team already in over their head(capacity-wise) with the complexity of the F-18 ,
which will doubtlessly keep large chunks of developement capacities blocked for a long time to come instead of other stuff and now another new complex 4th gen fbw fighter?

Yes I know, transfer of technology from the F-18 and so on, but I don't see it releasing earlier than 2020 , and with release I mean early access.

In meantime, the core sim is left to languish, with long overdue basic items not getting fixed or much needed improvement, e.g. the dedicated MP servers (announced for autumn 2018, same as MAC ) or the
awful AI air combat performance, further degraded by the simplified flight models attached to the AI. Not to speak of optimizations to the graphic engine of the sim.

Well I know, this is probably looking like a major rant, but I think fixing these basic items would really boost the quality of the entire sim much more than adding another single hype driven module.

But, of course it's ED train set and they can do what they like with it and probably need to generate enough revenue along the way too.

Kind regards,

Oliver

[Mach3DS]

I love DCS world. I agree with you about the AI Flight models. Most Modules are fantastic. Every aircraft is basically PMDG/VRS quality. And the flight models for the user flown Aircraft are better than anything I've flown in P3D. apart from VRS Bug or MV F-100D. The Graphics engine is already better than P3Dv4. There's a lot going on with lots of active development. They absolutely need to bring on more developers. They are are suffering in that regard. But Honestly I only ever flew in teh NTTR in P3D, so for me, this is fantastic. Love the Persian Gulf map. I love the native post processing effects like motion blur with head movements. It's so immersive, despite it's imperfections.

I fly online with my squadron mostly so I don't really suffer from the Saturn V AI behavior....but if you flind a group to fly with, you'll find it is a completely different experience.

[Phantom88]

Cheers friends,All valid points and opinions,I believe it was little more than a year ago that DCS had a massive overhaul of the game engine,New terrain,Lighting and Explosions to name a few.
The Sim is not perfect,We know that,but really,What other choice do we have?
Is there anything on the market now that covers modern era aerial combat as in depth and high fidelity as DCS does?

The Hornet was released in (EA)Early Access in May of last year,It has gotten almost weekly updates since it's release,I for one would hate to wait another 1 or 2 years till it was fully developed to enjoy it on my PC,I'm very happy with the realistic pace of the aircraft's development.

With The popularity The Falcon has World Wide,As it is flown as a staple in many nations Air forces,It's no wonder DCS put other aircraft (F4 Phantom) on the back burner to develop The Viper.

As has been stated above Much of the same development technology/systems modeling/coding will be transferred from Hornet to Falcon,saving lots of development time.
More $$ Coming into the Sim means more can be invested into upgrading it.
The Viper as The next DCS Aircraft is a WIN,WIN in my opinion.This as someone who desperately was looking forward to a High Fidelity F4 Phantom and is disappointed that it got pushed back,But I do understand the business side of "Falcon First" DCS Decision.

[Stickshaker]

I fully agree, Rick and Patrick! Combat aircraft simmers never had it so good! Life will never be perfect, but I can live with it.