LOMACs A-10

[Hogpen13]

I have seen, and responded to, a number of posts on the A-10 and it seems a lot of people don’t really know what to expect from LOMAC’s A-10. Well, I thought I would set the record straight before the demo or sim release so you know what to expect in LOMAC’s A-10 Thunderbolt II.

 

What you will be getting is a mid-ninety’s LASTE version 4.0 (Low Altitude Safety and Target Enhancement system) equipped aircraft. What is LASTE and version 4.0? LASTE was an upgrade to the A-10, which began in 1990 and finished around 1992. The most important features LASTE added to the Hog was/are, A simple auto pilot which will hold the aircraft on altitude and heading, a radar altimater system which is tied into the bombing computer improving the bomb accuracy of dumb bombs and the gun, and a GCAS (Ground Collision Avoidance System).

 

Version 4.0 means just what it sounds like, version 4.0 of the LASTE software which runs the LASTE system. Normally the first version of this software will be V 1.0 but because of issues I will not go into here the A-10 started with V 3.0, with 4.0 coming along in the mid-nineties. Just like in the civilian software business and because of inputs from both pilots and maintainers, computer software can be rewritten to improve it’s operation or change functions to better meet the needs of the Hog drivers and maintainers. A good example is the maverick HUD symbol can be changed to display needed info in a better or user-friendlier manner.

 

There are minor changes made every year with major rewrites about every five years. Why do I tell you all this? So you understand that the software V has a big impact on the functions and displays in the A-10 or any military aircraft for that matter from year to year. So, why V 4.0 in LOMAC when we are operating V 6.0 (5.0 was a minor V) today? Simple, because there’s more unclassified data available on version 4.0 than 6.0 and they could build a more accurate sim with all the data that’s available.

 

A side affect of using an earlier version is you also want the other aircraft systems to match the time-period so you are simulating a real aircraft at one point in time and not a hybrid aircraft from several time-periods. So what do you have, a mid-ninety’s LASTE V 4.0 aircraft with all the associated systems.

 

What does this mean you will not get, you will not get NVGs, NVG lighting both external and cockpit, EGI (Embedded GPS/ING) CMS (Common Missile warning System), Litening II pod, or other smaller mods still in work on the A-10.

 

You will get an A-10 which has served for over 20+ years and numerous conflicts including Desert Storm, without the above systems and a simulation which accurately models an A-10 at one point in time, the mid-nineties

 

 

I will be off-line for a few hours but will be back late to answer any questions

[snapple2993]

As long as it fly's I'm happy...