MigBuster

I am sure our glorious leaders are very sorry for this mess Remains to be seen whether the Taliban can keep AQ and ISIS at bay or even if they are going to be a bit more democratic/liberal this time............... but I wont be putting any money on it. If it wasn't such a catastrophe for the Astan people this BBC text could be a "Yes Minister" Sketch:

Bagram AB has gone and Kabul is surrounded so afraid not much Curbing of the Taliban will be taking place.

I expect people are falling off their chairs with surprise. The evacuation from Embassies seems familiar.........cannot quite place it.

Doubtful BMS has about 30+ different F-16 versions by default where as DCS has one............a 2007 USAF F-16C Block 50 only.

If you have the time then suggest learning something new..............the FA-18 with Link 16 makes A-A a cinch and has Helmet mounted HOBS missiles so thus dominate modern A-A scenarios. Eurofighter will be the same but rumours Meteor will be added so you can be king of the airquake servers I guess. I would say that JF-17 is actually one of the best DCS modules by far so worth considering.

The ODS Dev team is proud to announce the second official release of Operation Desert Storm: 30th Anniversary Edition, now reaching version 0.9.5. Six months had passed since the first release of January 17th 2021, six months in which the development team did not rest, producing a wealth of tweaks, bug fixes and exclusive, brand new additions to this comprehensive package. Unwanted bugs found their way in the January release, due to time constraints and the team wanting to meet the deadline in time for the 30th anniversary of this historic operation. Now we offer a much more refined and expanded experience, with quality of life improvements and welcome bonuses. Be sure to read the massive (albeit summarized) change log (Operation Desert Storm: 30th Anniversary Edition - Early Access) to learn more about all of the efforts that went into this new release. The package is free for download to all official Modders and Subscribers of the site. Those whose 2021 6-month subscription plans expired have been granted access to the package at no extra cost. Users who acquired the mod via a 1-month subscription plan will have to renew it for access to this brand new release. CombatACE.com admins thank you for your support towards the monthly costs of the site. From the Official announcement:

There has been some musing from the pres that the US will try to assist the Astan from afar.............and afar really does seem to mean that. Maybe they will stay in touch with MS Teams or Zoom! https://choice.npr.org/index.html?origin=https://www.npr.org/2021/05/17/997494815/the-u-s-looks-to-support-the-afghan-military-from-over-the-horizon Glad I saved this from 2014:

The Sukhoi Checkmate project - official video

Countdown https://checkmate.uacrussia.ru/

Looks like that has been deleted but there is some speculation here: https://theaviationist.com/2021/07/18/new-image-checkmate-design/ Video https://t.me/s/istorijaoruzija

20th July at MAKS 2001 https://theaviationist.com/2021/07/15/russia-checkmate/ https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zon...ssian-air-show

Other than installing it I have the following ticked.....not sure if this is still essential though.

Ever thought about a career as a Sports commentator.

Info is from F-102 Delta Dagger Units (p75 Osprey 2020)

Politics and pettiness have always been part of aircraft and weapon procurement and that wont change....the guys in the field can make the recommendations but if those who hold the budget have other ideas then........... The F-4 setup of AIM-4 was clearly unusable in most typical SEA engagements however F-102A was still set up as a pure interceptor so even they needed to get the missile ready before use. In the one engagement (Feb 68) the guy that did not get shot down apparently fired 3 x AIM-4Ds and all missed.............sounds like it was the start of the engagement and before his wingman was hit......but anyway.

Very good advice and applies to all sims I have ever played Takes effort to train yourself so you might find most casual gamers cant be bothered.

It is a free upgrade so expect many will take it up.

Have you seen this new free to play thing?

As Menrva states.not seeing any change...............Windows 64 bit OSs have been running 32 bit applications in a kind of 64 bit emulation (WoW64) for years so probably nothing to worry about but looks like we might get to try it this year as a free upgrade. The final two sections on this video are useful regarding specs and requiring switching on TPM chips to run....and Win 10 is currently supported to 2025 at least.

The latest iteration of the Billion Soft Falcon 4.0 total conversion modification - Benchmark Sims 4.35 U2 - is available for you to enjoy as of RIGHT NOW! BMS 4.35 U2 requires a legit installation of a Falcon 4.0 (all older and newer versions are accepted alike, i.e. Microprose, Hasbro, GOG, Steam, Retroism). The check is performed both at setup time and every time you start BMS. If no valid installation is found, BMS will exit with a corresponding error message. U2 is an incremental update on top of 4.35 base + U1, so you need to have the BMS 4.35 Full Installer package and Update 1 available on your PC. You can both update your existing 4.35 base + U1 installation as well as perform a fresh 4.35 base + U1 + U2 installation from scratch, as you like. See the installation instructions below for details. This mod may not be used for any commercial purposes. Any such use may constitute a violation of the intellectual property of Billion Soft (Hong Kong) Limited and the non-commercial Terms and Conditions under which Benchmark Sims make this mod available to you. Generic Information & Known issues: =================================== — The build number string in the Falcon UI will read "4.35.2 (x64) Build 23835" after the update. — The shortcuts in the start menu and on your desktop will NOT be renamed to U2, they will still read "Falcon BMS 4.35" after the update, feel free to rename them manually. — The following change log is by no means complete. Its purpose is to give you a quick overview about the highlights. You can expect tons of smaller tweaks and fixes. — If you have any questions or found bugs regarding the change log items please always! reference the revision number, e.g. "(r12345)". — Note: None of the manuals have been updated yet. The 4.35.1 manuals remain valid. File Updates: ============= - Falcon BMS.cfg - IVC Client.ini - RTTClient.ini - RTTServer.ini - Key Files - Note: Please always update the files manually. Don't copy paste! Table of content: ================= 01. CTD fixes 02. Falcon BMS.cfg changes 03. Shared Memory changes 04. Tool updates 05. Key File & Input fixes & updates 06. Multiplayer fixes & improvements 07. ATC fixes & improvements 08. Weather fixes & improvements 09. Various code fixes & improvements 10. Various data fixes & improvements 01. CTD fixes: ============== - Fixed CTDs related to gndai. (r23563) - Fixed CTDs after map erase, iterator is invalided for that position. (r23591) - Avoid dangling pointer after deleting pn->subPartData. (r23592) - CTD fix when pilot nid is above hardcoded 686. (r23637) - Fixed gndai waypoint CTD. (r23646) - CTD fix in the whole ATC state machine, rule out helos from ATC entirely. (r23681) - CTD fix in landme (null ptr check). (r23702) - Locked simloop UpdateATC, since this can be called from campaign thread (race condition CTD). (r23765) - Fixes alpha CTD due to different viewports. (r23432) - Fixes nullptr PAKmap CTD. (r23348) - CTD fix, related to nullptr insertion of GroupDrawLists. (r23356) - Fix for pure virtual CTDs. (r23389) - Tons of other CTD fixes. 02. Falcon BMS.cfg changes: =========================== - Added missing lines in the Falcon BMS.cfg (r14319): * set g_nRespawnTimeforStuckAI (default 6 minutes). ReagTimer and DeagTimer adjusted accordingly. * set g_bHostDisableP2pForDubiousConnections (default 0/false). Should be activated for large MP events. Note: - U2 *does* replace your existing config file. Do *not* make a backup! - Instead, re-configure from scratch based on the new file, otherwise you'll miss new config options. 03. Shared Memory changes ========================= NONE 04. Tool updates ================ - Fixed the BMS Editor 'Model Viewer' (r23421) 05. Key File & Input fixes & updates ==================================== NONE 06. Multiplayer fixes & improvements ==================================== NONE 07. ATC fixes & improvements ============================ - Make sure DigitalBrain rWindex is aligned with the ATC / Airbase in the whole landme function. (r23681) - ATCMsg is missing a break statement. In case of lParked, info can be destroyed and default case will access it. - Fix for ATCBrain::GetOppositeRunway (r23629) - pointer in ATCBrain::ProcessQueue() gets deleted twice. (r23652) - Fix in ATCBrain: Pointer nextTakeoff may become dangling during function. (r23660) 08. Weather fixes & improvements ================================ NONE 09. Various code fixes & improvements: ====================================== Note: The following changes may include data & 3ddb updates as well. - Fixed ground Units not reaggregating and memory corruption as well. (r23506) - Fixed ObjectLOD races -> missing cockpit and model problems. (r23562) - Fixed repairing code in campaign thread. It will now send a message to SimLoop thread and all clients to repair the given feature. (r23564) - Fix Squadron stores ressuply when aircraft are coming back home. (r23580) - Added critical section during ObjectLOD::Unload.This can avoid a leak, in the case of unload/load/unload sequences. (r23593) - Fix for out of bounds access in the O_Output WordWrap function. (r23606) - Prevent accessing the team array out of bounds. (r23607) - Avoid buffer overflow write, which caused memory corrupption in SetAcLoadout. (r23611) - Fixed TGP being blocked after loosing a flight element. (r23611) - When movieClose is called, we can release the surface twice, causing undefined behavior. (r23621) - BaseBrain lastTarget is not referencing the object it points to. As a result, it may become dangling when targetPtr is dereferenced. (r23627) - Fixed UI_UpdateOccupationMap (r23637) - Fixes deadlock due to ArrestorDraw. (r23639) - Fix for SimVehicleClass::Sleep is not nulling death message. (r23661) - Make sure to call ClearTarget on SimBrain destructor, to avoid leaks. (r23664) - Fix for Weapon fire msg is converting helicopter to aircraft. (r23665) - Fixed overruns within the 3D-interpolationfunction (MissileClass::GetRMax, GetRneMax and GetRopt)when it tries to access the assumed 3D-data. (r23692) - Added precondition checks and fixes in 1, 2 and 3D-interpolation function. (r23693) - Fixed bogus values being read outside the data table array. (r23693) - Fixed memory leak in SimWeapon::launcher. (r23718) - Fixed bad cockpit text drawing outside Start and Finish frame. (r23726) - Fixed memory corruption in CameraDrawList. (r23727) - Fixed zero devision in GetRMax. (r23736) - Fix to avoid deleting any waypoint from SimVehicleClass which is shared with gNavigationSys waypoints. (r23737) - Avoid dispatcher races (UI and campaign for example) when leaving campaign or 3d (depending on game type). (r23739) - Added Copy paste functionality in edit box and chat command line. (r23755) - AIM120 fixes: That makes MADDOG shots a defensive of WVR mode as expected. (r23761) * MADDOG : goes active as soon as off the rail and scan with a limited range capability * MADDOG : does not loft anymore since has no information on range when fired * HOJ : HOJ is only capable when the missile went active - Fixed AI reacting to missile too early when missile was in HPRF instead of MPRF. (r23762) - Fixed out of bounds fix in ooutput: when SetText is called on an existing O_Output. (r23770) - Fixed Terrain loading race. (r23774) - Fixed Shadow map was not being cleared after sundown. (r23792) - Fixed race possibilities while exiting campaign/TE. (r23795) - Fixes nan values due to InJetWash computation. (r23435) - Fix Heat Blur positioning and velocity when aircraft is in Idle. (r23401) - Fix heat Blur not oriented correctly with vectoring thrust. (r23401) - And many, many more. 10. Various data fixes & improvements: ====================================== Note: The following changes may include code & 3ddb updates as well. - Updated ambiant light since we have real moon now. (r14084) - Fixed TracersGreen and TracersRed missing alpha channel. (r14141) - Fixed Al-Tariq bomb : mimic the GBU-54 instead of the GBU-12. (r14142) - Fixed F18 series totally out of control while landing. (r14186) - F-16 Cockpits updated. (r14333) * Made flight control stick move (very little) * Fixed seat adjustment switch. Now it has the washer and jam nut on the sidewall to hold the switch. * Added more switches on the 2 seater F-16s for more real life accuracy. * Textures updated. - Fixed JFS Start does not work in all non F-16 cockpits. (r14339) - Fixed Unit Flight's element for ASW, ECM, Recon and Tanker types. (r14340) - Updated American F-16 CCIP pit avionics panel to the more correct panel. (r14347) - Fixed RSAF F-16 IFF panel. Digits were not working. (r14347) - Fixed F-16 Sufa cockpit. Changed from Aux Comm to IFF panel. (r14350) - Cleaned up some texture misalignments on the night lighting and missing backlighting in some areas of some cockpits. (r14360) - Disabled the MAP switch on the PXIII F-16 since it is not used. GPS switch now moves instead of the GPS and MAP switch. Hotspot updated. (r14360) - Fixed Sufa Altimeter (6 digit). Was only showing 1/2 the digits. (r14360) - Fixed ALS for Kimhae RWY 36R that had one element in the middle of the Taxiway A. (r14365) - Updated shaders. (r14370) - All Hotas Basic key files are now available in the UI Controllers Setup "Load Keyboard". (r14375) - Fixed F-16 EAF incorrect AGM65G loadout. (r14377) - Various Texture updates.

Good question............what is the source for their Gunsight? I don't have any images but it is described as being a centre dot and an outer circle of ten Diamond shaped dots for the C. From an A manual but corresponds to the number of diamonds.

11 June 2021 Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends, It is with great pleasure that we announce 2.7 has moved to DCS World Stable. We would like to thank you for your continued support and detailed bug reports. Today, we are also introducing a new Free to Play program that lets you evaluate all of our modules (aircraft and maps) for 14 days. You can play each module sequentially for 14 days or any number of them at a time. Once you have ‘consumed’ the 14 days, you will be given another 14 day free trial period for all modules six months later. Enjoy the offer and please tell your friends! DCS: F-16C Viper has been receiving some important attention. Recently, the GBU-31 and GBU-38 JDAM bombs have been added, and they are currently in internal testing. We are working at full power to iron out existing Air-to-Air Radar and Navigation System bugs, and these fixes should be released soon to an Open Beta. In April, we conducted preliminary CFD research of R-27 missiles family aerodynamics. The focus of this research was zero-lift drag correction and missile ballistic refinement. Please read our R-27 Missile Family Report. Thank you for your passion and support. Yours sincerely, Eagle Dynamics Team Free Trials 14 Day Access Fly the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet for two weeks and then DCS: F-16C Viper for another two. You can download new terrains at the same time, whatever you fancy. Each module will give you 14 days to evaluate and enjoy them without any limitations or obligations. If you’ve tried a module and aren’t 100% certain about purchasing, you can re-evaluate six months later. Campaigns are excluded. And for all newcomers to DCS, you can benefit from a 50% joining discount on your first purchase, whether you buy one module or the whole library! Spread the news. We truly hope our new free to play system will give you the flexibility you need to enjoy each module and make informed purchase decisions. Thank you! We apologize that this offer cannot also be made available on Steam. Check out Free Trials F-16C Viper Development Roadmap In the next Open Beta, you will receive the GBU-31 and GBU-38 JDAM for the Viper! We are now working on fixing outstanding bugs related to the Air-to-Air Radar and Navigation Systems. Enhancements are also being made to the Flight Model in regards to available G and angle of attack modeling. Once we have addressed the critical issues, we will focus our Viper efforts on completing important Air-to-Air Radar functions: DTT SAM mode, bullseye, intercept steering cue, ACM Slew, and more. The Helmet Mounted Cueing System (HMCS) with the HARM Targeting System (HTS), Link 16, Air-to-Ground Mode, and IFF will also be integrated. The AGM-154 JSOW and the ALQ-131 and ALQ-184 electronic countermeasure pods are also next in line to be added. Supercarrier Deck Crew Development Report DCS: Supercarrier has received a number of notable updates to the deck crew that includes improved meshes and geometry tweaks: Plane director “Shooter” model has been edited to include skinning and geometry corrections. Improved mesh and skinning for the hands and gloves. A completely new and anatomically correct skeleton for the hands. The sailor head model has been replaced with a much more realistic one. The airboss model has been improved with improved hands and removed beer belly. Missing Level Of Details (LOD) have been added for all models. All seated and standing poses have been corrected and improved. Fixed excessive bending animation of the legs while walking. Fixed sliding legs. Fixed the intersection of arms and legs. Several new idle animations have been added for a more natural look. Mesh and skinning have been adjusted at the elbow area to reduce the effect of no mass. All the models have been converted to a new version of the skeleton that will provide more natural movements. R-27 Missile Development Report In April of this year, we conducted preliminary Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) research of the R-27 family of missile aerodynamics. The objective was the correction of zero-lift drag and missile ballistics refinement. As a result of this research, the zero-lift drag coefficient was reduced for all R-27 missile types. Please read our R-27 Missile Family Report. Thank you for your trust, passion and support. You make our dreams come true.

Plenty of very nice videos like this for DCS but true to form a lot of the basic technicalities are wrong.