DCS Nimitz-Class Super Carrier

DCS: Supercarrier Update (14 August 2019)

Since our last update on this eagerly awaited module, our team has been focused on several core features of simulation of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier:

Creating the most accurate and detailed carrier model ever created for a flight simulation. This is not simply an update to the existing John C. Stennis aircraft carrier that we released last year, but rather a new object that is built from the ground up with accurate dimensions, high-resolution mesh and textures; animations for the elevators, antennas, defense systems, launch officer bubble, risers, catapults, jet blast deflectors, and more. The module will include unique skins for all ships of the Roosevelt sub-class that includes the Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71), Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72), George Washington (CVN73), John C. Stennis (CVN-74), and the Harry S. Truman (CVN-75). Not only will there be the correct names and CVN numbers, but we also plan unique textures and deck weathering for each ship!

The Supercarrier will include the most accurate simulation of carrier communications you have ever heard in a game. This includes Case I, II, and III operations and unique voice overs for departure, marshal, approach, tower, the landing signal officer (LSO), and even messages over the 5 MC. Many of these parts are voiced by service members that filled the actual roles! We will also include the needed voice over files to support all aircraft types that have flown from a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, including the F-14.

To make the carrier deck feel alive, deck crew is a must. We are doing this through a combination of static-placed deck crew with animations that mission creators can place and fully pathed and animated deck crew that support launch operations from all four catapults. This is even includes attachment of the hold back bar! We are pushing this feature past anything that has been done before.

Screenshots

In addition to these three core areas, we are also working on / planning:

Up to 18 spawning locations on the carrier deck.

Flood lights in addition to standard lighting.

Long Range Laser Lineup System.

Barricade net.

Deck equipment like the crane, fire truck, and mules.

Detailed Landing Signal Officer (LSO) station with functional panels to control cut lights, wave off lights, manual ball control, and PLAT camera. This can be crewed while in VR.

“Burble” effect behind the carrier.

Air Boss station that can also be occupied in VR and allow control of the flood lights, barricade, and view the PLAT camera.

Immersive, 3D, Ready Room with functions to view briefings, load aircraft, view PLAT camera, vie the “Greenie Board”, view kill board that is tied to online statistics. All of this with a VR option.

Combined Arms support for steering the carrier and using weapons.

At this time, we have no release date or pricing, but they will be available at our very soonest.

Well gents, we didn't get a promised update this week so here's some information released back in January that you may or may not know.

DCS Update
Ships

Although we released a greatly improved and free Nimitz-class aircraft carrier at the time of the Hornet release, we are also working on a separate Nimitz-class aircraft carrier module. This product will have an incredible level of detail and include such features as a detailed and operable LSO and Air Boss stations, detailed modeling of the hangar, animated deck crew, briefing room, and control of the carrier.

Once this project is complete, the team will finish up the Arleigh Burke-class destroyer and then return to and release the updated Kuznetsov-class aircraft carrier.

Radio Communications
The biggest radio communications task are the aircraft carrier communications that includes CASE I, CASE II, and CASE III for departure, marshal, approach, and the Landing Signal Officer (LSO). Once this massive task is complete, we will move on to an overhaul of the airbase radio communications.

New Maps

With 2018 we saw the release of the DCS: Persian Gulf Map. For 2019 we and our partners are working on two new World War II maps, a Syria map, a Falkland Islands map, and a new free map that we’ll discuss later in the year.

In parallel, we will be finishing up the Persian Gulf map with the addition of Liwa Airbase and Ras Al Khaimah airport; Al Ain Air War College; ruins near Shiraz, Kerman, and Bam; and fix remaining bugs. Once complete, it will be the largest DCS World map as measured from airfield to airfield.

Dynamic Campaign

While a hangar of great aircraft is certainly a wonderful thing, having an engaging, exciting, and dynamic combat environment to fly them is equally important. We recognize that and have been developing the inner-workings of a dynamic campaign system for DCS World. This development will continue into 2019 and create a simulation with the simulation of a real-time campaign systems that has each side fighting for dominance across the map. Based on the strategic goals and tactical situations, the systems will create dynamic Air Tasking Orders (ATO) that players then join to help their side to victory. It will be epic!

DCS World Online

In the closing weeks of 2018, we began making the Dedicated Server software available to a handful of trusted 3rd party online servers. Based on their feedback, we have been tuning and expanding the Dedicated Server software to best suit customer needs.

One aspect of the Dedicated Server we are also exploring is the availability of free maps to Dedicated Server hosts.

In addition to the Dedicated Server, the team has also been at work developing an integrated Voice Over IP (VOIP) system for DCS World. The first phase will allow users to use and create “rooms” and the second phase would integrate the VOIP into in-cockpit radio controls.

WOW.

Yeh I agree!!

The dynamic campaign possibilities are awesome and gives us an opportunity to fight a prolonged battle with real results and consequences. Tie that to the new carrier functionality, carrier comms and integrated radio channels the future looks very bright.

Great flight last night. I owe Alpine a beer for a bad shoot down!!

You don't owe me anything,but if you insist,it's a home town brew by the name of,you guessed it,ALPINE.(Moosehead Breweries).

Here's the latest update from DCS on development of the Nimitz Class Super Carrier animations.

I think we are close enough for one of us to commence work on a Persian Gulf scenario based on the addition of this module. So I plan to pick up the Persian Gulf map soon and then start some research on a fictional Iran/NATO confrontation. This provides a wide range of adversary aircraft since Iran owns just about anything the U.S. and Russia have sold in the last 40 years.

With the Super Carrier, we should be able to conduct our pre-flight mission briefs in the briefing room, then (somehow) move up to the flight deck and into our aircraft for start, taxi and launch via crew/flight boss directions. Half the fun will just being in getting off the carrier!!

Enjoy the vid. It's one of the best DCS have produced so far.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFp0yxdThF8

Be sure to check out the sales.

The bridge lighting at night is less than real. At night only red lights on very low brightness are used on a warship's bridge (including in Flyco) so that the watch-keepers maintain their night vision. If you were on the flight deck and looked up towards the bridge you would only see blackness. Otherwise it is looking really great and will significantly increase the immersion level.

Good point. I didn't pick that up but you're absolutely right. My CP in Bosnia was always lit with red light at night and we used red lights lenses on all of our lights for tactical uses. White light was verboten!!

We'll have to keep an eye on the final product and if they release it that way, you can send in a bug report for them to fix it.

Should add a new dimension to our flight sim experience.

I am out and about driving my wife to various appointments. I left my server on with a test Nimitz mission which has a long way to go. Try it out.

Squiz

DCS Supercarrier will be available for pre-order on January 17th with a 30% discount and will deliver as an Open Beta by the end of Q1 2020.

Owners of DCS: F/A-18C will receive a discount when purchasing DCS: Supercarrier.

Time to strike a deal gents.

50% off the $49.99 USD price with 30% savings for pre-order added to another 20% for owners of the F/A-18C Hornet.

Sending my order in today.

https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/news/2020-01-17_Supercarrier_Pre-Order/

Done as well.

When you order at the link provided, you will initially be credited with the 30% pre-order savings. Once you log into your DCS account, it will automatically read your Hornet module and credit you with the additional 20% savings. I added the few points that I had to save a few more bucks. All said, about $27.62 Cdn. Pretty cheap entertainment I'd say!!

Can't wait.

Done!

Ditto

Same here.

Requires DCS World version 2.5.6 or above. (Hopefully the module will be available with the first release of 2.5.6. Open Beta)

DCS: Supercarrier is the most detailed and realistic simulation of a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier ever created. A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is a nuclear-powered fortress at sea with a crew of over 6,000 sailors and airmen. The angled flight deck with arrestor wires and four steam-powered catapults support air wing operations of up to 90 aircraft. The ship also includes a formidable air defense system that includes the RIM-7 Sea Sparrow Missile and RIM-116 Rolling Airframe Missile (RAM) missiles, and Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) gun system. A Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is the ultimate power projection weapon.

10 ships of the class have been produced, of which, we will include five of the Theodore Roosevelt sub-class:

CVN-71 Theodore Roosevelt
CVN-72 Abraham Lincoln
CVN-73 George Washington
CVN-74 John C Stennis
CVN-75 Harry S. Truman

For the early access release, we will provide the Roosevelt, Lincoln, and Washington.

Early access features of DCS: Supercarrier include:

Highly detailed polygon model with high-resolution textures that include realistic weathering and markings.
Animations that include arresting wires, jet blast deflectors (JBD), radar antennas, aircraft elevators, catapult bubble between catapults 1 and 2, steam from catapults, and risers (guard rails) around aircraft elevators when lowered.
Detailed lighting systems that includes the long-range line-up lights, IFLOLS, Animated "rabbit lights" along landing area centerline, deck lighting, floodlights, and ship number on the island.
Functional air defense weapon systems that include the Sea Sparrow, CIWS, and SeaRAM.
Deck parking allowing up to 14 aircraft to be spawned on deck.
Dynamic carrier radio communications for Case I, Case II, and Case III recoveries.
Static deck vehicles (AS32A-31A Flight Deck Tractor, AS32A-32A Hangar Deck Tractor, AS32A-36 Aircraft crash and salvage crane, P-25 Fire Fighting Vehicle) that can be placed by mission designers.
Animated deck crew for bow and waist catapults launches.
Static deck crew that can be placed by mission designers.

During the early access period, the following additional features will be added:

Air Boss station.
Briefing room. this should be very cool. I wonder if they will animate avitars for each pilot? Of course they will need to add the Officer's Mess in time!
Occupy the Landing Signal Officer (LSO) station with PLAT camera, including VR support.
More LSO station interactions.
Combined Arms integration.
"Burble" effect. (anyone know what this is?)
Wave off and bolter return to pattern radio messages.
Functional barricade net.

A new toy awaits!!!

The Officers Mess is called the Wardroom on a Navy ship.

Burble Effect

The superstructure and deck/hull features of an aircraft carrier are known to generate turbulent airflow behind
the carrier. This region of turbulent air has become known as “the burble,” and it is often encountered by pilots
immediately before landing. The burble causes planes to drop slightly, thus requiring a small amount of power to be
temporarily added to maintain the glide slope though this region. The region is characterized by a downwards
suction in the airflow and it is created by “the interference of the structure of the ship with the relative wind and its
influence is felt mainly in the last half mile of the approach to the ship” [1]. Additionally, sea state, crosswinds, and
features such as raised jet blast deflectors and flight deck traffic contribute to the burble.
T
The burble can be extremely dangerous to the unsuspecting pilot because it combines two separate, but equally
hazardous, components. Aircraft approaching a carrier are on the verge of a stall due to the low speed and high angle
of attack required by the approach, so when the aircraft pass through this region of lower air velocity produced by
the superstructure wake, the lift over the wings is reduced, thus causing the aircraft to experience an increased
descent rate. In addition to this negative effect, the aircraft also fly through a region where the flow is moving
downward toward the water, typically 3 to 6 fps [2]. This region of downward flow coincides with the region of
lower flow velocity caused by the superstructure; therefore, the two effects combine to produce the sinking effect of
the “burble” that pilots describe.

The Burble Effect: Superstructure and Flight Deck Effects on
Carrier Air Wake
BRADLEY E. CHERRY1
AND MATTHEW M. CONSTANTINO2
United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, 21412

Thanks Dev,

That's something better known before you experience it. I can imagine the frustration of suddenly not being able to land on a carrier deck after many months of practice and success. Will be interesting to see what this does the first few times we come in.

Wardroom...got it! Being an Army guy, I would naturally look for the wardroom to hang my coat! But so long as they serve Scotch, who cares what it's called.

Unfortunately all USN ships are dry - no booze what so ever. While this tragedy started with Prohibition it is still considered political suicide to suggest that USN ships should be allowed to have alcohol onboard. They do tend to make up for it when they get ashore to their O Clubs though.