22 March 2024

Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends,

It is with great excitement that we officially announce DCS: MiG-29A Fulcrum. This remarkable, Soviet Union-era fighter will be a full-fidelity module based on a photogrammetry cockpit of the exported variant supplied to the Warsaw Pact countries. The MiG-29A will be by far the most authentic and accurate simulation of this iconic aircraft for the PC. 

DCS: Afghanistan map by Eagle Dynamics is progressing at full throttle with significant milestones achieved since the project’s inception. The progress report below provides a good overview along with post-early access release plans.

The DCS Spring Sale 2024 is in its final hours and you can still benefit from the amazing deals, until the 24th of March at 15:00 GMT. Please enjoy this opportunity to upgrade your collection of aircraft, terrains, tech packs and campaigns with up to -50% savings.

Thank you for your passion and support.

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics

MiG-29A Fulcrum

Announcement

Our MiG-29A, NATO codename Fulcrum, will be the export modification of the “A” version that was supplied to Warsaw Pact countries. The MiG-29A was designed to counter all types of aerial targets with radar- and infrared-guided R-27, R-73, and R-60 air-to-air missiles and its single-barreled 30mm cannon with 150 rounds of ammunition. The MiG-29A also has limited visual ground attack capability with 50 to 500 kg bombs, cluster bombs, and unguided S-5, S-8 and S-24 rockets.

The MiG-29A can operate day or night and in all weather conditions. Its radar is capable of look-down / shoot-down in a heavy electronic countermeasure environment. The weapons control system consists of two complexes: the Fire Control Radar (FCR) and the Optical-Electronic Targeting Navigation System (OETNS). The OETNS includes an optical-electronic sighting system (OESS), a navigation system, a weapon control system, a unified display system, and multifunctional control panels. The OEPS includes an optical location station OLS that consists of an Infrared Search and Track System (IRST), a Laser Range Finder (LRF), and a Helmet-Mounted Sight (HMS) designation system.

The MiG-29 is equipped with the SPO-15 “Beryoza” Radar Warning Receiver (RWR) defence system that is designed to warn of radar-directed weapon attacks. To protect against infrared-guided weapons, the MiG-29A features flare dispensers.

The navigation system consists of on-board navigation equipment, a vertical and heading information complex, and an airborne signal system as part of the Optical-Electronic Targeting Navigation System (OETNS).

Key features of the DCS module: MiG-29A Fulcrum

At Early Access Release:

• Fully interactive and highly detailed cockpit that is based on 3D laser scanning and photogrammetry.
• Highly detailed and accurately reproduced external model.
• Highly detailed pilot model.
• In-depth study of aircraft systems and equipment.
• Detailed model of the navigation system with the gyro platform reference system, air data computer, and navigation equipment.
• Defensive equipment to include the SPO-15LM “Beryoza” and Flare dispenser system.
• Fire Control Radar with authentic modes for aerial targets.
• OETNS with modes for air and ground targets.

At Final Release: 

• Addition of Identify Friend or Foe interrogation system.
• Addition of Ground Control Intercept (GCI) command system.

Afghanistan

Development Report

The development of the DCS: Afghanistan Map is progressing on schedule with significant milestones achieved. We are committed to delivering a highly immersive and authentic representation of Afghanistan for virtual pilots to explore and engage in combat operations. Continued collaboration, testing, and refinement will ensure the map’s successful completion and release to our DCS community.

Development Progress

We have made substantial progress in recreating the diverse landscape of Afghanistan. This includes the rugged mountain ranges of the Hindu Kush, the vast deserts of the Dasht-e Kavir and Dasht-e Lut, and the fertile valleys and river basins. Efforts have been dedicated to accurately portraying the unique cultural and urban features of Afghanistan. This involves recreating cities like Kandahar and Herat, with special attention to landmarks, infrastructure, and architectural styles like the blue mosque of Herat. Aerial imagery has been utilised to enhance the realism and accuracy of the map. High-resolution satellite imagery is being integrated to provide authentic terrain textures and details.

The diverse terrain and complex topography of Afghanistan has presented technical challenges due to the large mountainous ranges. Optimization efforts are ongoing to maintain performance without compromising on visual fidelity, particularly in densely populated urban areas and detailed terrain features. The map is designed to look equally as good from low to high altitude.

Future Plans

In the above screenshot, you can see the area of DCS: Afghanistan that will be available in Early Access. The airfields that will be available at launch include Kandahar, Herat, Bost, Camp Bastion, Chaghcharan, Dwyer, Farah, Maymana Zahiraddin Faryabi, Qala i Naw, Shindand, Tirinkot, and Zaranj. The focus will be on completing the detailing of terrain features, including rivers, roads, vegetation, rocks, small stones, ground clutter and geological formations to enhance immersion and realism. Extensive testing and optimization will be conducted to ensure optimal performance and compatibility with a wide range of hardware configurations. Please stay tuned for the pre-order coming soon!

Spring Sale

Final Hours

The DCS Spring Sale 2024 is your chance to grab massive 50% savings across almost our entire range of aircraft, terrains, tech packs, campaigns and more! Please make sure that you do not miss out on this opportunity and remember the DCS Spring Sale 2024 runs until the 24th of March, 2024 at 15:00 GMT.

Thank you again for your passion and support,

Yours sincerely,

Eagle Dynamics