We’ve got a great mini-update from Eagle Dynamics Matt Wagner on the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet Litening targeting pod which fills in a few blanks on features and on why it’s taken this long to implement. It has me finally getting excited for the targeting pod and to be able to take the Hornet out for a spin with this new feature. Here’s the latest!
Updated on July 24 at 5:34 pm EDT: Added second screenshot provided by Matt Wagner.
No copy and paste job
Many of us, myself included, that the Litening targeting pod being added to the Hornet would speed introduction of a targeting pod to the Hornet considerably. It probably still has sped things along as Eagle Dynamics is nowhere near close to introducing the ATFLIR pod. That said, it looks like we’re finally on the home stretch of early introduction for this feature.
It’s clearly no copy and paste job from the A-10C, the AV-8B or anything else.
Here’s what Matt Wagner had to say:
Hey everyone,
Probably the the most anticipated new feature of the Hornet is the targeting pod. As mentioned earlier, we will start with the Litening pod due to it being used by the USMC and similar to what we already created for the A-10C (hardly a cut-and-paste though). Attached is an image of it in action.
It is important to understand that this is neither an ATFLIR or Litening pod ala A-10C. It is a Litening pod that uses standardized Hornet Mission Computer (MC) data export.
Most of the core AG functions are in the game and working, with the big ones still being worked on being the setting a Target Point via the TGP (critical for AUTO and TOO mode attacks) and, AREA vs POINT tracking . After the initial release, we will continue to flesh out the pod to include AA mode, control pages, and additional functions/symbols.
Our engineer assigned to the pod is working very, very hard on this and we are pushing to release it as soon as possible.
Thanks,
Wags
Matt Wagner on the Eagle Dynamics forums
This is the most detail we’ve had to date on both the challenges of introducing the pod as well as the types of features that will come initially as well as features that will come later on. Interesting to me is the air-to-air mode which the A-10C to the best of my knowledge doesn’t make use of.
At this point, the targeting pod on the Hornet is one of THE most requested features by the community as its essential for ease of operation with GPS and LGB weapons systems. Hopefully we’ll have it very soon!
Stormbirds 
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