All of those fighter jet fantasy moments have gotten a real boost with the premier and apparent success of Top Gun Maverick. DCS World is getting in on things as well with sales and a couple of fun additions. We also have some more typical news surrounding development for the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet. Strap onto some mighty wings because we’re going to the danger zone with this update. (Sorry… not sorry)

TALD and AIM-7M

Let’s do the serious stuff first before we get to the fun part. Eagle Dynamics is still working on the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet and two new features are being offered up as part of the next open beta update for the aircraft.

The AIM-7P is on its way offering a few upgrades over the M variant. First, it has a slightly larger blast fragmentation warhead (40 kg instead of 39 kg) over the AIM-7M that we’ve been fitting to Hornet’s in the sim so far. Also changes to software aimed at improving low-level performance.

Also on the list is the ADM-141A Tactical Air Launched Decoy (TALD). The TALD, when used together with other weapon systems, can be extremely useful for tackling SAM sites. A TALD can be used to distract or overwhelm defenses with large numbers of these air-launched systems that can also help trick a radar operator into locking onto one of them and thus revealing their position for nearby Hornets (and other allied aircraft).

Be a Maverick with new liveries and sales

DCS World is fully embracing the Maverick experience in a couple of different ways. Update to the latest Open Beta to receive a couple of new liveries for the Hornet and Tomcat that are inspired by the movies. Along with these skins comes yet another spectacular DCS World video called ‘Turn and Burn’ and any Top Gun movie fan of the original will appreciate the homage to the air to air scenes of that movie.

That’s not all. There are two promotional bundles available right now that might interest anyone who hasn’t picked up these two excellent DCS World modules.

Be a Maverick bundles DCS: F/A-18C Hornet and DCS: Supercarrier together saving 30% on the cost bringing the price down to $90 USD on the DCS World e-Shop.

Maverick Legacy is available in collaboration with Heatblur Simulations with a 35% discount on the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet and DCS: F-14 Tomcat. That comes in at $103.98 USD and is also available on the DCS World e-Shop. For anyone new to DCS World, those are still pricey modules for the sim but they are discounted over the usual price and these are insanely detailed aircraft inside, outside, and in the way that they are simulated.

Read about all of this over on the DCS World Weekend News update.