DCS World news is coming in roaring hot over the last couple of days in the lead-up to today’s launch of DCS World 2.9 which brings in several significant updates to the sim. But that’s not all because Aerges released the two seat F1BE today with 2.9 and Heatblur have been releasing new F-4 screenshots over the last several days. Plus we’ve got a new F-15E JDAM video and MiG-23 cockpit shots to look at as well. Let’s round all of that up and more!

DCS World 2.9 is here

A major update has traditionally come paired with some significant feature updates and DCS World 2.9 does not disappoint.

One of the standout features of this update is the addition of nVidia’s DLSS (Deep Learning Super Sampling) technology as well as AMD’s FSR2 technology which is very similar to the nVidia technology in overall impact. If you’re GPU bound in performance, this should boost your visuals by reducing the rendering resolution and then upscaling using AI-based technology. The outcome in most instances is a visual quality that matches the higher resolution while the GPU renders at a lower resolution improving overall performance. In some instances you’ll see a jump in frame rates while others who are CPU-limited will see little change.

2.9 also brings other graphic features such as new wind and downwash effects for helicopters that affect the local vegetation. Screen Space Shadows also add new detail to grass, bushes, and tree shadows with only a small performance impact. There’s also new colour grading functionality to let you choose between several different kinds of visuals and a new GoPro style camera feature called Cinematic Camera View that lets you “place” a camera that stays fixed on the aircraft and is easily repositioned – both nods to cinematic video creators.

The new radio mode received its own tutorial earlier in the week with Matt Wager going through some of the options that the newly launched radio system has. This appears to be a big update over what was offered before and future updates promise to plug a few other gaps in the system.

We’ve talked a lot in recent weeks about updates to the radars on the F-16 and F/A-18 as well as improvements to the datalink systems across multiple aircraft including the aforementioned and the A-10C II and AH-64D.

New models for AI aircraft have also arrived. The B-1B, B-52H, S-3B (with S-3B tanker coming soon), Centurion, C-RAM, and SA-10 have all been updated with brand new models.

Smaller features have been added too such as new spotting dots to improve DCS World’s visual spotting of aircraft across all resolutions. There’s a new weapon, the R-60A, as well as a new implementation of the R-3S, R-3R, R-13, R-13M1, Rb-24/24J, and Rb-74 missiles. The Spitfire IXc has also seen a cockpit revamp that improves the visual appeal of this warbird. Can’t wait to check that out!

There’s more and its all listed here on the DCS World 2.9.0.46801 change-log.

Aerges F1 BE release

The third variant of Aerges planned four variants for the DCS: Mirage F1 is here. The F1 BE adds a second seat providing a training capacity for the jet while still maintaining most of its combat capability.

The update also brings in a ton of updates for the jet adjusting engine flame-out parameters, tweaking the flight model, fixing the autostart/stop, adjusted the manual and documentation, and correcting dozens of smaller details. The CC-420 gun pods have also been added to all variants with the pod being of particularly important use on the F1 BE as the addition of the second cockpit displaces the built in cannons.

F-4 screenshots

Heatblur have been posting new screenshots scattered about in a few different places including on their Discord and on Twitter. These new images below have been released today or over the last few days. And that first one… yes it is a screenshot. It didn’t look like one at first.

F-15E JDAM strike video

A new five and a half minute long video gives us a teaser for the employment of JDAMs on the F-15E. The video shows off the jet’s impressive air-to-ground radar mode being used to provide coordinates and setup the JDAMs for release. Then he drops multiple bombs at once with each impacting their assigned target. Impressive! There’s still work to do on the feature but this gives us a taste of what is coming.

MiG-23 cockpit lighting

A couple of days ago we got a look at the latest on the MiG-23MLA. RAZBAM released these new screenshots on X/Twitter showing off the cockpit lighting setup on the in-development module. Its among the first evidence we’ve seen that the module is now getting implemented into DCS World and a good sign for folks who have been waiting for the MiG-23 for a long time.

Looking forward to 2.9 testing

I’m looking forward to getting into DCS World 2.9 and testing out the changes. Initial reports are mixed on performance gains but most people seem to be gaining frames and overall smoothness to the sim which is great news. This together with the multi-threading update earlier in the year have boasted some of the biggest gains we’ve seen on this sim in quite some time – if ever. I’m encouraged by it all even if there are some teething issues to solve.

The new variant of the F1 BE will be worth checking out as well the updated Spitfire cockpit.

Stay tuned for some more DCS World content soon!