It’s Friday and that means its another DCS World Weekend News update featuring the DTC, Cold War Germany and Red Flag 81-2 updates combined with some other DCS World related news items such as a brief IndiaFoxtEcho update on the G.91 and a unique Heatblur sale. Let’s dig into it all!

The DTC

What is the DTC? This is the Data Transfer Cartridge and its a system that is used in the real world to move information from mission planning into the computers of combat aircraft. Eagle Dynamics are working on a simulated version of the system for the DCS: F-16C and DCS: F/A-18C as their testbeds for the technology. It sounds like the interface and the setup is intended to be modular enough to work with other aircraft. ED specifically mention the A-10C II and AH-64D as getting the system in the future.

Initial capabilities will allow for radio and countermeasure programming to be loaded in with navigation routes, targets, datalink, weapons, stores management, radar, and other items being added later.

The DTC will use a common interface between aircraft types, but offer unique options based on their real-world counterparts. It will be an exceptionally powerful system that allows both detailed programming options, but also the ability to create multiple DTCs per aircraft, to export them, load them, and share them with friends.

I like the ability to share this and I hope that it makes for easier to setup multiplayer experiences. It has been clarified too that the feature will work in both single player and multiplayer with access to the feature through both the mission editor and prior to entering the aircraft by the user. Cool.

Cold War Germany

We’ve got an update from Ugra Media on their plans for DCS: Cold War Germany. They report tweaking the map border with new cities, road and rail networks, and airfields and environments being added to respond to player wishes. The map is also adding new air defense sites, new points of interest and original objects.

Eagle Dynamics provide an overview, meanwhile Ugra Media have been absolutely loading it up with tons of videos and screenshots on their YouTube channel and on their DCS World forum sub-section.

Here are some of the most recent screenshots showing off Frankfurt, Ramstein Air Base, and Frankfurt Airport (DDF).

Meanwhile, over on the YouTube channel there are tons of new videos. I’ll highlight just one which shows off a landing strip with what appear to be brand new vehicle assets.

Despite all of these details, Ugra Media report that they are busy working on performance optimization ahead of release. DCS: Syria and DCS: Normandy WWII are both maps that went through extensive optimization and have turned into some of the best maps in the series so I have high hopes that they’ll be able to pull off a similar feat here.

Release date is reported to be this month, April, so I expect it won’t be long before we see the early access launch of this. Keep in mind that the map has a roadmap to be extended and expanded over time.

Keep an eye on the developers DCS World forum sub-section for more updates!

Red Flag 81-2

Reflected Simulations next campaign launch is on the way. F-4E based Red Flag 82-1 Campaign by Reflected Simulations is a 13-mission long campaign featuring voice overs, realistic procedures, and randomized missions for replayability.

The campaign is due in the next update so look for that to go up for purchase soon.

Heatblur is having a sale

Purchasing Heatblur’s DCS modules through their own webstore will net you some sale prices with 25% off on the DCS: F-4E Phantom II, 35% off on the DCS: F-14 Tomcat and and 50% off on the DCS: AJS-37 Viggen.

Of course the biggest news here is that you can get a slightly better deal if you purchase the whole package with everything coming in at $117.99 USD.

Heatblur tout the wide variety of content packed in including 500 plus missions, 7 campaigns, and five aircraft including variants with the AJS-37, F-14A, F-14B, and F-4E DSCG variants all available now and the F-4E DMAS variant coming later.

Learn more about the sale here.

Latest G.91 update

New renders of IndiaFoxtEcho’s G.91 has just been released from the developer’s Facebook page. The textures are bare metal only for the moment, however, once this process is complete they will start creating and showing us different liveries. The Cold War era jet fighter is reportedly progressing in a slow but steady pace.