Upgrading Planes

[Moltisante]

So do I understand this correctly- every time I research a new airframe and design a new plane with that new airframe, I will have to manually replace EVERY airwing of the older airframe already deployed?
EXAMPLE- I have a FIGHTER design in "Basic Small Airframe." I research Advanced Small Airframe and make a new design. I produce these new Advanced designs, but they do not REPLACE and DEPLOY over the older designs that are already in the field.

Thank you sooo much for the info! A salud!

[nocountryfortheworkers]

Check your air wing settings & your plane symbol type. It's difficult to explain better than what the game tells you. We also can't see what is happening in case there is something you have missed & are not telling us.

Remember we are all new to this too & learning together.

[Moltisante]

We are all learning this together, so thank you for taking the time to help out! I've got over 2k hours in this thing and I learn something everyday and don't mind admitting I'm a moron.

It looks like as long as I just use that yellow (when available) "upgrade all modules" button on the Plane Designer screen as opposed to designing a new airframe ...? That works as far as upgrading goes.
But if you want the same design (weapons, electronics, etc) but in the upgraded airframe, its treated as a whole new plane. Which makes sense, for obvious reasons, but as a matter of micromanagement, having to delete all those old airframe designs and manually replace with each new airframe design- for each new air role (with the same weapon/electronics/etc loadout mind you)- whew. Prepare your click finger...

[TasteDasRainbow]

Planes appear to require the same exact role availability in order to be in the same wing. So if, say, you add bomb locks to your new fighter generation, which would allow them to go on CAS missions, they will not reinforce into wings of fighters without bomb locks, as those fighters cannot go on CAS missions.

[Moltisante]

So I just successfully made a new airframe CAS using the EXACT same loadout as the previous model, only difference being the updated airframe, and it worked.
My advanced airframe CAS, I added a pair of light machine guns after a pair of bomb locks. The addition of the machine guns required a new line of aircraft.
I did goof by not adding MGs to the CAS 1 model, but... I feel like this mechanic should be more forgiving.
Thank you all for your help!

[Včelí medvídek]

it is the first slot of weaponry that define the role and if plane is eligible for upgrade.

it is not enough it just type like CAS but also the exact type like bomb or anti tank cannon has to match (+ equipment tag if you use it)

other slots seems free to be modified as you want.

[Moltisante]

So to clarify, my first design was:

Basic Close Air Support Airframe, two bomb locks (first two slots), engine 1, Nav radio 1.

Next design:

Improved Close Air Support Airframe, two bomb locks (first two slots) , engine 2, Nav radio 2

These two designs were compatible, that is to say, upgradable.

Improved Close Air Support Airframe, two bomb locks (first two slots), 2x LIGHT MACHINEGUNS, engine 2, Nav radio 2 --- This is a new aircraft entirely, incompatible , not replacing the Basic Close Air Support model. Same aircraft icon picture in all models.

So that first row has to match exactly. I mean, I get it, but... maybe a little micromanagement inducing, no?