After EW Aircraft what roles are left?

[Avi]

The only thing it get into my mind is surveillance and logistics roles, even command&control role if you want to force it, but nothing else. What you ppl think?

[Frostiken]

Publicado originalmente por joe.alton1:

Publicado originalmente por Spectre:

Without the A-10 mod, there's a golden opportunity for an amazing DLC with a jet specific to a CAS role

Unless you're protecting a tanker, there's nothing for CAS role to do.

TBH there's almost nothing for a CAS role to do in reality.

Once you get beyond internet memes and armchair experts, in real life, the Air Force is trying to kill the A-10 for many very good reasons. Most internet idiots who've never even touched one have no idea how limited that thing is and all the problems it's had. There's a reason when people make DCS A-10 missions they can't put in modern air defenses.

Battlespace has become too modernized and dangerous for a crappy plane to shoot tanks. At least the A/V-42C has purpose as a troop carrier too.

[Frostiken]

So I guess the actual answer to this is:

1) Some kind of heavy aircraft, like a side-by-side bomber. In my imagination I picture this kind of being like what I thought the B-21 would be, a sort of upscaled F-22 (combining the stealth of the B-2 with the speed of the B-1). In fact, I'd love for them to do that but base it on the YF-23 (the absolute coolest-looking plane ever designed).

2) Something akin to an AC-130 but that'd be honestly pretty intensely boring. Orbit in a circle and click stuff on a screen, and then just immediately explode and die when something threatens you.

3) Something like the Super Tucano - a fully modernized prop-driven plane. Propeller aircraft have unique flight characteristics that need specific learning.

[krispy joe]

But keep in mind that more likely than not they all have to be capable of landing and taking of an aircraft carrier, as all of the other aircraft in the game can.

[Drakmoor]

Don't know that it would add anything new but still hoping for a Little Bird-ish small, nimble type helicopter. Dropping/picking up troops or VIPs in a tight urban environment would be a blast.

[wuD]

Publicado originalmente por Drakmoor:

Don't know that it would add anything new but still hoping for a Little Bird-ish small, nimble type helicopter. Dropping/picking up troops or VIPs in a tight urban environment would be a blast.

Yes please, an AH-6 would be on top of my list.

[Hijong park]

I don't think AH-6 would happen because the gameplay is very radar focused, with COIN being pretty non existent. the new DLC featuring electronic warfare is the proof that small COIN aircrafts like AH-6 won't be worth the time, effort, and price for the new DLC.


And that's why I started learning Unity 6 months ago.

[Pocket Chicken OG]

Personally, at this point, I think we are good on aircraft, I would like effort to be spent on, clouds and weather. A big one, the ground forces side of things. Like have more ground stuff happening, like you have friendly forces landing and trying to push in and you have to help assist them take over, not just bomb a air base then land at it and call it good. Let the enemy be able to push back and retake over.

It would be cool for multiplayer too, yes it would play like a MOBA in a way. The 42 could fly in troops, resources and maybe even air defenses to help fortify a postion. It would make CAS an actual thing.

[MyLonewolf25]

mh60 dap equivalent. f111 vark vark varl light bomber/strategic attacker

[Reiser]

Ummm, are you serious? There's more CAS, more bombers, how about a stealth bomber 2-seater? More choppers. Huey-type for rescue. Mini type for brrrrt. Better MP (sadly this won't be because it's just one guy).

[Hijong park]

Publicado originalmente por reiser:

Ummm, are you serious? There's more CAS, more bombers, how about a stealth bomber 2-seater? More choppers. Huey-type for rescue. Mini type for brrrrt. Better MP (sadly this won't be because it's just one guy).

Likely all of them except huey or blackhawk type transport heli won't happen because FA-26 and F45 already fill such ground attack roles.

[Xenomorphine]

A strategic bomber is the most logical next role.

Think in terms of roles, not aircraft.

The A-10 is an out-dated, obsolete concept. In Desert Storm, the F-16 had to be retasked to take over from it hitting Republican Guard units, because those actually shot back and the A-10s were so sluggish that they were getting trashed through attrition. It isn't the gun which is their primary weapon, it's the Maverick and F-16s used those.

The lack of thrust is also why event he B-1 strategic bomber gets tasked with more CAS missions, because the A-10 often can't get to where it's required in time.

Keep in mind that CAS is a mission, not a platform. The 'close' part relates to proximity to friendly forces, not the altitude of the launch platform. Weapon technology is why the days of planes devoted to a specific mission are largely replaced by multi-role airframes. That's why 'torpedo bombers' no longer exist.

If airspace is forgiving enough for an A-10 (which has the dubious distinction of the most friendly-fire casualties) to fly around in, then it's permissive enough for an AC-130, which is far more surgical and can bring down a much greater volume of firepower.

As of right now, the AV-42 already is basically an A-10/Osprey fusion. That was probably the point of already giving it that larger fixed gun option.

Honestly, we need to go back to single-seater planes. PC players are notoriously shy when it comes to voicing with strangers and two-seaters requires good communication. The game, being VR-only, is very niche, meaning you cant' even purchase a copy for a friend if they don't have that equipment.

Recon is... Again, more of a mission than a plane. Over a battlefield, BDA could be supplied by any plane with a targeting pod capability, we just need the code to allow for doing video or pictures of something to result in 'mission achieved'.

Want to do a dedicated recon mission? Then you're thinking of hypersonic or something as slow as the U-2 (which, that high up, can be surprisingly agile). Missiles often were fired at the SR-71 and U-2, but became uncontrollable at high altitudes, because the air density changes and they couldn't intercept them.

The missions, however, would probably be boring. Not sure most people would purchase a copy to make it viable?

WW2 planes would be... Let's be honest, aside from the aesthetics, that's what the existing guns-only dogfighting mission is for.

ASW missions might be interesting, but the game would have to take account of underwater mapping and so on. You can't realistically do it without stuff like thermal layers, which depend on the salinity levels and such.

I'd like it, but don't think the developer has enough time to devote to that, unless... We get more than just air vehicles, which I do think could be very welcome. Tanks, ships, submarines, etcetera. Then it really would become a DCS competitor, which has the 'Combined Arms' DLC, but never delivered on the potential for that.

I actually think the VTOL VR method of controlling things would be better for a warship or tank than plane.

Right now, in real life, virtually every plane being manufactured is multi-role. Hardly anything is being manufactured for a single mission type, because they no longer have to be. That's the issue for a game which is effectively setting itself in the near-future. Strategic bomber is the one left over - and that could, potentially, have an alternative load-out of being a huge AC-130-alike gunship orbiting targets. The manufacturer of the B-1 actually proposed that, with a huge ventral gun turret placed on it.

Something the AC-42 already could do, but only with the lighter gun turret option.

A futuristic strategic bomber is going to be stealthy, too, unless the developer wants to go the route they've taken by copying the F-14 and have it be more of a B-1-styled legacy era plane. Or maybe a single DLC which has both? A stealthy, subsonic flying wing and a non-stealthy legacy era supersonic B-1 type.

Wouldn't even need additional crew for the rearwards gun turret, as that would be automated and radar-guided.

There could also be a specialised naval mini-AWACS role plane... Something E-2-like? Basically could be put into an orbiting autopilot, then the user can go to a map and vector team mates to various points on a map with specific tasks. Maybe it would have a couple of auto-generated AI-piloted fighter escorts, so that even a single player could feel secure using it.

Go here/attack this/VID this/jam this/escort this/patrol here, etcetera.

Could be given a buddy-refuelling option, so that other players could go to that plane. Might also have a stealthy profile, as the upcoming US Navy tanker drone is going to.

[Agent J]

Most suggestions indicate a lot of work needs to be done to the scenario engine/editor to have any further meaningful roles/mission types. The game is starting to show its limits.

[Deadpoetic6]

COIN aircraft like the Tucano

60s plane with no MFDs and more analogue, like a Phantom

[Hijong park]

Publicado originalmente por Deadpoetic:

COIN aircraft like the Tucano

60s plane with no MFDs and more analogue, like a Phantom

that had been discussed many times, and the result was always 'not happening'.

[TheWorstJoJo]

Publicado originalmente por Avi:

The only thing it get into my mind is surveillance and logistics roles, even command&control role if you want to force it, but nothing else. What you ppl think?

Maybe asw ( anti submarine warfare) could add something like the mh-53 or sh-60r for helos or something like the p-3 for fixed wing with multiple crew positions for pilots ew operator acoustic operator tacco and nav