Have you noticed how the PC simulation world and the real
world are growing more closely tied? One of the goals of
Combat Simulations is to enhance your sim experience by
providing you with news and information about the real world
counterparts to the armor you command and the aircraft you
fly and the boats you captain.
Digital Image Design, much like Janes Combat Simulations,
is intent on realism and an experience that simulates that
larger combat environment, with all its complexities.
Toward that end DiD has ties with the real world military
and also with a civilian intelligence agency that is as
well respected as Janes.
F22: ADF will be bundled with a publication by World Air
Power titled Allies & Adversaries. At almost two
hundred pages its a great added value feature, chock full
of information on... you guessed it! both allies and
adversaries you will meet in F22.
The World Air Power journal was first published in the
spring of 1990 and is concerned entirely with modern
military aircraft. Its an all color journal and has NO
advertising. Produced quarterly at 160 pages, it provides
in depth information on the worlds military aircraft right
up to the limits of classification.
Each volume of the Journal has a central feature describing
one major aircraft type, forming a kind of "monograph" in
its own right. In "Allies and Adversaries" the monograph is
dedicated to the F22 Air Dominance Fighter, including pages
9-24. Page 24 is a fold out with detailed descriptions of
every sub system and a color schematic on one side of the
page, and a rendering of the F22 in relation to its systems
from the original design paper on the other side.
Transport aircraft, three civil aircraft, and tanker
aircraft complete the volume. Lets take a look at the newer
Sukhoi, the Su-35. For information on the Su-37, see our
dedicated Su-37 page.
The section dedicated to the Sukhoi Su-35 comprises eleven
pages. Color photos and a schematic are included, and
detailed operating specifications are found throughout the
article. From a brief history of the Su-27 to an analysis
of the strategic factors contributing to the upgrade, the
article places one squarely in the flow of modern air
power. Here is a sample:
The Su-35 has a modern glass cockpit with three
multi-function CRT displays. These mark a major improvement
over the traditional "steam-age" analogue cockpit of basic
Su-27 but have traditional input buttons surrounding them
rather than the throttle and stick mounted controls of
those fitted to the MiG-29M.
The Su-35 has a reconfigured tailcone with a reshaped
tip. THis is a dialectric radome rather than the usual
brake chute cover, perhaps tying in with oblique
references to rear hemisphere radar coverage and "over
the shoulder" BVR missile capacity.
The Su-35 has a new multi-mode radar, probably
designtated N-011, with significant air-to-ground
capability. This may be related to the N-010 radar of the
MiG-29M, itself a version of the Fazatron "Zhuk." More
importantly, the radar has much improved processing,
allowing up to 15 targets to be simultaneously tracked,
and six to be engaged at ranges out to 362 Km (225
miles).
The Su-35 is powered by a pair of NPO Saturn AL-31FM
turbofans, each rated at 13300kg (29,320 lb) with
reheat....
Do you get the feeling that this is a significant adversary
for the F22? Even the rear facing radar is very powerful,
able to discriminate a fighter sized target at 250 miles.
As for weaponry, the Su-35 can mount new long-range
anti-AWACS weaponry (the Novator KS-172 AAM-L or the R-37),
whose range can be further extended by the addition of a
separate booster. The following information comes from Rick
Bourassa:
Novator KS-172 AAM-L
First revealed early in 1993, this heavy missile marks the
debut in the AM field of the little-known Novator
experimental bureau. The specification for this weapon was
issued in mid 1991, probably as armament for the Su-27 and
-35. If it flies, this impressive missile will be the
world's largest and heaviest air to air missile. Launched
by a solid-propellant tandem booster, the KS-172 will have
a maximum range of 400 km (249 miles), attacking its
targets with an adaptive high explosive fragmenting
warhead. The initial flight phase will be under the command
of an inertial guidence system, receiving updates on target
position via a command link. In the final stages of flight,
it will switch to an active radar homing head.
And more from "Allies and Adversaries:"
In addition, the supersonic, passive radar homing, long
range Kh-31P can be used as an air-to-air anti-radar
missile, especially against vulnerable allied aircraft like
the E-3 Sentry AWACS platform or the E-8-J-STARS. Russian
tactical doctrine emphasizes the importance of such
aircraft as targets, and the best and most experienced
pilots are trained in co-ordinated attacks against such
aircraft and their fighter protection...
How much are these tactics and weapons systems modelled in
ADF? The Novator is not in ADF and you won't find rear
facing radar modelled.. maybe we'll see this in TAW. But
you will see the Su-35 and these will be one of your most
formidable opponents. We'll try to find out more about the
inner workings of ADF AI.
The section on the Eurofighter comprises 13 pages. Again,
this section is packed with info, photos, and a color
schematic which lists critical components overleaf. The
section on the MiG-29M comprises 12 pages and is the same
layout. In case you are not aware, the M variant is a very
significant upgrade to the original design and this is a
far more capable aircraft. The "Fulcrum" is another
significant opponent that you will encounter in ADF.
One of the most interesting sections of "Allies and
Adversaries" for me was the MiG-21 "Fishbed" Upgrade
section. The MiG 21 has proved to be a competent and long
lived platform, and late-model "Fishbeds" have increased
fuel capacity, more powerful radar, and better armament.
With a variety of upgrade programs among a variety of
nations, some variants of the MiG-21 can mount the most
modern weapons from western and soviety arsenals and some
have entirely new avionics designed around digital
databuses. The MiG 21 is fast, with superb acceleration and
an excellent rate of climb, and is agile and presents a
very small frontal radar cross section. In a knife fight
this is a dangerous opponent!
By now you have a good sense of the book and its value. Its
quite excellent and this is a great addition to the ADF
package. You'll see most if not all of the aircraft and
weapons covered by the book in the simulation itself....
If that weren't enough, we have new information on the
Tours disk that will be released in January for ADF. "Just
when you thought you'd cleared the skies of hostiles three
new conflicts erupt in the Red Sea theatre. Over thirty new
missions including extensive AWACS duties will test your
skills to the limit...." DiD has stated that their
intention is to provide a greater sense of immersion with
semi-dynamic AI as they move toward the TAW release. Should
be good!
