AWACS Aircraft as Full Fidelity Modules

I am not aware of the confidentiality of modern AWACS aircraft, but it would be very interesting for me to operate one of them. Not just flying them but also analyzing the battlefield with their radar or with the information from other aircraft (e.g. to triangulate SAM site locations with information given by RWR) and playing as a GCI or commander.

Actually I would be even happy if just some parts of the AWACS were modeled to a degree that allows us to do the most of the important things.

Probably AWACS aircraft would be suitable as multicrew modules as well.

I would be ready to pay more than 100$ for such a beast.

You can do much this already in game using the GCI/JTAC view and srs to control the battlefield in Multiplayer.

or using LotATC

You can do much this already in game using the GCI/JTAC view and srs to control the battlefield in Multiplayer.

But you can not be shot down while using this.

But you can not be shot down while using this.

So? I fail to see how that would justify the time and expense for Ed to build such a thing.

I would also point out that a gci that loses awacs suffers from worse sa

I was already aware that the F10-map can be used for playing as a GCI, but I am still interested in a full fidelity AWACS module. The F10-map is not a proper alternative in my opinion.

or using LotATC

After taking a look at it, it seems to be quite good. However, it costs 25$ and I I would rather spend money directly on DCS, because you never know for how long inoffcial tools will be supported for DCS.

Besides this, it seems like this tool is just emulating what you should be able to see with your radar and I would like to have a proper simulation instead.

i have no strong opinion on a dedicated awacs module - i just fear it would not be economically feasible.

however, what i could very much see (and would be interested in myself) was a GCI module (maybe just as an update to combined arms?) which would be similar to LotATC, but with some added immersion elements. f.e. allowing you to crew an awacs (without full system modeling - but more as an immersive, interactive backdrop with some, but limited control over the unit), crew a tower of an airfield, or crew a ships radar/GCI station with some limited possibilites to control airfield/ship functions.

so, most of the time you'd still be working on a "generic" GCI interface, but with some added functionality and immersive effects depending on the station, you are crewing.

Yeah, as like a CA station that’s standardized

I Would buy a C-2 greyhound, and that shares a lot of systems with a E-2, maybe...

Some upgrade for GCI/AWACS with more realistic picture, merges, SA searches, refresh rates etc.

Now GCI/AWACS sees every detail like number of planes in tight formation from 200 miles, exact type of enemy aircraft, flying missiles (sic) etc.

I just don't think this would be a good idea. An AWACS is operated by a large crew so a lot of the functions would be performed by AI.

IMHO what the DCS needs, is a simulation of realistic kind information, transmissions and all that.

Meaning, when a user is in Combined Arms mode as a Ground Commanders, JTAC's, Game Masters and Observers, they have all a totally different information and the amount of information available.

The Game Master should be the server owners or the very specific key people who's responsible is to maintain the game regardless the side. They see everything, they are like "God's of War" that where they will be able simulate different elements like make bridges to broke or cause some vehicles to get jams etc.

The "Ground Commanders" should be more like colonels responsible for the company or a brigade at max. Not see everything nor realtime. The information should go through the commands and plans, like make a plan that specific place to be used as defense position and they do not see how the units actually position there or what units, as they know that there should be specific group of units. And then all patrols etc should be limited by information like the route of the patrol, but not where the patrol goes or so on.

Then if player steps to smaller shoes, like a platoon leader, they know where their squads are and they get more accurate data of the squad positions but not real time, as they again issue commands by the squad level instead individuals. So if they command that specific area must be attacked by specific squad, it is their goal and the updates about the advancement and performance comes later on over radio. The platoon leader does know the positions of the last reported places of other platoons in the company, but not their squads or teams positions or tasks. The squad leader is the only one who can see in real time where all the units are moving and going. But they might know where their fellow squads are going in their platoon, but not where the company is or what ever is elsewhere around.

So more updated data that player wants, lower the "grass level" is required to be gone, but same time less information about surroundings is lost.

The radio communications would be the main method to get updates, but most accurate would be the messengers delivering commands and all. And it would be a lot about playing the game via the symbols on the map, that are not symbolizing the units locations or status, but just the tasks and commands they have.

There should be a positions as well for the air units commanders, that would receive on the map the informations about detected units, not their exact locations or types even. Like the map can have multiple reports from multiple armors near town X, but no exact information how many, or are they even MBT, IFV or just APC. The information can be old by time, like reported 15 minutes ago or 2 hours ago. And so on the air units commander task is to plan a CAS on that area, and it will be a very wide general area. The Air Units Commander needs to know is there a JTAC on the area, what is the frequency etc. And then inform that there will be a CAS leaving to that area at X time. And then those CAS pilots and JTAC will sort out all the small details of spotting units, finding their types etc. And Air Commander only see that flight of X, with loadout of Y has scheduled to fly to that given area for Z period and see the flight plan. No idea about units that pilots spots, unless listening the radio that the pilots would then use to talk about JTAC etc that what they are seeing.

So there would be everywhere the "fog of war" that would be delayed by communication delays, links etc. Very much undetailed and limited. So higher level players would be doing a lot of guessing and lot of ruse tactics against the enemy to get them report something false.

The AWACS would be one of the few who can spot something, but they wouldn't be all seeing people. As they can't see how many aircrafts are in flight at further distances, not know their side, type etc. Only what the radar would tell them, general altitude, direction, and by tracking them then the updates on radar screen. And it would all be based to values that the radar can give, so E-2 radar that rotates at 6 RPM, you do not get much updates for anything, as it is just every 10 seconds that you get update. Now it is in real time. And in 10 seconds update period, a fighter that flies at Mach 1.2 at altitude, can travel over 4.1km. And that is big big difference when it comes to With Visual Range fight, as now the E-2 can't help you at all as the visual range starts about at 5 km distance and it will be a furball for a E-2 AWACS operator. But if you could be a GCI, that has access to a fast scanning radar, they can get update every second and with far higher resolution and be able to tell what the enemy pilot is going to do in the dog fight before they even do it, because good GCI see like he would be a wingman above the dog fight.

The player in AWACS would be only giving a "Big Picture", not having accurate information what is going on or who is going where etc. It would be just a second "pair of eyes", check the sorties list that is somewhere suppose to be a friendlies flying or not, and perform the double checking for the pilots detection of something.