1998: Looking Ahead (www.combatsim.com)

State of the Art: Part 5

by Leonard Hjalmarson

Weapons and Platforms

One of the many reasons for the success of Janes Longbow is that new weapons and platforms are sexy (course, it helps a great deal when you include incredible tutorial components, state of the art graphics and sound, complete multiplayer abilities and awesome effects....) The F22 itself has been modelled by five developers now, but there is still plenty of room for growth in the virtual environment through the simulation of new weapons and new opponents.

LOCAAS

JSF broke new ground by being the first to model theLOCAAS and the JSOW in 1997. F22: ADF modelled the JDAM and the AIM9x. So far no one has modelled the rear facing radar of the Su-35, a sim feat that would add a new degree of challenge whenever engaging that particular opponent!

The Su-35 has a new multi-mode radar, probably designated 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, comparable to the new engines going into the F15 Eagle.

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.

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.

Su35

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...from "Allies and Adversaries"

Obviously, any simulation that takes on a large battlefield and employs AWACS aircraft aloft is ripe for the simulation of specialized weapons like these!

Other intriguing weapons that would add a great deal to the plot are fourth generation IR homing missiles like the Python 4. Its main features:

In operational use in the Israeli Air Force
Revolutionary no escape volume
Unique aerodynamic configuration for superior agility
State-of-the-art, high performance seeker
Advanced IRCM & background rejection capabilities
Highly effective fragmentation warhead

PYTHON 4

In 1996, Israel finally unveiled the latest addition its air-to-air combat armory, the Rafael Python-4 Although speculation about the existence of the weapon had been widespread, official confirmation of its existence and capabilities caused a stir all over the world.
Rafael stresses that the new short-range missile is not simply an extension to its range of Shafrir and Python products, but a step advance to a true fourth-generation infra-red-guided look-and-shoot missile.
Its primary advance is to expand the "no-escape" zone within which an enemy aircraft has no hope of evading the missile. With an increased velocity and high offboresight capability, the Python-4 enlarges the no-escape volume dramatically to almost any frontal target. In short, any aircraft in the pilot’s forward field of vision within range will be destroyed regardless of its flightpath or of any evasive maneuver it makes up to 9G.
To achieve this, the Python-4 not only needs the power and aerodynamics to make fast turns, but also requires special-pursuit trajectory algorithms. For example, the missile may cut across the path of an evading aircraft to pursue it through a high-g turn. Previous missiles would simply have lost the target.
Rafael adds that the Python-4 is not a development project but a mature weapon system. As the Israeli defense ministry revealed in 1996, and operational with the Israeli air force from a news article on the Paris Air Show

Similarly, the Royal Air Force's Future Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile (FMRAAM) "Meteor," an enhanced AMRAAM that will be mounted on the EF2000, would add additional challenge to coming sims. It will likely be powered by a liquid fuel ramjet and have an effective range of 50 miles.

JAS 39 Gripen is a good candidate for a new ally, and the S-37 Berkut is a good candidate for a new opponent.

An exciting development, the S-32 was recently renamed the S-37. The S-37 promises to marry several innovations that the West has left behind. . .if Russia can afford to pay for this aircraft. The S-37 is being funded internally by the Sukhoi Design Bureau (or whatever its official successor name is) and promises to be an interesting aircraft. Included in this aircraft's design are forward swept wings (like the USA's X-29), thrust vectoring, and stealth technology. supposedly, the prototype is nearing completion. The S-37 is intended to surplant the Su-27 family of aircraft and will probably end up with better performances in the payload, range, and other categories.

Late in 1997 DiD released F22:ADF, which included a sophisticated AMCI component that allowed missions to be recorded and later replayed for the purpose scrutinizing combat performance. The ACMI (Air Combat Manoeuvring Instrumentation) system allows gamers to work out complex spatial relationships and analyse where mistakes were made in air combat.

Training and Tutorials

In 1997 Digital Image Design raised the bar by including advanced ACMI with their simulation. In 1996 Janes Combat Simulations integrated by far the most sophisticated simulated instructor yet seen as part of their Longbow package. With a variety of tutorials progressing from basic flight and avionics to weapons use, the virtual instructor led the novice pilot step by step to add the skills needed to survive on the battlefield. It was completely revolutionary!

"Another feature that we have taken our time with on F22 ADF is ACMI. This was one of the most requested features for EF2000. The new F22 ADF ACMI is really cool. It allows you to record and then view engagements within the 3D system. The player can then view the action from any point of presence within the 3D; for example you can view the whole engagement from the view of an enemy pilot."

The ACMI feature is quite amazing. You can choose your view: cockpit, free, side track, satellite, track, spin (outside rotating with the ground down below) etc. You can toggle labels on and off, weapons and tracks on and off, even target vectors. You can zoom in and out, change the replay speed, and go full screen or as above. Record your flight and go back and check what you did right, what you did wrong, and whom did what when. Find out where that missile came from that finally got you, and what aircraft launched it. You can even switch to other aircraft and track them in relation to your own flight. The log on the left reports the events and the times. About the only thing you can't do is find out your airspeed or actual altitude at a given point, and there is no rewind. But you CAN share the acm files with others...

Graphic Simulations has been doing some great work in the multimedia training area that has been under appreciated. F/A 18 Korea offered online training (voice, diagrams, and "real" F/A18 video from the earlier version of the sim) covering everything from basic flight physics to air combat manouvers to avionics and weapon systems. Really, if you are a relative novice to the military flight sim genre, you should buy 'Korea for this feature alone!

Topics in training as listed include:

Takeoff
Landing
Carrier
Navigation
Air/Grnd
Air/Air

The Basic Flight section includes these subsections: Basic Forces of Flight, Angle of Attack (including stalls), Weight and Performance, and Sources of Drag. From here you can move into other areas like Basic Aircraft Controls and Cockpit. Seeing the World is a video and voice intro to the comprehensive viewing system.

F18 BFM

Under A2A GSC included the Basic Fighter Manouvers Training section. Covered n this section by use of diagram are the lag roll, the high yo-yo, the low yo-yo and the scissors. The Training module even includes detailed instruction on Carrier Ops! The detail included in the training module accomplishes much of what the more revolutionary training package in the original Longbow accomplished, making a great sim accessible to a much broader base by holding dweebs by the hand and offering enough depth to please the hardcore crowd.

What will 1998 and 1999 bring?

I expect we will see more features like these in the sims of 1998, perhaps even the first virtual instructor for the prop pushers. Rumor has it that Confirmed Kill might include a back seat instructor, and at least VCR type movies displaying the variety of air combat manouvers needed to survive. Perhaps Fighter Squadron: Screamin Demons will include a similar component.

Hardware 2000

Over the past year I've done a fair amount of ranting on hardware issues, mostly with application to graphics and frame rate issues. These things look to be mostly under control, especially with the arrival of more powerful CPUs this year and new chipsets like the Voodoo 2. So where does that leave the cutting edge?

Rock n Ride put out a great motion simulator for the home in 1997, and the chair has even greater potential as a force feedback device. In short, RocknRide includes support for a serial interface, meaning that programmers can DIRECTLY support the chair in software! In other words, the chair can become like a force feedback device, jumping or shaking when your aircraft is hit and moving when your aircraft moves. At the moment RocknRide is conversing with a number of developers regarding support, and they have already designed adapters for Playstation and Nintendo and are working on one for the Mac.

Obviously, force feedback sticks remain a hot item with a number of sticks in development behind the scenes. But what is NEEDED is a force feedback HOTAS system. The closest item to this at the moment is the CH system, and if someone takes the basic idea and builds it with digital equipment for the USB, it will likely be a killer in 1998. Wanna bet its already on the drawing boards somewhere?

As mentioned in the COMMS section above, VOX interface may soon appear in the mainstream also. With sims increasing in complexity its a development that is really needed. We need both greater control of our wingmen and even more ability to interface with AWACS, JSTARS and FACS, but we do not need more key commands. The only solution is to go to an actual voice interface.

On the more technical side, with multiple monitor support arriving in WIN98 its time to see simulations that allow for multiple video screens. Military Simulations broke the ice with Back to Baghdad in 1996, and its likely that we will soon see a move beyond this attempt. Can you imagine, for example, the intel interface of F4 on one screen while you fly on the other? Or a 14" monitor for selectable mfd while your cockpit is on your 17" monitor?

AWACS Interface

Or picture this in F22: TAW. You are in the AWACS interface and your map is on the 14" monitor on your left, while the control panel and flight interface is on the large screen in front of you! This setup would absolutely rock! And it would work equally well in a simulation like Flying Nightmares II.

Another variant of this idea is to run a large TV type monitor for your cockpit, and a standard computer monitor for MFD or map interface. This is a natural setup with one of the many boards that now support both types of output (Canopus Pure 3d, Velocity 128 3d etc). It would be simply too cool....

Finally, on January 26th Intel announced new price cuts and their processor plans for 1998. In short, Intel will release a Socket II Pentium at 400MHz on a 100MHz bus by June. The socket 2 Pentium has on board 512K cache that runs at full processor speed. Sometime in the 3rd quarter Intel will release a 450 MHz version with options of 1 or 2 meg cache at full processor speed. While these CPUs will not compare directly to the AMD K63d, they will certainly be far ahead of the current PII crop.

Summary

On the whole sim designers usually do some things very well, and neglect other areas. The notable exception to date has been Janes Longbow, and Falcon 4 and Flying Nightmares II look to be aiming very high across the board. I have a feeling that we are going to increasingly see excellence across the board, which in turn raises the bar for other sim designers. While entry level simulations may remain basic and arcade like, the bar for the high end sims is going to continue to creep higher.

Many of the simulations of 1998 have already been too long coming, but I think they will prove well worth the wait! Most will offer a dynamic campaign AI and/or a combination of multiplayer features that transform the simulation into a very immersive and unpredictable experience. Most will also be state of the art in the use of communications, graphics, flight modelling and physics. Its too bad that we couldn't have tasted more of that fruit this Christmas, but it will be all the sweeter when it arrives in a few more weeks. Combined with the next generation of hardware, it will be a marriage made in heaven!

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