Our Hornet is the culmination of more than 40 man years of intense research, technology development, art creation, and ground-breaking coding. The Hornet brings the first, true, multi-role fighter to the skies of DCS World with equally impressive air-to-surface and air-to-air capabilities.

DCS: F/A-18C Hornet is initially being released as an Open Beta, with several features to be added during the Open Beta period. This includes several sensors, weapons, and sub-systems.

About the DCS: F/A-18C Hornet

The F/A-18C Hornet is twin engine, supersonic fighter that is flown by a single pilot in a “glass cockpit”. It combines extreme maneuverability , a deadly arsenal of weapons, and the ability to operate from an aircraft carrier. Operated by several nations, this multi-role fighter has been instrumental in conflicts from 1986 to today.

The Hornet is equipped with a large suite of sensors that includes a radar, targeting pod, and a helmet mounted sight. In addition to its internal 20mm cannon, the Hornet can be armed with a large assortment of unguided bombs and rockets, laser and GPS-guided bombs, air-to-surface missiles of all sorts, and both radar and infrared-guided air-to-air missiles. This results in amazing gameplay potential with this single aircraft.

The Hornet is also known for its extreme, slow-speed maneuverability in a dogfight. We have gone to great lengths to model the flight aerodynamics and fly-by-wire flight control system of the Hornet to allow you to experience the real feeling of power and extreme capabilities this aircraft has to offer. Although incredibly deadly, the Hornet is also a very easy aircraft to fly.

Being an aircraft carrier capable aircraft, our Hornet also comes with the most detailed aircraft carrier ever created for a PC game. Catapult from the “boat”, strike a large assortment of targets that only DCS World can offer, then “call the ball” and land on the carrier. DCS: F/A-18C Hornet in DCS World provides the most rich and authentic digital combat aviation you will ever experience!

Key Features of DCS: F/A-18C Hornet:

• Professional Flight Model (PFM) and authentic Flight Control System (FCS). Experience the thrill of flying this supersonic warbird.
  
• Includes a new, highly-detailed USS John C. Stennis aircraft carrier with fully operational steam catapults, arrestor wires, “meat ball” landing system, TACAN navigation, jet blast deflectors, radar antennas, defense systems, and lights.
  
• The most realistic model of the F/A-18C imaginable, down to each bolt and flake of paint, animated controls surfaces, lights, damage model, and landing gear.
  
• Detailed simulation of the Hornet’s many sub-systems like engines, fuel, electrical, hydraulic, radios, lighting, emergency, and many, many more. Although features like “auto start” are available, the sense of accomplishment cannot be overstated after learning to operate this state-of-the-art machine.
  
• Inertia and GPS navigation systems with moving map display allow you multiple ways to find your target and get you back to “mother”.
  
• Dozens of air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons and sensors. From simple rockets to high-tech GPS and laser-guided bombs, experience what only Hornet pilots have experienced ‘til now.
  
• A highly realistic and exhaustively researched cockpit that is mouse interactive with 6 degrees of freedom. Interact with the cockpit by pressing buttons and moving switches. You will feel like part of the aircraft with our Advanced Systems Modeling (ASM) .
  
• Authentic Hornet sounds provided with the assistance of Boeing, the Hornet’s manufacturer.
  
• New effects have been developed for our Hornet like leading edge extension vapor, over-wing vapor, rain on canopy, and new explosions.
  
• Virtual Reality support. Take advantage of the latest VR technologies to immerse yourself in the simulation. Other than the G’s, you will feel like you are there!
  
• Multiple liveries for the US Navy, US Marine Corps, Canada, Australia, Spain, Switzerland, Finland, and many more.

Open Beta Release

This is an Open Beta release and the following items will be added during the Open Beta development period:


Sensors:
A/A radar with TWS, SCAN RAID, AZ/EL
A/G radar with MAP, EXP1, EXP2, EXP3, SEA, GMT, PVU, AGR, IRA, and TA
AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR Targeting Pod
Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS)
Link-16
AWW-13 Datalink Pod
NVGs

Weapons:
AGM-88C HARM
AGM-45A/B Shrike
AGM-84D Block 1C Harpoon
AGM-84E SLAM
AGM-84H/K SLAM-ER
AGM-65E/F/G Maverick
AGM-154A/C JSOW
Walleye I/II ER/DL
GBU-10/12/16/24B Paveway II
GBU-38/31/32 JDAM
AIM-9X Sidewinder
AIM-7P Sparrow
AIM-120B/C AMRAAM
Mk-40 Destructor Sea Mine
Mk-63 Quickstrike Sea Mine
Mk-77 Fire Bomb

Decoys:
ADM-141 TALD
GEN-X