DCS World DCS: AH-64D

DCS: AH-64D is an add-on for DCS World that lets you fly the AH-64D, a tandem-crewed attack helicopter based on the AH-64A. The pilot sits in the rear seat and the copilot/gunner (CP/G) in the front. The helicopter has served as a backbone of the U.S. Army attack helicopter force for decades, and variants have also served with the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Japan, Egypt, Greece and other countries.

Aircraft and systems

The AH-64D is powered by twin T-700-701C engines and can carry external fuel tanks as well as internal or supplementary fuel. It is designed for long missions and is protected against small- to medium-caliber weapons. Its Aircraft Survivability Equipment (ASE) includes missile, laser and radar warning sensors, a radar jammer and expendable countermeasures.

The helicopter carries a 30mm chain gun beneath the nose, with Hellfire missiles and 2.75-inch rockets on its stub wings. Its night-fighting equipment includes the Pilot Night Vision System (PNVS) and the Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) sensor in the Target Acquisition and Designation Sight (TADS). The Integrated Helmet and Display Sighting System (IHADSS) projects flight, sensor and weapon information to the pilot’s right eye, allowing the pilot to engage a target by looking at it.

Flying and crew

The add-on features flight dynamics and engine modeling designed to reproduce the real aircraft’s characteristics across altitudes, temperatures, speeds, weights and flight configurations. It includes two detailed 6DOF cockpits and an external model. The cockpits are fully clickable, with mouse-interactive controls, and model the electrical, fuel, hydraulic, pneumatic, fire protection, SCAS, hold-mode and radio systems.

You can fly with a second crew member who is either another player or the “George” AI. The weapons systems support the 30mm chain gun, 2.75-inch rockets and AGM-114K Hellfire antitank guided missiles in Direct, Low and High modes. Other equipment includes external fuel tanks, IHADSS, MPNVS and MTADS/TEDAC systems and sensors, a Linear Motion Compensator (LMC), a Tactical Situation Display (TSD) with moving map, night vision goggles and a search light.

Defensive equipment

Defensive systems include the Common Missile Warning System, chaff and flare dispensers and a radar warning receiver. The planned release features also include a laser warning system and radar jammer.

Planned release features

At Open Beta release, the add-on includes U.S. Army and other paint schemes, an Early Access manual and training missions. Features listed for release include the Fire Control Radar (FCR) and Radio Interferometer (RFI), AGM-114L radar-guided Hellfire missiles, Flechette and MPSM rocket types, a data link system for sharing and assigning targets between flight members, the TADS Multi-Target Tracker (MTT), an anti-ice system, advanced damage modeling, additional liveries and a livery template, and a campaign by Eagle Dynamics. The FCR is intended to detect, classify, track and engage air and surface targets with radar-guided Hellfire missiles.