Air Power of 2035... Can a Subsonic jet (ALCA) hold up?

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Hey guys, DarkSideSix here (AKA The Professional Canadian)

Hey, here is a really good question, along with some interesting notes i have put together myself. ARMA 3 has a setting of 2035. That being said, out of all of the sophisticated vehicles to choose for Air Power, why the ALCA? The ALCA is ok, but in terms of a war based in 2035, i do believe that the Czech's would choose even the Gripen over the ALCA. The ALCA is a Subsonic (An aircraft incapable of passing the sound barrier) The Gripen has a way better chance of being the fighter in 2035, hell even the F-16 Block would be a really nice use in air power. Here comes the other question, as to why does the OSCAT (Iranian based Opfor) have the same aircraft as the AAF? Again, being 2035, a really good choice of air power for Opfor would be that new fighter, Iranian saeqeh fighter, like an over hauled F-5 with a dual V tail. This would make Arma 3 a whole lot more interesting instead of having all the same assets for different teams. The final question i have, is why use even if it is the ALCA, from the Czech pack. Same cockpit, same pixelaation as in the Czech pack. Its like porting Chernarus from Arma 2, and leaving it in its very lowly pixelated state. I think these things need more thought in my opinion. That would make the game in its final state, a ton more polished, not to mention a more efficient flight model (physics) for fixed wing aircraft.

Example of the saeqeh -

Example of the Gripen -

http://www.milavia.net/news/images/gripen_hu1.jpg

Edited August 13, 2013 by DarkSideSixOfficial

[chortles 263]

In the video from Saturday the "Buzzard" was AAF exclusive, not OPFOR.

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Very true. I have heard rumors during Alpha stages that Opfor could have possibly played an Eastern, Iran type role in the game. No factions other than Nato and Greece were stated, but that is simply my assumption and curiosity.

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

If there were advanced drones that might be something - seems to be a prop driven predator with swept wings??? Wheres the X47B, also some real jets - PAK-FA (sold to opfor), F-35?

Edited August 14, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[CaptainAzimuth 714]

Well, there is an advanced drone, and it will be Unmanned, i don't know the name of it. The Pak-FA or, T-50 ont he other hand, is a Russian Stealth Multi-role, i think, and i don't know if Russian plays a part in Arma 3. The F-35 is a possibility, but i do believe that BI has to change the version of F-35 from the one used in Arma 2, to the more present, undated F-35 model. As for that predator, i think its neat that you can now use a drone without hopping in the pilot seat as in Arma 2. Ahahaha, good old days. They show an example via. Arma3Official Stream on YouTube.

[chortles 263]

According to BI, the F-35 (or as they'd called it the "F-38") was only a placeholder "used to showcase flight and the new clouds, as well as to test fixed-wing PhysX. They were meant to be significantly updated or re-done to match, but due to a shift in priorities, not finished in time. There was no ill-intent when showing them - rather overly ambitious goals, enthusiasm and a desire to share development progress."

Russia doesn't seem to have a direct role in Arma 3, though some Field Manual entries mention vehicles as being Russian designed/developed or intended use in Russian military use, i.e. as of the current stable build (before the final pre-release patch) the PO-30 Orca is purported to have been intended as a replacement for the Mi-8 Hip in the Russian Air Force (no mention of its "resemblance" to the Ka-60 Kasatka... you know, besides the fact that kasatka can be translated as "orca" :p) while the Kajman is a claimed "multipurpose successor of Mi-24" with a Mi-28-based front, and the Kamysh is described as "Developed by Russia with a pinch of undeniable inspiration from Israeli IFVs", while "modern Russian rocket launchers" are the described basis behind the RPG-42 Alamut. (China also gets mentioned twice as involved in the Katiba's development and in the Zafir being a Chinese mass-produced weapon "said to be based on a copied Israeli design, which spawned a lengthy legal conflict that still remains unresolved.")

The X-47B has never been publicly hinted at or "revealed" for Arma 3, though for what it's worth the USN announced this year that there would not be a X-47-specific weapons development program, but rather that it would "something that’s already been certified … that is carried in our magazines on our aircraft carriers". Ditto for the PAK-FA never having been hinted at for Arma 3, and in fact I don't recall BI ever discussing Arma 3 OPFOR fixed-wing in detail up until now (which, when you realize that they basically just said "our devs are working on a CAS plane for each faction" only now, tells you something about how low of a priority this was previously).

Also, it was expressly stated (I believe by Moricky?) that the Altian forces are not based on Greek forces (anymore).

[trent 14]

I don't get it. If the F-38 was cut because currently it's just a A2 port why is the L-159 in when it's identical to the A2 model?

[chortles 263]

Quoting the full paragraph from the SITREP #00021:

A few assets seen in screenshots and other media were taken well before the project review, when Arma 3 was a different game. We remain convinced the changes were for the better. It wasn't optimal to show placeholder and prototype content before we knew we could finish it. This has also led to a renewed stance to public statements - not confirming or announcing content before we are quite sure about it (starting October 2012). Specifically vehicles like the F-38 (as we called it), were only ever placeholder assets taken from Arma 2, and used to showcase flight and the new clouds, as well as to test fixed-wing PhysX. They were meant to be significantly updated or re-done to match, but due to a shift in priorities, not finished in time. There was no ill-intent when showing them - rather overly ambitious goals, enthusiasm and a desire to share development progress.

This to me reads less like "cut because it was an A2 port" and more "was just a placeholder all along".

[da12thMonkey 1943]

I don't get it. If the F-38 was cut because currently it's just a A2 port why is the L-159 in when it's identical to the A2 model?

Have you seen the cockpit of the Arma 2 X-35B model recently? It's dreadful and has no place being in Arma 3. If you're making a new cockpit model you may as well make a new aircraft model as well to ensure the model is consistent.

The L-159's model is much better than the X-35, even if they're from the same 'generation' of Arma games.

[instagoat 133]

Canon now is that Altis had trouble with an insurgency of some sort. Maybe they purchased super-cheap throwaway Alcas from the middle east and had them re-built into what they now call the Buzzard, as a COIN plane. Slow and low works better against an insurgency than fast and high.

[liquidpinky 11]

I don't get it. If the F-38 was cut because currently it's just a A2 port why is the L-159 in when it's identical to the A2 model?

The one reason everyone seems to keep forgetting, VTOL. ;)

Bet it is a flight characteristic problem currently with the PhysX implementation, possibly why the Osprey is cut too.

[f27sharps 1]

I love the idea of ​​having a derivative of the F-5 for the OPFOR, we do not need long-range interceptor for ArmA 3.

The KFIR C10/C12 can also be interesting because as saeqeh is a derivative of a western aircraft which is improved by an oriental country.

http://theaviationist.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/6_fac3055-kfir-c10-escom-111-colombian-aforce-mission-launch-19-07-2012.jpg

[aoshi 1]

Only plane that i will miss a lot is the a-10 (if they don't put in)

ofecurce someone will put as an addon

[karbiner 11]

F35 for bluefor, Qaher F313 for Redfor?(altho it is believed to be fake, it still looks awesome)

[chortles 263]

Have you seen the cockpit of the Arma 2 X-35B model recently? It's dreadful and has no place being in Arma 3. If you're making a new cockpit model you may as well make a new aircraft model as well to ensure the model is consistent.

The L-159's model is much better than the X-35, even if they're from the same 'generation' of Arma games.

Ugh, you're right, the Arma 2 interior textures look noticeably inferior to Arma 3 car or helicopter interiors, and using All in Arma to view Arma 2 content just made the difference even more stark.

[scrim 1]

Against other planes, not at all. That goes for today as well, since it's a trainer plane rather than anything else. It could potentially be used as a COIN plane today, and in 2035 by some poor 3rd world nation I suppose.

[kilroy the nerd 14]

KFIR is IDF, isn't it? Anyway, considering all the other vehicles exported from Israel in Arma 3, I like it. It would make a good BLUFOR plane, no? Probably able to be equipped for ground attack, close air patrol, and all kinds of nice things in between.

[Mattar_Tharkari 10]

KFIR is IDF, isn't it? Anyway, considering all the other vehicles exported from Israel in Arma 3, I like it. It would make a good BLUFOR plane, no? Probably able to be equipped for ground attack, close air patrol, and all kinds of nice things in between.

It's 2035, why do the ground forces have the latest vehicles and infantry equipment yet the airforces are flying vintage scrap aluminium instead of carbon fibre? What's next? Sopwith Camels, canvas is so retro!?

The one reason everyone seems to keep forgetting, VTOL. ;)

Bet it is a flight characteristic problem currently with the PhysX implementation, possibly why the Osprey is cut too.

Probably more to it - have you tried laser guided bombing with the AllInArma addons and the new JTAC - doesn't work, scripts probably don't exist. Most aircraft seem to fly well with the AIA addon, I've done some circuits and it was OK?

Edited August 15, 2013 by Mattar_Tharkari

[AveryTheKitty 2626]

I don't think a lot of people realize that the Greyhawk UCAV most likely replaces the BluFor planes. :P

[progamer 14]

The L-159 makes sense for the technology the Altian Armed Forces. The developers have said two new jets are in development for NATO and CSAT at the moment.

[f27sharps 1]

KFIR is an israelian aircraft, KFIR are/were used by IDF, Equator, Sri Lanka, Colombia and by U.S army as "Aggressor"