Graveyard of Empires

The sole purpose of this post is to help you locate the unique objects and remarkable landmarks that have been discussed in our two previous posts: Kabul area, followed by the rest of the country. For this, you'll find attached a kneeboard page with all coordinates, so that you can easily create a w

Leaving the dense urban area of Kabul behind, the second part of our visit focuses on the vast expanses that define the rest of the Afghan theater. We will first identify the few unique modeled objects located in Herat and Kandahar, and then we will highlight several remarkable geological landmarks.

The Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) mission stands as a cornerstone of modern air power, and it was particularly true in a theater as complex and vast as Afghanistan. While everyone focus on fighter and bomber jets, the persistent eyes in the sky provided by ISR assets are what

The next natural step after creating the BMAs and setting up the possible AEW tracks is to position the Bullseyes for the theater. As usual, the Combat Flite (.cf) file and mission kneeboards (.pdf and .png) are available for download below. Geometric Accuracy A Bullseye (BE) position is defined usi

Here is my own trial at recreating the IFR and VFR transit corridors through Pakistan, as they have been described previously. You'll notice that in the South, the corridors start or end either from existing IFR waypoints in the Muscat FIR, or for naval operations from ad-hoc waypoints that will be

As we all know, Afghanistan is a landlocked country, isolated from direct maritime access and surrounded by sovereign states whose airspace immediately becomes a strategic factor in any sustained air campaign. At the outset of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) in late 2001, this geographic reality sh

All the subjects covered in the previous 2 posts (airborne early warning and ground tactical C2 elements) have been integrated into an example layout for the Afghan theater. You will find: several AWACS tracks examples. E-2 Hawkeye: operating from a carrier, the E-2 would primarily remain in the sou

On the same principle as for the AAR areas, let's take the time to discuss the practical incidence of the Tactical C2 structure on the ACO. We'll discuss two main topics before coming up with an ACO example: the question of AWACS, followed by the airspace division for Tacical C2 responsibilities. In

If you fly in DCS and you care about realism, you’ll eventually realize that flying isn’t the hard part. The hard part is understanding why you’re flying: what you’re supposed to achieve inside a much bigger system. That’s where reading books like Operation Enduring Freedom: September 2001–March 200

Once we have included all the civilian airspace as described in the AIP (2009 example here), we can start the ACO building by placing AAR Areas. Let's summarize here the minimum requirements for such areas. I. Altitude I.1 - Vertical space By default, a single tanker needs a 4,000 ft altitude block

Since I started working on a mission template for Afghanistan theater, representing the battlefield at the peak of the ISAF/OEF involvement, it's time to explain how we can expand the previous work made on tanker refueling altitude and their AAR area locations, that was eventually shared through a w

You'll find attached: the .miz file; the. pdf file with all range procedures; Both of the files above will soon be available to all in DCS user files. the. cf file with CombatFlite overlay with all necessary planning details (range boundaries, target positions, various patterns, etc...); CombatFlite

As a follow-up to the previous training scenario centered on Tarnak Range for fixed-wing aircraft, this mission shifts focus toward rotary-wing operations. To avoid any jealousy from our “slow-mover” friends, this post introduces Texas Helo Range, a lesser-known but operationally significant trainin

Do you think that the "Battle of Chora" would be a good scenario for a set of DCS World missions? Military positions during the Battle of Chora. Please comment here or on Discord! Afghanistan - Battle of Chora (YouTube)

You'll find attached: the .miz file; the. pdf file with all range procedures; Both of the files above are available to all in DCS user files. the. cf file with CombatFlite overlay with all necessary planning details (range boundaries, target positions, various patterns, etc...); CombatFlite overlay

In my previous post, we covered the background, airspace, and purpose of Tarnak Range. If you're here, I assume you're no more stranger to controlled airspace, pattern structure, and procedural weapon delivery. Now let's move into the heart of the range: its target layout and the attack profiles des

In this first post, I'd like to introduce the Tarnak Range, a purpose-built air-to-ground training complex for DCS World, modeled after a real-world range located southeast of Kandahar Airfield (KAF), Afghanistan. I. Real-World Legacy: Tarnak Farms Before we get into the tactical side, it’s worth ta

Two kneeboard pages summarizing Show of Presence and Show of Force Following the two articles on Escalation of Force in OEF/ISAF, one focused on the Show of Presence, the other on the Show of Force, these kneeboard pages offer a practical tool for mission planning and in-flight reference. They summa

All about the Show of Force in Afghanistan Following the Show of Presence, the Show of Force (SOF) is the next step in the escalation of force. Where the SOP signals presence, the SOF simulates imminent attack... Commonly used in OEF when lethal force was not yet authorized or tactically wise, the S

A 6th map has been added to the Afghanistan Theater Map Package for CombatFlite in the shop. Don't forget to download this additional map if you already bought the package earlier!

Video of a Mirage 2000D performing a Show of Force (SOF) over Jangalkay. Introduction to non-lethal use of airpower in Afghanistan At the very beginning of this journey, nearly one year ago, I shared a photo of a Mirage 2000D performing a Show of Force (SOF) over Jangalkay Valley. Here’s a short vid

In the previous article, you were introduced to the core concepts of Rules of Engagement (ROE), like self-defense, hostile intent, proportionality, etc... and how they can shape operations like OEF. Within NATO, these principles are described through a strategic document, called MC 362/1. It's the a

Illustration: a pair of F-15E Strike Eagles deploying 2,000 lbs JDAMs during Operation Hammer Down, an offensive operation in Kunar Province, Afghanistan, 2011. Such operations required specific ROE that authorized deliberate and sustained use of force against identified enemy positions. Rules of En

First Rafale combat strike: a joint Mirage-Rafale buddy-lase mission in Afghanistan, blending precision, pressure, and first-time lessons! As we’ve seen it on a previous post, by early 2007, the Rafale had entered the Afghan theater with limited strike autonomy but high expectations. Armed with GBU-

Following valuable input from one of our members, I have updated the Bagram charts to include a more current airfield diagram that reflects both runways. Additionally, I have added the ILS RWY 03, in anticipation of its possible addition in a future DCS update. There is also a minor cosmetic update

The VFR-only airfield charts are now published and available in the shop. As mentioned previously, this will serve as the central and only location for maintaining and distributing all airfield charts. Updating charts across scattered posts proved inefficient and made it difficult to access the late

I know that some of you like using real world callsigns for your missions, and as I've done it previously with the tankers and combat aircra I know that some of you like using real world callsigns for your missions, and as I've done it previously with the tankers and combat aircraft callsigns lists,

My next release will be a set of airport charts covering all VFR-only airfields in Afghanistan. As you may have noticed, there are quite a few of them, and compiling this set is a time-consuming process. It involves gathering all available data, comparing it with the current state of the DCS map, an

Following the recent release of the Jalalabad airport charts and several small updates to previously published charts for other airfields—such as Kandahar and Bagram—I’ve realized that managing and distributing updated versions has become increasingly painful... Each time I publish an update, I have

This is a follow-up of my previous reviews of Osprey’s F-14 Units of Operation Enduring Freedom and A-10 Units of Operation Enduring Freedom (2002-2007 and 2008-2014) volumes. As you've seen it, these books really stand out for their amazing details and firsthand accounts, offering us, virtual pilot

C2 structure in Afghanistan - final part. Over the previous articles, we’ve broken down how Close Air Support missions are tasked in real time, and introduced the various actors —JTACs, TOCs, ASOCs, CRCs, AWACS, and aircrews. Now, we can look into real combat missions and start thinking about how we

Over the past few months, many of you have asked me variations of the same question: “Between aircrew, C2, and JTAC—who’s doing what during a CAS mission?” It’s a fair question—and not an easy one to answer. In counterinsurgency (COIN) warfare like in Afghanistan, Close Air Support isn’t just about

Following the path of the Osprey publications about OEF, and after my previous reviews of the A-10's role in that operation (2001-2007 and 2008-2014), it's time to cover Tony Holmes' "F-14 Tomcat Units of Operation Enduring Freedom". We can note that a direct link is made to Holmes' previous work, "

13'22" video of a combat mission in Afghanistan during OEF in 2002. French Mirage 2000D taking off from Manas, Kyrgyzstan. Manas Air Base, Kyrgyzstan, 2002. Thousands of kilometers from home, French Air Force deployed its Mirage 2000Ds, a crucial element of Operation Heracles. From this strategic fo

After sharing the tactical landing procedure used in Kandahar by coalition fighter jets during OEF - a procedure very similar to a SFO (Simulated Flame Out) landing, someone drew my attention to the “Afghan approach” as presented in the attached video. This interesting video by Spikef22 is accompani

Study of the GBU-43/B "Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb", or "Mother of All Bombs", use in Afghanistan. The GBU-43/B "Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb", also nicknamed "Mother of All Bombs", has apparently been used only once in combat, and that only time was in Afghanistan, in April 2017. Let's try t

Within the realm of military aviation, certain airframes acquire a significance that transcends their mere technical specifications. I already introduced two of them here: US Air Force "Lucky" F-15E and E/A-6B "Prowler" BuNo 161120. This particular status is often born from exceptional operational p

You will find attached the 1:500.000 TPC maps with MGRS grids for the 8 major airfields in North and East Afghanistan. On the same model as on my previous post, you will find attached the high resolution maps for the areas around: Bagram and Kabul Bamyan Feyzabad Jalalabad Khost Kunduz Mazar-e-Shari

You'll find here a 1:500.000 high-resolution TPC map of the Feyzabad area. On the same model as my previous releases for Herat area and South Afghanistan, you'll find here a 1:500.000 high-resolution TPC map of the area around Feyzabad with MGRS grids, particularly useful for close air support missi

Various updates following ED's release of their East Afghanistan map on February 21/02/25. Everyone here is certainly aware that Eagle Dynamics has eventually released their East Afghanistan map on February 21/02/25, as indicated in their official newsletter. As usual, Dima "Minsky" Kozyrev quickly

The HH-60G Pave Hawk is a helicopter deeply tied to the legacy of Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. Among its distinctive features is the mustache sometimes painted on its nose, a symbol that represent the aircraft's history, its callsign “Pedro,” and the bravery of the crews who fly it. Thi