As we approach the end of the year it's always a good thing to look back on how things went in 2023 and what some of our plans are for 2024.
Overall 2023 was a productive year for the group, our vision and mission within the organization hasn't changed. Our vision is still to enjoy flying with friends while focusing on tactics, techniques, and procedures within the confines of DCS World. and our mission continues to be to train virtual combat pilots, deploy precision attack aircraft, and deliver an array of air-to-ground weapons with pinpoint accuracy to win today’s virtual fight in DCS World. Additionally transparency to our members and the community is extremely important to us.
In a sad moment the v303 FG lost a founding member and friend when Emmy lost his battle to cancer. We accomplished a Missing Man formation in his honor, will have his A-10C in every mission we create as a static object, and have named out annual end of year sortie after him. He is greatly missed, not because of DCS but because he was an outstanding person!!
2023 Accomplishments
So how did we do in 2023 meeting our priorities, goals, and plans?
1. Progress students through B-Course; continue refining courses to balance realism vs fun. We had some hiccups balancing realism and fun which resulted in a few members departing because their definition of fun was more along the lines of ultra realism vs our mil sim lite focus. But hat's okay, we want everyone to enjoy DCS how it best suits them.
2. Establish first pass at Mission Qualification Training courses. This has gone much slower than we had hoped, The A-10 MQT course has progressed the most but turnover within the F-16 squadron has basically created a purpetual rotation of students in B-Course. Our goal for 2024 is to get some stability with that airframe so MQT can be developed and executed. The F-15E is still relatively new and has missing systems still so focus on MQT hasn't started yet pending RAZBAM development.
3. Prep or addition of the F-15E to the v303 FG (v307 Fighter Squadron 'Stingers'). C/W, Squadron was stood up relatively quickly after release of the model. Thanks to
Stash for his motivation to get things moving and leading the Stingers!
4. First combat deployment is scheduled mid spring/early summer to allow members time to progress through training. C/W, Phase 1 of Operation Hedge of Protection was completed over the summer with phase 2 planned to start mid January 2024.
5. Participate in operations with other virtual organizations (for example 132 Virtual Wing). Although this is still something we want to do members expressed hesitance due to their limited experience in MP at the time.
So out of the 5 priorities two were successful and three are ongoing, so what about 2024?
2. Finish A-10C & F-16C Mission Qualification Training (MQT) courses and establish first pass at F-15E MQT.
3. Push B-Course graduates through MQT.
4. Create v303 FG Weapons School courses.
5. Hold first v303 FG Virtual Gunsmoke competition.
6. Hold second annual v303 FG vHawgsmoke competition.
7. Look at interest in adding the C-130J (MC-130J) to the v303 FG.
8. Participate in operations with other virtual organizations (for example 132 Virtual Wing).
Overall 2023 was a productive year for the group, our vision and mission within the organization hasn't changed. Our vision is still to enjoy flying with friends while focusing on tactics, techniques, and procedures within the confines of DCS World. and our mission continues to be to train virtual combat pilots, deploy precision attack aircraft, and deliver an array of air-to-ground weapons with pinpoint accuracy to win today’s virtual fight in DCS World. Additionally transparency to our members and the community is extremely important to us.
In a sad moment the v303 FG lost a founding member and friend when Emmy lost his battle to cancer. We accomplished a Missing Man formation in his honor, will have his A-10C in every mission we create as a static object, and have named out annual end of year sortie after him. He is greatly missed, not because of DCS but because he was an outstanding person!!
2023 Accomplishments
- Stood up v307 FS 'Stingers' adding the F-15E to the group.
- Added v339 Flight Test Squadron (i.e. DCS level modules for members to fly for fun on the server)
- Completed 1st Combat Deployment in summer of 2023.
- 752 sorties totaling 1,445 flight hours.
- v303 FS (A-10C): 377 sorties totaling 801.75 hours
- v93 FS (F-16C): 247 sorties totaling 425.11 hours
- v307 FS (F-15E): 120 sorties totaling 204.6 hours
- v339 (various DCS level models): 8 sorties totaling 13.6 hours
- 13 pilots graduated B-Course.
- Held first internal vHawgsmoke competition.
- Created group YouTube page.
- Being mentioned in the ED weekly newsletter in September 2023 (a blessing and a curse).
- Had a few to many members earn the Flyspalt award (aka we don't take ourselves to seriously).
So how did we do in 2023 meeting our priorities, goals, and plans?
2023 Priorities/Goals
1. Progress students through B-Course; continue refining courses to balance realism vs fun. We had some hiccups balancing realism and fun which resulted in a few members departing because their definition of fun was more along the lines of ultra realism vs our mil sim lite focus. But hat's okay, we want everyone to enjoy DCS how it best suits them.
2. Establish first pass at Mission Qualification Training courses. This has gone much slower than we had hoped, The A-10 MQT course has progressed the most but turnover within the F-16 squadron has basically created a purpetual rotation of students in B-Course. Our goal for 2024 is to get some stability with that airframe so MQT can be developed and executed. The F-15E is still relatively new and has missing systems still so focus on MQT hasn't started yet pending RAZBAM development.
3. Prep or addition of the F-15E to the v303 FG (v307 Fighter Squadron 'Stingers'). C/W, Squadron was stood up relatively quickly after release of the model. Thanks to
Stash for his motivation to get things moving and leading the Stingers!4. First combat deployment is scheduled mid spring/early summer to allow members time to progress through training. C/W, Phase 1 of Operation Hedge of Protection was completed over the summer with phase 2 planned to start mid January 2024.
5. Participate in operations with other virtual organizations (for example 132 Virtual Wing). Although this is still something we want to do members expressed hesitance due to their limited experience in MP at the time.
So out of the 5 priorities two were successful and three are ongoing, so what about 2024?
2024 Priorities/Goals
1. Progress current students through B-Course; continue balancing realism vs fun #milsimlite.
2. Finish A-10C & F-16C Mission Qualification Training (MQT) courses and establish first pass at F-15E MQT.
3. Push B-Course graduates through MQT.
4. Create v303 FG Weapons School courses.
5. Hold first v303 FG Virtual Gunsmoke competition.
6. Hold second annual v303 FG vHawgsmoke competition.
7. Look at interest in adding the C-130J (MC-130J) to the v303 FG.
8. Participate in operations with other virtual organizations (for example 132 Virtual Wing).
2024 Plans
1. Projected 2024 TDY & Deployment schedule. Subject to change but our current plans are:
- Combat deployment (Operation Hedge of Protection Phase 2, DCS Syria map): 15 Jan - 30 April 24
- Nellis (training): 1 May - 30 Jun
- Andersen (training): 1 - 31 Jul
- Nellis (combat deployment spin-up training): 1 - 31 Aug
- Combat Deployment (theater TBD): 1 Sep - 31 Dec.
- 2nd Annual Virtual Hawgsmoke: May 2024 (depending on community interest we may hold a community virtual Hawgsmoke event in early 2025.
- 1st Annual Virtual Gunsmoke: Aug 2024
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