Learn the fundamentals of air-to-air combat in the DCS F/A-18C Hornet.
In this START HERE training mission, we work through the basics of using the F/A-18C’s air-to-air radar, acquiring and tracking targets, employing AIM-120 AMRAAMs and fighting Beyond Visual Range (BVR).
This video is aimed at DCS players who are new to the Hornet, returning after a break, or simply want a straightforward introduction before moving on to more advanced air-to-air combat.
IN THIS VIDEO:
F/A-18C Air-to-Air Radar basics
Finding and tracking airborne targets
AIM-120 AMRAAM employment
BVR engagement fundamentals
Basic air-to-air combat procedures
START HERE This is part of our START HERE series on Grim Reapers Channel 3, helping newer DCS players get to grips with aircraft, weapons and core DCS skills.
🔥 SAVE 40% ON THE DCS F/A-18C HORNET Use Grim Reapers discount code: GRSHF18
Subscribe to GR3 for more START HERE training and DCS content.
Can the AIM-424 Malice Make a 350-Mile Air-to-Air Kill?
Today we take our fourth look at the newly announced USN AIM-424 Malice super-long-range air-to-air missile in DCS World — and this time we’re pushing it to the absolute limit.
The goal: a record-breaking 350-mile air-to-air missile shot against a high-value target.
Can the AIM-424 Malice actually reach a target at this extreme range, and can it receive enough guidance data to make the shot possible?
Off-Board Guidance at Extreme Range
The F-35 launching the missile won’t be able to track the target with its own radar at 350 miles.
Instead, we’ll use a hidden F-35 positioned much closer to the target. Its AESA LPI radar will illuminate the target and provide tracking information and datalink firing data back to the launching F-35, allowing the AIM-424 to use off-board missile guidance.
This means the launching aircraft does not need to directly detect or track the target itself. Instead, another aircraft provides the targeting information needed to support the missile shot.
The Target
The target is a fictional UK presidential aircraft, protected by Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s during a fictional period of heightened tensions.
The forward F-35 has to carefully manoeuvre around the Typhoons, remaining outside their detection range while maintaining the target track needed to support the long-range missile shot.
That creates another challenge: the forward F-35 must remain close enough to maintain the necessary tracking information without being detected or intercepted by the defending fighters.
Testing the AIM-424 Malice
This is a fictional DCS World scenario created to test the AIM-424 Malice’s extreme-range capabilities — not a geopolitical scenario.
The purpose is to explore whether this type of extraordinarily long-range air-to-air engagement could work within the simulation.
Can we achieve a 350-mile shot?
Is the AIM-424’s range kinematically possible?
Can the F-35’s AESA radar and datalink provide the necessary electronic support?
WHAT IF Australia Attacked a Chinese Naval Incursion in the Tasman Sea?
What if Australia attacked a Chinese naval incursion in the Tasman Sea in 2025?
In this Sea Power naval warfare simulation, we put the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) against a Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) task force in a hypothetical battle for the Tasman Sea.
The battle begins when two Australian Anzac-class frigates use airborne radar to locate the Chinese fleet.
The RAN launches Naval Strike Missiles (NSM) against the PLAN warships, triggering a powerful response from Chinese Type 055 and Type 054 frigates, armed with YJ-18 supersonic and YJ-20 hypersonic missiles.
The conflict then escalates as the RAAF launches 12 F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from Williamtown.
Flying approximately 700 miles to the combat zone, each F-35 launches six Joint Strike Missiles (JSM) against the Chinese naval incursion.
Can the Australian Navy and Air Force stop the Chinese fleet before it overwhelms the RAN task force?
And who would win a hypothetical Australia vs China naval battle in the Tasman Sea?
âš“ Sea Power Simulation | Australian Navy vs Chinese Navy | F-35 vs PLAN | Modern Naval Warfare
Watch the full simulation here:
This video is a fictional military simulation created for entertainment and analysis. It does not depict a real-world event or predict the outcome of an actual conflict.
Could Argentina retake the Falkland Islands in 2026 — with Russian military assistance?
In this DCS World and Sea Power wargame, we simulate a hypothetical modern Falklands conflict between Argentina, the United Kingdom and Russia.
Inspired by recent comments from Argentine President Javier Milei about the Falkland Islands, this military simulation explores whether the Argentine Navy and Argentine Air Force could challenge British forces and seize the islands in a modern-day conflict.
Argentina launches an all-out assault using its MEKO 140 and MEKO 360 warships alongside F-16 fighter aircraft. The UK responds with a powerful force based around RAF Mount Pleasant, including Meteor-equipped Eurofighter Typhoon FGR4s, Sky Sabre air defence systems, Type 45 destroyers, Type 23 frigates and a Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier operating F-35B Lightning II jets.
Then the conflict escalates.
Russia enters the war from the north, deploying Admiral Gorshkov-class frigates armed with P-800 Oniks supersonic anti-ship missiles against the Royal Navy task force. Beneath the South Atlantic, British Astute-class nuclear-powered attack submarines hunt Russian Yasen-M submarines in a dangerous underwater battle.
With modern fighter aircraft, warships, submarines, missiles and air defence systems all entering the fight, who would win a hypothetical 2026 battle for the Falkland Islands?
Watch the full DCS World and Sea Power simulation to see how this fictional Falklands war could unfold.
Disclaimer: This is a fictional military simulation and wargame created for entertainment, analysis and discussion. It is not a prediction of future events or an endorsement of military action.
We’re heading back into the Grim Reapers archives to revisit one of our older DCS campaign series — The Iran–Iraq War Dynamic Campaign.
Set during the Iran–Iraq War of the 1980s, this 11-part Desert Campaign follows the conflict as it develops mission by mission, with each episode building on what happened before.
The campaign begins with Day 1: Rude Welcome to the Region, before escalating into Tomcat hunts, major ground battles, tactical pushes and an increasingly intense fight for control of the desert.
Day 1: Rude Welcome to the Region
The opening mission throws us straight into the action and sets the scene for everything that follows.
We’ll be sharing some highlights from this first mission below, giving you a taste of the campaign before you head over to watch the full series.
Watch the Full Campaign
If you missed the Iran–Iraq War Dynamic Campaign when it was originally released — or simply fancy watching it again — the complete series is available to watch from the beginning.
Across the 11 missions, the situation develops continuously as both sides fight for control of the battlefield, making this a great campaign to binge from start to finish.
▶️ Watch the complete Iran–Iraq War Dynamic Campaign:
We’ll be digging further into the GR Archives over the coming weeks and highlighting more classic Grim Reapers campaigns, missions and memorable moments.
Eagle Dynamics’ START HERE missions are designed to help DCS players get to grips with an aircraft without having to dive straight into the deepest end of its systems.
They provide a more accessible starting point for learning the basics, helping newer players build confidence with an aircraft step by step before moving on to more advanced procedures and combat operations.
In this video, Cap works through the AH-64D START HERE mission, focusing on basic training from the Co-Pilot/Gunner seat and learning how to use the TEDAC and Hellfire missiles.
The Apache can be a daunting aircraft when you first climb aboard, particularly from the CPG position, so this mission is all about getting familiar with the essential controls and processes needed to find, designate and engage targets.
A New START HERE Series – Exclusive to GR3
This is the beginning of a brand-new series exclusive to the Grim Reapers 3 YouTube channel, where we’ll be working through Eagle Dynamics’ START HERE missions and seeing how well they help players learn DCS aircraft.
The idea is simple: follow the missions as a new or less experienced player might, work through the training provided, and give viewers a practical look at how these aircraft and systems come together.
If you’ve recently picked up the AH-64D, have been putting off learning the CPG seat, or simply want a refresher on Hellfires and the TEDAC, this is a great place to start.
Save 40% on the AH-64D
If this has tempted you to jump into the Apache yourself, you can currently get 40% off the DCS: AH-64D using Grim Reapers discount code:
GRSHAH64
A perfect time to pick up the module and follow along with the new START HERE series on GR3.
Today we simulate a massive China vs South Korea naval battle in Sea Power, featuring 11 modern warship types on each side.
This is an escort ships-only engagement — no aircraft carriers and no air wings. The battle takes place in the Yellow Sea, with each navy relying entirely on its surface warships and missile arsenals.
🇨🇳 Chinese Navy (PLAN)
China fields some of its most powerful modern surface combatants, including the massive Type 055 destroyer, Type 052D destroyer, and Type 054B frigate.
Their offensive firepower includes the YJ-20 and YJ-17 hypersonic anti-ship missiles, along with YJ-12 and YJ-18 supersonic anti-ship missiles.
Chinese air defence is provided primarily by HHQ-9B, HHQ-9C, and HQ-16 surface-to-air missiles.
🇰🇷 South Korean Navy (ROKN)
South Korea deploys the powerful Sejong the Great-class and Jeongjo the Great-class Aegis destroyers, alongside other modern surface warships.
Their offensive weapons include the AGM-84 Harpoon and RGM-109 Tomahawk, while their defensive systems include SM-2, SM-3, SM-6, K-SAM, and SAM-II missiles.
⚔️ The Battle
⚔️ 11 Chinese warship types vs 11 South Korean warship types 🚢 Surface ships only — no carriers or air wings 🚀 Hypersonic and supersonic anti-ship missiles 🛡️ Modern naval air-defence systems 🌊 Battle of the Yellow Sea
Which fleet has the advantage in a massive modern naval missile battle — China or South Korea?
Watch the full Sea Power simulation to see which navy emerges victorious!
We take a second look at the newly announced next-generation US air-to-air missile concept, the AIM-424 Malice.
This time, we explore a very different scenario: a futuristic B-21 Raider stealth bomber armed with 40 AIM-424 Malice missiles.
With a claimed range of more than 250 miles, could a single stealth aircraft potentially engage dozens of enemy targets from long range?
We put the B-21 Raider to the ultimate test in a simulated engagement against an entire late-2010s Chinese carrier air wing: 24 J-15 fighter jets, each equipped with PL-15 air-to-air missiles with an estimated range of around 120 miles.
Can one heavily armed B-21 Raider overcome an entire carrier air wing? How does the AIM-424 Malice compare with the PL-15, and what would long-range stealth air combat look like?
Join us as we explore this hypothetical future air battle and find out whether the B-21 and AIM-424 Malice can pull off the impossible.
