Tag Archives: military aviation

DCS Missions

From the GR Archives: Iran–Iraq War Dynamic Campaign

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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:

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.

Which campaign should we revisit next?

Reviews and Articles

Eagle Dynamics START HERE – Learning the AH-64D Apache with CPG Hellfire & TEDAC Training

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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.

Watch: START HERE: AH-64D Basic Training – CPG Hellfire Missiles & TEDAC | DCS

Keep an eye on GR3 for more episodes as we continue through the START HERE missions and explore more DCS aircraft.

DCS Missions

B-21 Raider Armed With 40 AIM-424 Malice Missiles vs Chinese Carrier Air Wing

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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.

Reviews and Articles

Reaper Intel: New “Start Here” DCS Discount Codes Launch 26 August

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Getting into DCS World can be a little daunting at first — especially when you are staring at a long list of aircraft and wondering where to begin.

From 26 August 2026 onwards, if you are picking up one of the following DCS modules during the sale, please consider using the relevant Grim Reapers coupon code:

  • F/A-18C Hornet — GRSHF18
  • P-51D Mustang — GRSHP51
  • AH-64D Apache — GRSHAH64

When used during qualifying DCS sales, the codes can help bring the total discount to a maximum of 50%.

Why These Three Aircraft?

These modules give new DCS players three very different ways to get started.

The F/A-18C Hornet is one of the most versatile modern combat aircraft in DCS, capable of air-to-air combat, ground attack and carrier operations.

The P-51D Mustang offers a completely different experience, taking you back to classic WWII flying where energy management, gunnery and hands-on flying skills are everything.

And for those who would rather stay closer to the ground, the AH-64D Apache delivers one of DCS World’s most detailed attack-helicopter experiences.

Whichever route you choose, we have plenty of tutorials, guides and videos available to help you get started.

Starting DCS? Start Here.

The wider Start Here project is designed to make DCS more approachable for players who are completely new to the simulator.

If you are planning to buy the F/A-18C, P-51D or AH-64D during a sale from 26 August onwards, using one of the codes above is also a simple way to support Grim Reapers while getting the best available discount.

Thanks very much for the support.

Cap & the Grim Reapers

DCS Missions

With The AIM-424 Malice, Could The US Now Remove China From The Pacific? | DCS

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Today we take our first look at the newly announced USN AIM-424 Malice, a super long-range air-to-air missile designed to engage targets at extreme distances.

We break down the AIM-424 Malice missile, how it is expected to work, its potential capabilities, and what a weapon with a reported 250 nautical mile range could mean for modern air combat.

Then we put the concept to the test in DCS World with a modern Pacific scenario.

The US is invading a small but strategically important island when the PLAAF and PLAN launch a huge multi-pronged strike to stop the invasion. Rather than engage the incoming fighters head-on, the US takes a different approach.

F-35Cs operating from a US carrier group are tasked with hunting the most important targets behind the fighter screen: AWACS, electronic warfare, command and control, and aerial refuelling aircraft.

Using the new AIM-424 Malice, the F-35Cs attempt to strike these support assets from extreme range. With targeting information provided by an AWACS aircraft positioned around 400 miles behind the battle, the AIM-424 is fired over the heads of incoming J-20 and J-35 fighters to attack the aircraft keeping the Chinese strike package effective.

The strategy is simple: remove the support aircraft and the entire attack could begin to collapse.

But extreme-range air combat is anything but simple. Timing, targeting, missile guidance and situational awareness all have to come together perfectly — and one mistake could allow the PLAAF and PLAN strike to break through.

The stakes are high.

Could the AIM-424 Malice change the way air combat is fought across the vast distances of the Pacific?

Watch as we explore the missile concept and put it to the ultimate test in DCS World.

Reviews and Articles

From the GR Podcast Archive: Life on the F-16 Flight Line

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What is it really like to keep an F-16 ready to fly? In this episode from the Grim Reapers Podcast archive, two former USAF crew chiefs talk about working on the F-16C Viper, life on the flight line and the people behind the aircraft.

Listen to the Episode

Behind the Aircraft

Crew chiefs are responsible for far more than routine maintenance. They inspect, prepare and support the aircraft before and after every flight, working under pressure to keep complex machines safe and mission-ready. This conversation offers a glimpse into that demanding world from the people who lived it.

More from the GR Podcast

Explore more interviews covering military aviation, aircraft maintenance, DCS World and the people behind the machines.

EXPLORE THE PODCAST
Reviews and Articles

Could F-14 With JDAM Have Destroyed The Infamous Thanh Hóa Bridge, Vietnam In A Single Day? | DCS

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The upgraded F-14B(U) Tomcat has arrived in DCS World, bringing GPS-guided JDAM precision strike capability. That raises an interesting alternate-history question: could a small flight of modernized Tomcats have succeeded where 871 U.S. combat sorties during the Vietnam War failed?

In this mission, we recreate the infamous attack on the Thanh Hóa (Dragon’s Jaw) Bridge, one of the toughest targets of Operation Rolling Thunder. Armed with JDAMs, our F-14s must fight through intense AAA, deadly SA-2 surface-to-air missiles, and aggressive MiG-21 interceptors to deliver a precision strike.

Can modern precision-guided munitions rewrite history, or will Vietnam-era air defences prevail?

If you enjoy DCS World, F-14 Tomcat, Vietnam War aviation, combat flight simulation, and military history, be sure to like, subscribe, and let us know what mission you’d like to see next.