DCS editor carrier spawns

This page details the spawn behavior of player and AI aircraft on the Aircraft Carriers in DCS.

Information is valid as of the 2.5.6.49314 patch that released the Super Carrier module into open beta. Information could change as the module evolves.

Basic Rules

Spawning on ships is automated in the extent that the player does not have much control over where aircraft are allowed to spawn. It is entirely dictated by how many spawn points the game thinks are available and the size of the aircraft.

• Spawn in a specific order
• Spawn point is determined by the size of the aircraft.
• Spawn point can be blocked by players, AI, or static objects
• Spawn point becomes free once the aircraft that spawned there has left the ship

On the Stennis and Nimitz SC objects there are 4 spawn points that are available only at mission start. These 4 are in the "six-pack" part of the ship. When there is a PLAYER skilled aircraft set in the editor the player will ALWAYS spawn in the first position. Anything that spawns at least one second after mission start will spawn in the next available spawnpoint.

AI Behavior Rules

AI are currently limited in the paths they are allowed to take. See image below taken from the model viewer. Using F-18 Hornets it shows the location of all spawn points on the deck of the ship and the paths AI use to get to catapults and to their parking spot from the landing area. BLUE is the path to catapult and GREEN is the path to parking spot.

Note that each spawn point has a specific path used to get to each catapult. From this image you can also see that 8 aircraft spawns are setup for the AI to go to the bow catapults while 4 are sent to the rear catapults.

• AI catapult use is dependent on where the aircraft is spawned at
• AI do not care if static objects or players are blocking a catapult
• AI may taxi through static objects, but if the parking area is blocked by statics they will not use it
• AI parking spots are not blocked by players, AI *should* not taxi into the player aircraft, but they might.
• AI will use appropriate CASE 1/2/3 recovery based on the situation
• AI will not attempt to takeoff/land if other AI are doing the opposite action
• AI despawn after 30 minutes of engine shutdown
• If AI become damaged on the ship they will automatically despawn

Nimitz class

Valid For:			CVN-71, CVN-72, CVN-73, CVN-74, CVN-75
Spawn Information:		Launch Points	4 (2 bow and 2 stern)
		Spawn Once:	4 (4 in the "Six Pack" area of the ship)
		Spawn Points:	12 (2 on each elevator, 3 on "patio", 1 in the corral)
		Parking	16 (6 starboard side elevators that will park in hanger deck, 4 in "Junkyard", 3 on patio, 1 in corral, 2 on the point.)

Referencing the model viewer image above you

Admiral Kuznetsov (2017)

Valid For:			Admiral Flota Sovetskogo Soyuza Kuznetsov
Spawn Information:		Launch Points	4 (2 bow and 2 stern)
		Spawn Once:	4 (4 in the "Six Pack" area of the ship)
		Spawn Points:	12 (2 on each elevator, 3 on "patio", 1 in the corral)
		Parking	16 (6 starboard side elevators that will park in hanger deck, 4 in "Junkyard", 3 on patio, 1 in corral, 2 on the point.)

Legacy

The CVN-70 and Admiral Kuznetsov are legacy 3d models from Lock-On: Modern Air Combat. While they are different ships with some differences in behavior they are still more similar to each other than any of the newer modeled carriers.

• No "Ramp" spawn points exist for either of these ships.
• Aircraft only spawn on catapults
• Players can spawn, take-off, and land
• Elevators are dangerous for player aircraft as the surface is not solid
• (Kuznetsov) Unless spawned there on "cat" 2 or 3, the launch holdback only works on the first launch area
• (Kuznetsov) It is possible for Player and AI Su-33 to be to heavy to launch from the short take-off positions.

Valid For:			CVN-70, Admiral Kuznetsov
Spawn Information:		Launch Points (Vinson)	4 (2 bow and 2 stern)
		Launch Points (Kuznetzov)	3 (2 "short" and 1 "long")