Discuss DCS Reference: Air Defences

Codes and names for the countries available in the mission editor can be found on the Mission Editor Countries page. What units are available to what countries when is defined in the DCS World\Scripts\Database\db_years.lua, but that file only lists the historical limits Unit availability can only be defined in the specific file for a unit or weapon system and the db_years list is not comprehensive. It also includes a number of nations that are not available in the mission editor.

The basic data can be found in the DCS World\Scripts\Database directory structure, and air defence systems in particular are listed in the DCS World\Scripts\Database\vehicles\SAM directory. Radars are listed separately from the other units.

The following properties are of extra note in the vehicle files:

GT.sensor.max_range_finding_target	Maximum detection range in meters for on-board sensors
GT.sensor.min_range_finding_target	Minimum detection range in meters for on-board sensors
GT.sensor.max_alt_finding_target	Maximum detection altitude in meters for on-board sensors
GT.sensor.min_alt_finding_target	Minimum detection altitude in meters for on-board sensors
GT.Sensors	An array listing sensors to be reference in the db_sensors.lua file
GT.toggle_alarm_state_interval	Time in seconds to change alarm state (e.g. ready the system from green to red alert)
GT.WS.maxTargetDetectionRange	Maximum engagement range in meters (ostensibly only for the weapon system rather than the sensors, but in practice this is most often set to the same as max_range_finding_target).
GT.WS[].PPI_view	Sets up the type of radar scope if the unit has one.
GT.WS[].LN[].reactionTime	Acquisition time in seconds.
GT.WS[].LN[].max_number_of_missiles_channels	Number of missiles that can be commanded at once.
GT.WS[].LN[].max_trg_alt	Maximum engagement altitude (may be equal to, or set independent from max_alt_finding_target).
GT.WS[].LN[].min_trg_alt	Minimum engagement altitude (may be equal to, or set independent from max_alt_finding_target).
GT.WS[].LN[].reflection_limit	The smallest cross-section target that can be engaged (compare to the Reflection stat, primarily for missiles).
__LN.distanceMax	Maximum engagement range (may differ from other max ranges if the launcher accepts data-linked targets from an outside source)
__LN.launch_delay	Time in seconds to ready a new missile for firing.
__LN.max_number_of_missiles_channels	Number of missiles that can be commanded at once.
__LN.reactionTime	Acquisition time in seconds (may differ from other reaction times to simulate data-linking)

Missile capabilities are defined in DCS World\Scripts\Database\Weapons\missiles_data.lua.

ccm_k0	“Counter Countermeasures Probability Factor”, adjusts the probability of going after chaff or flares (0 = no chance; 1 = normal chance).
D_max	Maximum launch range in meters at low altitude.
D_min	Minimum launch range in meters.
H_max	Maximum flight altitude in meters.
H_min	Minimum flight altitude in meters.
H_min_t	Minimum target AGL altitude in meters.
KillDistance	Proximity fuse/lethal radius in meters.
Life_Time	Life time in seconds before self-destruct.
Mach_max	Maximum Mach speed.
Range_max	Maximum launch range in meters at max altitude.
Reflection	Missile front cross-section area (for anti-missile detection purposes).
SeekerSensivityDistance	For IR missiles, the maximum tracking range in meters of a target of normalised heat source.

Weapon definitions are split between a number of different files depending on the type and time of implementation: DCS World\Scripts\Database\scripts\missile.lua, DCS World\Scripts\Database\scripts\automaticgun.lua, and DCS World\Scripts\Database\scripts\cannon.lua. Note the default values defined at the top of each file.

The object structure will depend on the type of weapon and may not fully correspond to its actual name (e.g. the strela 9M31 missile object is called GT_t.LN_t._9P31; the ZU-23 and ZSU-23-4 gun object is called GT_t.LN_t.automatic_gun_2A14). Searching for the name of the carrying system usually works, but not always…

.ammo_capacity	Number of rounds before a reload is required (may be overwritten by the carrying vehicle; the vehicle may allow multiple reloads before ammo is fully depleted).
.barrels_reload_type	Whether barrels are loaded sequentially or in parallel — determines the number of rounds rearmed per ‘tick’ and the state of the weapon if rearming is interrupted.
.distanceMax	The maximum engagement distance in meters.
.ECM_K	Notional susceptibility to chaff and ECM (mostly handled through other mechanics, but a -1 means no effect, often seen with IR missiles).
.launch_delay	Time in seconds between successive missile launches (time to ready new missile).
.max_trg_alt	The maximum engagement altitude in meters.
.reactionTime	Acquisition time for the weapon sighting system (should correspond to that of the the carrying vehicle but may be overwritten depending on sensors and data-linking capabilities).
.reload_time	Time in seconds to fully reload ammo_capacity.
.shot_delay	Time in seconds between successive shots (inverse of rate of fire).

Sensor definitions can be found in DCS World\Scripts\Database\db_sensors.lua.

detection_distance	Aspect sensitivities, may differ from max_measuring_distance to simulate various doppler quirks.
lock_on_distance_coeff	Multiplier of max_measuring_distance to determine the max lock-on range.
max_measuring_distance	Maximum detection range in meters (should, but does not always, coincide with the detection_distance).
scan_period	Time in seconds to cover the scan_volume — the minimum time to detect a target before locking can begin.
scan_volume	Sensor rotation limits.
velocity_limits	An array of (absolute or relative) radial velocities to define the doppler notch.

Default values for all units can be found in DCS World\Scripts\Database\scripts\GT_t.lua.