DCS: F/A-18C Hornet | Offset Aim Points

In addition to navigation waypoints (WYPT), any waypoint can also be set as an Offset Aim Point (OAP) with an assigned Offset (O/S) location. This is a point created in relation to the OAP in range, bearing, and elevation. The Off Set (O/S) can then be selected as an alternate target point from the OAP reference.
DCS: F/A-18C Hornet: www.digitalcombatsimulator.co...

[@10percenttrue]

Great video and feature! Probably worth pointing out to those not familiar with it that OAPs are particularly useful for targeting objects that have low radar or visual signatures - i.e. you can't find them well with the radar or other sensors. Typically, you'd set the waypoint to be a significant radar or visual target, then set the OAP for the difficult-to-find target off of that. For example: north end of a big bridge is the waypoint, and the OAP to the hidden underground bunker is 2,000ft, 220 degrees and 454ft elevation from the waypoint.

[@PBAR_B1B]

They are also used to target something straight ahead off of your nose because synthetic aperture radar (expanded) modes generally don't work well straight off the nose.

[@nighteyes2010]

ok, so you have a target that is difficult to find, but somehow you magically DO know the range ofset and elevation?? doesnt that mean that you actually already know where the target is en could program a waypoint for it? also, if you dont know where the target is, en you find it on a tgp, is a markpoint not WAY faster? I really fail to see the use of these offset steerpoints here. Where would you suddenly get that data on a unknown target?

[@roumi9790]

@@nighteyes2010 I wrote same thing as you.. and wipped it off cause I think that if they put this capacity on the real plane, they sure had a good reason. We have not all explanations on it.

[@sk000tch6]

@@nighteyes2010 its more useful than you might think, though DCS will need to add some variety to JTAC and other AI to utilize it. Consider friendly position relative CAS as one example, e.g. “structure bearing 345deg 600 yard from our (or any known) location.” Without offsets that’d be a real pain and slow As far as data source, you can mark a friendly PPLI location very quickly

[@nighteyes2010]

@@sk000tch6 i would simply slew my tgp 600 yards in that direction instead of trying to input those numbers. So no that is not usefull.

[@victoraxelsson9998]

Damn wags I really hope that you get some sleep once in a while. Huge thanks for all your great work at ED over the years. Been a fantastic ride from flanker to the sim we have now👍

[@henrikoldcorn]

For those unsure why this exists: it's useful when doing CAS. JTACs in-game will tell you their position, then their bearing and range to the target. This way, you type in their coords, then add the offset that they give you, and your have your target. Harrier has the same feature, but called Waypoint Offset (W/O).

[@DarkFire515]

I was wondering this myself, thanks for the explanation.

[@man_vs_life]

Nice, thank you.

[@FlyFastFlyHigh]

Love the way you make your videos, as a French with low english skill everything is very understandable ! Thank's to show us what is comming for the beast :)

[@stephengilmore2741]

If your English skill is low, then my French skills are somewhere below the Earth's crust.

[@rm3950]

hehe! Are you, indirectly of course, saying that Matt speaks with a low English skill set? One thing for sure, moreover, is that he explains things with the least amount of information possible.

[@FlyFastFlyHigh]

@@rm3950 those videos are for me very straight forward, it’s like a checklist for noobs, thing are clear and you hear just what you need to know, I don’t know if he use low english skill set but since I watch he’s tutorials I never experience any problem to reproduce what he explain :)

[@Bavar1017]

I think Lat-Long is a little bit off, unless there is an ocean near Burkina Faso, and they moved Guam to Africa

[@masterhighground3677]

lol the map is not in the game yet so I guess there using placeholders

[@ManafMallouhi]

this is good for finding targets based on AWACS call from Bullseye

[@schweizerluchs7146]

since when do AWACS callout ground targets? 😄

[@TLTeo]

Yea there's no need to use offsets when you can just store a WP on Bullseye and mark it as your A/A waypoint

[@lukew2031]

Maybe with levitating tic tac, not so much for Mach 1+ interceptor

[@shagrat47]

Not only it does make sense, it's also a long awaited feature. Thank you guys!

[@socal828]

what do you use this for? I can't currently think of a reason why I wouldn't just selw it and make a mark point.

[@shagrat47]

@@socal828 AI callout of SAM Positions. Select bullseye WP, enter Offset, designate to slave TGP close to SAM location. Landing on airport create Offset to mark Approach fix. Ground target from WP position by human JTAC ("Enemy position is about 900ft west of IP 'Adder' look for mortar pipe.") Select IP Adder, enter OAP as shown by Wags, designate and TGP looks at the position. PrePlanned attack, create a WP at a good visual reference, like a unique terrain feature, then plan the OAP on top of the target for pop up attack, fly low and fast towards the WP when eyes on the feature designate OAP pull up and prosecute. OAP will also be shown on the EHSD so you have a visual reference.

[@pierrelofinusound3020]

@@shagrat47 Thanks a LOT !

[@socal828]

well hell, some pretty decent uses then I guess.

[@Racer0ne0ne]

@@shagrat47 I couldn't figure out a good use for this, then in mission four of Raven One your given coordinates for a ship you're supposed to find as a bearing and range from the bullseye.. bingo.. this is what its for!

[@beny874]

Oh my. I completely missed this feature being added. Thank you!!!! Going to make talking on Hornets way easier. Also allows easy use offset reference points in 9-lines.

[@alexanderryan-jones600]

ALL OF US AT 0:53 "Umm, GUAM?!"

[@HO-bndk]

What's that island doin' there?

[@-nixwite-]

It’s always a good day when Wags posts a video

[@urgentsiesta7606]

very clear explanation, as always. I would only have added a practical example of the use (e.g., not overflying target, etc.).

[@lankypilot778]

Thank you. In the a10 I think I can save the offset as a seperate waypoint afterwards for later use. Is that an option? Altho I guess wouldn't really need to, it's just an extra press when switching back to waypoint assigned it off. Or could turn it into mark point maybe

[@Pyrocumulous]

This is seemingly the best way to input a bullseye mark for a down pilot or other reference call, but would be nice to create a markpoint or waypoint from it, or at least be able to drop a markpoint on the SA Map page. Easy on the AV8b, not so much the Hornet. I think this is what the SLEW option is supposed to do, or maybe the REF WP, but neither are documented nor appear to do anything at this time.

[@TheConqueror1453]

Wow nice. Very usefull for GBU-38's and JSOW's :D

[@schweizerluchs7146]

I think its supposed to be used in a CAS situation together with a JTAC.

[@TLTeo]

@@schweizerluchs7146 it could also be used for strike missions though. You can have a waypoint as your IP, and your target defined as an offset from that IP. The Mirage has a similar function for instance.

[@lukew2031]

@@TLTeo definitely going to use it this way

[@Ereshkigal616]

Salivating at when Matt starts dripping us Hind things...... :D ( the fan working should be mandatory for release )

[@Zarma4074]

Hi Wags. Nice video as always. Two questions : 1) is the altitude relative or true ? 2) when will the first Hind training videos come ? Greetings.

[@Vanguard2323]

Great question. According to natops manual: On the UFC select the POSN pushbutton to enter lat/long data, the GRID pushbutton to enter UTM GRID data, the ELEV pushbutton to enter elevation data, and the O/S pushbutton to enter offset data (offset range, bearing, and elevation). The way I interpret that is if O/S is used, all 3 elements are relative. It's an English issue. Anyway, if anyone knows a) how it should be, and b) how is it modeled in DCS, would be nice to hear.

[@AndreiCeleste]

Great 👍

[@mattwagnerismylordandsavio5169]

Will we get the readyroom and the bubble in the next update? Thanks a lot Wags... thanks to ED despite the lack of competition you don't slack.

[@QuentinDumont]

I guess we can MARK the offset if there is a need for another one ? So I set MK1 (or whatever) as my WP, and I use O/S on it ?

[@leonpilot737]

Hope this implemented as well

[@celricaviation]

Hey Matt, thanks for the Video. Is it possible to make a sequence out of a Waypoint and an Offset Point? E.g. for triangulation of SAM´s? Would be really nice to see something like this =) Thanks in advance for the answer =)

[@speed-of-heat]

thats a really useful feature!

[@fredrikjosefsson7679]

How will you use it?

[@speed-of-heat]

@@fredrikjosefsson7679 mostly for CAS

[@CameTo]

It sounds like a feature that's really useful, if you have a situation where you can't see the target, yet somehow, someone radios you, perhaps a scripted mission, and instead of giving you a position, says something like "the target is 600 meters, bearing 247' of the bridge" and you have the known position of the bridge, as a waypoint or mark... This involves extra work from mission editors, and other than attacking small static units under trees, it's unlikely you'll find a situation that needs it.

[@fredrikjosefsson7679]

@@CameTo Yeah, sounds a bit far fetched. JTAC givning you absolute coordinates, just put them in as a waypoint and wpt-designate.

[@fredrikjosefsson7679]

@@speed-of-heat but in what situation would you find ur target like that? Who gives u position relative to wpts instead of absolute coordinates?

[@ricbish4122]

Looks great. When this update being released? Thx

[@georgelind4668]

Unrelated question to this video but will there be added ammo types to the hornet’s gun? Like Armor piercing rounds to allow it to take out tanks? Depleted uranium tipped rounds? Tungsten? Or just more variation like the f-16 has since they’re both 20mm and abide by the same NATO STANAG

[@cipher8048]

Nice

[@VideoUser3053]

Can i just ask why you'd want an offset waypoint, why not add a new waypoint en-route or assign target earlier?

[@SDsc0rch]

can you desig a smoke and do an OAP from that?? JTACs give target loc'n relative a smoke ive always just "estimated" its been pretty much good enough but using this would be cool too...

[@ConvexRook]

will we get NVG fix for no moon night in the next update?

[@roumi9790]

Is altitude the true altitude of the offset or relative to the waypoint ?

[@Sven2157]

So Wags, how would this be used in a mission? Where would you get the O/S location information?

[@SsgtHolland]

Hornet hits the Pacific! What would be the use of this offset, besides having 2 target points combined in 1 waypoint?

[@johnchristian664]

Guam!!! :D

[@MrWhiteladder61]

Can you do the same from a ground radar lock. So for example you lock a bridge, and then use the offset to designate a target that doesn't show on the Radar?

[@leonpilot737]

Mark the radar target (bridge in your case), then make an offset based on that markpoint.

[@natthaphonhongcharoen]

Does the altitude use ASL? Or altitude in relation to the waypoint?

[@leonpilot737]

ASL

[@Glow6703]

Can we set an offset to wp with an offset locations, so we can fly over wp watching ours offsets? Yeah...

[@leonpilot737]

Do you want to set an offset based on another offset? If so, then the answer is no, you cannot. The offset is pinned to the "real" waypoint or markpoint.

[@christopherwood5789]

Can we offset from a tacan?

[@Raskil]

Is it possible to drop a GBU-38 on an offset aimpoint that is referenced with BRA? It seems like no matter what I do, the bomb always flys to the original WP and not to the OAP.

[@thecircusfreak5364]

Wags. If ED puts this effort into a late 90s early 00s MiG-29 or Su-27 variant... this sim will have ensured its perpetual survivability.

[@irseeker9989]

Bruh

[@mersyndol]

Hello Matt: I know this is better for demonstration purposes. Do you fly in VR??

[@MattWagner]

Yes, for "fun" flying.

[@RSharpe]

Does the ATFLIR have an offset display function like the Litening? How do you otherwise know what bearing and range to communicate and offset to friendlies?

[@irishpat64]

I think my Brain just overheated and blew a gasket!!!

[@slyderace]

I don't understand... what's the point of this feature? Why not just go to WPT, slave to TGT then adjust the Tgt Pod to the desired target?

[@thomasmaier7053]

The TGP doesn't give you that info. How do you slew your tgp by 11500ft to 030°?

[@ascherlafayette8572]

Are there any plans to release the ACLS system in the near future?

[@MattWagner]

Yes, ACLS and Approach ATC modes later this year.

[@ascherlafayette8572]

@@MattWagner myay thanks

[@UkDave3856]

what would Hornet pilots use this feature for?

[@vadimsalomatin4903]

Wags, ты крут!)

[@EricJaakkola]

I wish you would say what it's useful for.

[@giz54]

Sorry but can someone pls explain what is the purpose of having an offset ? I am trying to understand this. TQ

[@delpiero7563]

This appear on the datalink to the rest??

[@ImperatorTheodosius]

ED pls show Tumon Bay

[@MrGiorgos34]

Who is Matt Wagner ?

[@CanadianStig990]

Can anyone explain me what would be the practical use for this? I’m a newb

[@chappy5evc]

I see this very useful during CAS missions finding targets with JTAC

[@2xKTfc]

Maybe you have a waypoint on a target, and by the time you get there someone comes on the radio and tells you it moved 2500 feet with bearing 090 from where it used to be (e.g. the thing to put your bombs on now is 2500 feet further east than what your plan said). Pull up the old waypoint, create the offset, and drop your bombs on the new point. :) If that is the procedure to update targets in real life - no clue, but it's an example I could come up with real quick.

[@mrmaxemus7859]

he is flying over Anderson at Guam, where do I get that map?

[@teun0het]

Just a bit more patience, it’s coming

[@chappy5evc]

Not released yet.

[@Shrike200]

In the as yet unreleased Pacific map.....Mariana Islands.

[@Gert-DK]

Yeah, it makes sense, but where/when will it be usefull?

[@devla]

Suppose that you provide CAS for some guys on the ground, many missions like that. You drop a markpoint on them so you know where they are. Next they tell you that they are taking fire from bearing 150 about 5 miles away. You enter that into offset and immediately have a rough targeting waypoint on the enemy group.

[@schweizerluchs7146]

I guess if you know the position of the friendly who are engaged, they can direct you with a offset to the enemy location? Idk that just makes the most sense to me?

[@Gert-DK]

@@schweizerluchs7146 Yeah.

[@Gert-DK]

@@devla Yes, sounds like the idea

[@shirothehero0609]

@@schweizerluchs7146 or say if you have a known landmark waypoint for a city, but your target is in a specific building or specific ground asset that you won't know until you're almost on station - set your offset as the specific building when the data comes in while the waypoint generically marks the city or airbase for general routing info.

[@ascherlafayette8572]

Myay

[@Obi1-KenBone-Me]

After this whats next for hornet?

[@MattWagner]

1 LOOK RAID and CSS.

[@Obi1-KenBone-Me]

@@MattWagner what are those?

[@vincentbernard2135]

@@Obi1-KenBone-Me Control Stick Steering (CSS)

[@morrisaggotts9315]

Why would you need this?

[@tillgrimminger8199]

Wait, Guam?!

[@MeatServoPilot]

Yup, but the coordinates are messed up. Should be E144. The coordinates and MGRS listed on the TGP put him on the border of Burkina Faso and Niger in the middle of Africa.

[@Nikola16789]

@@MeatServoPilot Africa map confirmed! :D

[@shirothehero0609]

@@Nikola16789 or a WW2 pacific theater.... F4U Corsair and HL3 confirmed!!!! Lol. Wouldn't that be great - the Corsair I mean.

[@danialsethi8882]

But why?

[@FlumpFlibbus]

Gib

[@TsvetanVR]

Weeo

[@zay8113]

Can we get the super hornet

[@MrKilled1]

Why can't I move my control/button config? My setting reset for some reason, but when I go to load my config file into the folder.... nothing happens. Super frustration, literally have no intensions on playing anymore because I really don't wanted to go back through and reload all my buttons. Game needs a legit profiler.

[@jep1103]

I have no idea what this is for 😑

[@brandenhansen7717]

Is this the one...the only...WINTER OWL??????

[@kamranbegakafr3ak]

I'm really sure I'm not gonna use this feature

[@kamranbegakafr3ak]

But good to have as I paid for close to 1:1 virtual hornet

[@D31TCJG]

in a 9line sometimes you can get an offset from a known waypoint i.e. bearing 270, 500ft from waypoint 6. So you can just plug this into the computer and move the tpod to the target location, so you don't have to look around for the target.

[@danieldorn2927]

I used to say this too, and here I am, paying child support without seeing my kid

[@dorian4219]

A-10C sturmovik campaign and enemy within campaign use this feature multiple times. reference waypoint and then radio callouts for offsets to targets. but mission creator will have to encorporate it into the missions.

[@maverickmj]

With all due respect, but focus on something important, not things that no one will ever use in DCS, because there are better and faster ways than typing a dummy data during the flight that not many will be able to determine anyway. A / A radar repair and focus on it, because this is something that is used on almost every mission, not some unnecessary offsets.

[@lukew2031]

That's funny comment. Many ppl want this and will use it daily.

[@spiral83]

Thats actually very useful for CAS and other missions...

[@maverickmj]

@@lukew2031 You will enter a new waypoint faster. Besides, good luck that people will be able to determine the shift distance (RNG), not to mention the rest of the data;) Only useful if Human AWACS during a mission wants to move the CAP. This is when it will come in handy. While flying alone, you will not be able to tell, for example, to the wingman how the target has moved, because you will not be able to specify the distance precisely.

[@lukew2031]

@@maverickmj I build SP missions. I see a lot of potential. New waypoint is not always desired. Thanks

[@Razbari]

That's like, your opinion, man.