After almost 20 years of military flight simulation, we believe that cooperation is one of the most effective ways to create a deeper, more realistic, and more engaging multiplayer experience. This principle is at the heart of Combined Ops.
Combined Ops is a web-based software suite designed for virtual squadrons and DCS World communities to plan, organize, coordinate, and execute multiplayer air operations. The platform brings together pilots, flight leads, commanders, mission planners, ATC, AWACS, and GCI operators within a shared operational environment, providing the tools required to prepare and coordinate complex missions.
Combined Ops was created from practical experience in military flight simulation and from the need for a better way to connect virtual squadrons and coordinate operations between different groups. The platform allows squadrons to publish their own operations, organize missions, manage participants, and register pilots and support personnel for operations hosted by other groups.
The Combined Ops ecosystem is built around three integrated but independently usable components:
DCS AOC Tools provides Air Operations Center and mission coordination capabilities for DCS World. It helps commanders and mission planners organize operational data, tasking, targets, airspace control information, communications, and mission documentation required for complex multiplayer air operations.
DCS Mission Planner provides a dedicated environment for DCS World flight and mission planning. Pilots and flight leads can prepare routes, navigation data, mission information, communications, Data Transfer Cartridge (DTC) configurations, and Mission Data Cards (MDC) as part of the flight preparation workflow.
DCS Airspace provides a real-time web-based environment for ATC, AWACS, and GCI operations in DCS World. It allows controllers to monitor aircraft and other detected units, manage tracks and identification, coordinate airspace activity, and use tactical information during live multiplayer missions.
The three components can operate independently or be used together as a connected operational workflow. Information prepared during mission planning and coordination can be made available to the appropriate operators during mission execution, connecting the planning, briefing, flight, and airspace-control phases of a DCS World operation.
All Combined Ops components are continuously developed from practical operational experience and feedback from virtual squadrons, mission planners, pilots, commanders, and airspace controllers. New features and improvements are introduced as new operational requirements emerge from real-world use of the platform.
The following sections explain the Combined Ops ecosystem and each component in greater detail, including their purpose, main features, workflows, configuration, and practical use in DCS World multiplayer operations.