Swedish sailors, used to swedish alcohol taxes on shore leave in Freedom Inc. What could possibly go wrong…? 
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As it’s already been asked and answered en masse, I’ll add that the Supercarriers don’t have all their defensive weapons right now. They have CIWS and RIM-7, but not the RIM-116. Same is true of the other USN surface ships.
On top of this, the Kuznetsov as modeled retains its ASMs, so it’s a pretty deadly boat. I had to make a scenario change recently to set a Kuznetsov ship group to not fire unless blue aircraft were nearby as they were sending Shipwrecks and Sandboxes 400 miles across the Gulf… Through mountains.
The Kuznetsov is highly vulnerable to RB-15 though and by itself isn’t as threatening. In particular, the SAMs available to it only reach out to 25,000ft, so you could technically coast at 30,000ft and LGB it to your heart’s content.
The main advantage will be internal carriage of weapons, so the reduction of drag will help extend range by a considerable margin. The larger wings are more for low speed stability.
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So that’s what those tunnels are for! I knew it! Another intel mystery solved. 
Without discussing anything else…one must first consider what might trigger a shooting war between the US ands PRC. After one postulates on that, one might ponder the war goals for both belligerents in such a conflict. To facilitate this process, it is often useful to think in terms of “Red Lines”; i.e. action by one or the other that will, at the very least, seriously escalate the violence and perhaps broaden the war to include other nations.
So perhaps the question is not so much whether or not the F-35 has the legs to strike targets in mainland China, but would it be prudent to do so? Is that a PRC “Red Line” that once crossed… 
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Let’s change the subject…ever wonder what the best cars and trucks were for 2010? 
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Well, aside the geoplotical ramifications of striking the mainland of the PRC (or Russia), it seems to me that the only feasible ways to do so would be ballistic or cruise missiles or a stealth bomber. The carrier battle groups don’t seem a direct threat to them as they are driven out of striking range. That, to me, is quite an impactful bit of info.
On the other hand, outside of the range of these land-based threats, the CVBG still rules the waves of course. Even if the decks are filled with short ranged plastic airplanes.
Does anybody know / understand how the Initial Point works? The manual states that it is (A-10C only). OK, however, it seems to interface with a FAC. i.e. the FAC and aircraft exchange info citing the IP and IIRC, the IP is used as the run in IP for a FAC guided attack. At least this part seems to work with. the F-16 as well as the A-10.
Per the manual, “This point will be stored in the player’s A-10C navigation system as an independent navigation point.” That seems to imply that it is separate from the other WPs/SPs of the flight plan. Further, I do not see it on the A-10C’s HSI display…or am I missing some setting?
Or, is the idea that I set an IP and then put a WP over it - i.e. the last WP before the target.
As always, any assistance will be greatly appreciated.
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Has nothing to do with the ME. I want to know how the IP function works in the A-10C cockpit.
Ah. My mistake. I thought you were asking from a mission building perspective and not a mission flying perspective.
Its my understanding the IP is the initial point the ground units want the CAS mission started from. I believe the manual is basically telling you to create a new waypoint independent from any mission waypoints. Not sure if the computer will let you create an actual IP waypoint (I think you can name them whatever you want actually), or if it can be handed off from the ground controller through data.
No first hand knowledge here, just WAG’ing it.
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Yep mine too. And that seems to bear out in a FAC controlled mission. If you add an IP when planning the mission, the FAC references it; it is the place where you call “Passing IP”. When you do not add an IP ahead of time, the FAC gives you slightly different instructions.
That is also my understanding. However, I do not see how that IP then shows up on the HSI in the A-10. One would think that it is some kind of dot that if you Hook it, it will say "Adder or whatever it is.
Correct again Sir! However, I read that there are only 8 usable names - Adder, etc. I think they mean that there are only 8 (4 Blue; 4 Red?) points for which there is a sound file - so the FAC will actually say the word “adder”, etc. If you call the IP “Apple” instead the FAC doesn’t say the name?
To my way of thinking, you are cruising along in your A-10C, you check into the FAC and “your” radio report says something like “I’m 20 Nm from IP Adder at 13,000 ft.” The FAC goes on with the 9-line and remarks and after you read back, it tells you to report passing the IP. When passing Adder, you make your inbound call, the FAC puts smoke on the target, “lasers”, bombs, etc.
However, if I followed instructions, then as you mentioned, the IP is “independent from any mission waypoints”. How the heck do I know (without the F10 map) where the IP is? How do I see that IP in the cockpit? There has go to be a way. Not on the HUD as that should be pointing to the target. Some kind of HSI symbol makes the most sense but I read the whole chapter yesterday and couldn’t find it.
I guess, you could add another, separate WP using the A-10’s nav computer…that thing seems to be able to do anything but make an omelet and creating a WP is one of them. Guess I’ll reread the Nav Computer chapter tonight.
Why is the important? I’ve fallen in love with the Viper. Being another USAF jet, much of the functionality seems similar - OK, the “same” switches do different things but it is the same “philosophy”. I assume that similar functions like IP use in CAS will eventually come along.
I have very little experience with controlling air. I watched some guys do it in training (GBUs going through stacked up containers is pretty satisfying), and I talked on a casevac bird once. Every other time we used air someone else was on the hook with them. Obviously I’ve only been on the ground side of things, and if there were pre-established IPs, as a squad leader on the ground I was never aware of them.
I figure the pilot would just have to hand jam the given IP himself. In the A10, its really easy to add a new wp. So the requesting unit just gives you an IP that they identify through MGRS or whatever. Again no clue how this works IRL, just seems likely.
It would also seem entirely plausible to give a pilot an IP that is more a reference point rather an exact coordinate. IP: Mt. Mofo. Or IP Saddam’s Mosque aka CP 296.
I’m really not sure if the IP is supposed to be like a TRP for indirect fire where everyone knows the exact position before hand, or if it is normally generated on the fly as needed.
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There is alot of references in the A-10C flight manual that are too much for me to summarize, I also haven’t used the feature. References start at document page 246.
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Page 246 - my bedtime reading starts there! Thanks!
No problemo!
Always handy that I keep the A-10C manual on my iPhone in the books app for a quick search. 
If it gets confusing from there I can take some time to read through myself. Not sure if @Franze has played with the function - worth a shoutout!
You must have younger eyes! I’ve got all my manuals on my iPad …even then I have to zoom in a lot! 
You just need a bigger iPad.
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It’s when it’s 3 black balls that we need to consider our proximity… 
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And also a response to @Wes
From my reading, the CDU can add a WP or Anchor point, which you can name and add to a flight plan, and then have it appear in the HSI. Thus you can add an IP Example: in ME set up a JTAC, an ememy unit and an IP. Also add a normal flight plan, take off, WPs and land. Call it 5 WPs where near WP 2 is the JTAC, enemy. And a few miles away, the IP. Once in the cockpit, add a WP 6, at the location of the IP. When you start working with the JTAC, the IP is referenced and you get a visual representation on the HSI and, if selected, on the HUD. Not at my computer now, but I am pretty sure that will work.
That said, I found this in my research - a format for a full 9-line.
https://forums.eagle.ru/attachment.php?attachmentid=43043&d=1286623016
Note that lines 1,2,3 are all about the IP and the target’ location to the IP.
…and what does every JTAC in DCS report when reading a 9-line? “1,2,3 N/A”. I guess that there are some “bones” in the system to use IPs with 9-lines but not the “digital code muscles” as it were to make it work ATT. Regardless, just being able to see the IP on the HSI shoul help SA.
That said, I also really like @Gunnyhighway’s idea of using prominent landmarks as IPs.
Ah yes, the day shape for vessel at anchor. Hadn’t thought of that. Very good!
…but not at all the meaning I was going for.
EDIT: My previous avatar was simply a black dot. Now that have changed it, this conversation doesn’t really make sense. Trust me, @Sine_Nomine was set on with his previous comment.