Currenthill Asset Pack (from 4/25/25 Newsletter)

[NineLine]

Currenthill Assets Pack

We are excited to announce a new partnership with Currenthill, which will bring many of his outstanding ground vehicles, aircraft, and ship AI assets to DCS. Currenthill is well known in the DCS community for his excellent mod packs and these AI assets will be added to the Core engine free for all of you to enjoy. 

A huge amount of work has gone into integrating the assets; creating Levels of Detail; generating IR textures; adding desert, woodland and winter textures; creating damaged and destroyed models, and more. In parallel, we are creating new weapons like the Iskander, ATACMS, and IRIS-T SLM missiles to support these new assets. Some assets will also add new capabilities such as the IRIS-T surface to air missile system that features active radar-guidance paired with infrared-guidance; this makes it a deadly adversary.

This first set of Currenthill assets will include the FV101 and the lightweight FV107 armoured vehicle for your South Atlantic missions; the Tor M2 and Pantsir S1 for short range and air defense systems; and enhanced Russian Main Battle Tanks (MBT) like the T-90A and T-90M. The M-ATV, M1083 tactical truck, and M1130 command vehicle will also be included for your Mid-East missions.

For your European theatre missions, you’ll have a diverse range of new assets such as the Project 22160 Patrol Ship and air assets including the Mi-28N attack helicopter and the Tu-95MS bomber equipped with Kh-101 cruise missiles. For ground operations, you'll gain access to the BMPT Terminator IFV, the TOS-1A multiple rocket launcher, the 9K720 Iskander short range ballistic missile, the T-84 Oplot-M, and the T-64BV MBTs. Additionally, the modern IRIS-T SLM medium-range SAM and the M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) that features both Guided Multiple Launch Rocket System (GMLRS) and Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) will also be at your disposal. We look forward to adding additional Currenthill assets in the future.

The first iteration of the Currenthill Assets Pack will contain:

• FV101 Scorpion LT
• FV107 Scimitar CRV
• T-90A MBT
• T-90M MBT
• T-84 Oplot-M MBT
• T-64 Bv 2017 MBT
• M1130 Stryker ICV
• M-ATV MRAP
• BMPT Terminator IFV
• 9K720 Iskander SRBM (with 9M723K1)
• M142 GMLRS MRL (with M30A1/M31 GMLRS)
• M142 ATACMS MRL (with M39A1 ATACMS)
• Pantsir S1 SPAAGM (with 57E6)
• Tor M2 SHORAD (with 9M338)
• TOS-1A MRL (with MO.1.01.04M)
• M1083 MTV Truck
• IRIS-T SLM LN SAM (with IRIS-T SLM)
• IRIS-T SLM STR SAM
• IRIS-T SLM CP SAM
• Tu-95MS Bomber (with Kh-101 and Kh-555)
• Mi-28N Attack Helicopter (with Ataka and Igla)
• Project 22160 Patrol Ship with SA-15 (Tor-M2)
• Project 22160 Patrol Ship 

 
Each Asset comes with:

• High resolution textures
• LODs for both model and destroyed model
• Custom sounds
• Animations
• Summer, desert and winter liveries
• FLIR textures
• Encyclopedia entries

We continue working on the integration of the assets into the DCS Core, and we look forward to sharing more details soon. A special thanks to Currenthill for bringing you all these tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, ships, and AI aircraft that will provide even more interesting and engaging missions to DCS.
 

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

Pretty sure I know what the answer is but I gotta ask anyway . What are chances of getting a full flyable module of the Mi-28N in future?

[Vähäkylä]

These are much needed. I'd say the singularly most amazing news for modern scenarios is the Pantsir, of course. 

Scimitar and Scorpion are amazing for Cold War Germany. There were some 3000 of them in the border from Belgium and UK alone! I am very excited for them for that reason. The T-64 is also a Cold War assets.

I'd hope next up are the poopoo-MANPADS like early Strelas and Redeyes and Blowpipes for Cold War scenarios so we can watch semi-angry sparklers near miss aircraft.

Edited April 25 by Vähäkylä

[Northstar98]

22 minutes ago, Vähäkylä said:

The T-64 is also a Cold War assets.

It is, however we're getting the Ukrainian T-64BV Model 2017 (though externally it's pretty similar). So not quite, but should more-or-less work as a stand in.

[Tom Kazansky]

Does it make sense to add a wishlist thread to CH's section of the forum or is he busy for the coming 2-3 years with converting and adding his other assets to DCS core?

[Slippa]

Try stopping everyone doing it anyway 

[Flаnker]

Цитата

Q2: Will all the assets from the Currenthill mod packs be added to DCS?
A2: No. The library of new core assets are based off of the inventory of the Currenthill mod packs, but each asset are carefully chosen to be added to DCS. Each new core asset are implemented mostly from scratch to uphold a specific consistent standard of things like mesh and textures quality, animations, FLIR textures, LODs, destroyed models etc. 

@currenthill

Can we hope that ships of the project "22800" and "22350" will be added? The red side has practically no good 3D models of ships.

[currenthill]

7 minutes ago, Flаnker said:

@currenthill

Can we hope that ships of the project "22800" and "22350" will be added? The red side has practically no good 3D models of ships.

No spoilers! But I think the first batch of assets is a good indicator of the very wide spread of asset types to expect. 

[Ian Boys UK]

This is all fantastic news and a great decision by ED

[YoYo]

@currenthill, finally! 

[Bartek16194]

Great news, hope for more advanced sam sites and cold war assets

[SDsc0rch]

@ ED and @Wags and the team... GOOD DECISION and THANK YOU!!  : )  looking forward to currenthill's work showing up in DCS : )

[heroe]

Thank you so much!!. My wishlist:

BMD-2, BMD-3, CV-90 and artillery pieces.

 

[ThePops]

There are more sides to this. CH assets was a thing all by itself. Lots of cool stuff with regular updates adding lots of new cool stuff. This is now gone, dead, replaced with a more stringent and bureaucratic update path. The assets have also become more complex, LOD, consistent damage model etc to adhere to ED standard.

The good:

• Higher quality assets, better graphic performance
• More consistent assets and therefore more usable in general
• Available for everyone from the start.

The bad:

• No more "old school" Currenthill assets, other than the leftovers
• Much slower updates
• Any new assets are likely to be decided by ED, no more "odd and cool" stuff

In essence it's a good thing right now. DCS will natively come with lots of cool stuff that wasn't there before, but it still was available for everyone! At the same time it's the death of CH assets for all foreseeable future. New stuff, not already in the current CH asset packs, will grind to a halt more or less. Good for ED right now, much bleaker for the community looking a few years ahead.    

[Vähäkylä]

7 hours ago, ThePops said:

There are more sides to this. CH assets was a thing all by itself. Lots of cool stuff with regular updates adding lots of new cool stuff. This is now gone, dead, replaced with a more stringent and bureaucratic update path. The assets have also become more complex, LOD, consistent damage model etc to adhere to ED standard.

The good:

• Higher quality assets, better graphic performance
• More consistent assets and therefore more usable in general
• Available for everyone from the start.

The bad:

• No more "old school" Currenthill assets, other than the leftovers
• Much slower updates
• Any new assets are likely to be decided by ED, no more "odd and cool" stuff

In essence it's a good thing right now. DCS will natively come with lots of cool stuff that wasn't there before, but it still was available for everyone! At the same time it's the death of CH assets for all foreseeable future. New stuff, not already in the current CH asset packs, will grind to a halt more or less. Good for ED right now, much bleaker for the community looking a few years ahead.    

There is no world where it is better to have some asset as a mod rather than in the game. Running endless mods, especially with a software like DCS that makes  it a hecking headache is not really an option for large MP communities, PvE or PvP.  

"Oh just get the mod" ignores such a glaring majority of the reality of multiplayer, the nature of DCS, and online communities. 

It's good that CH assets are in the game. I don't want mods if I can help it.

[muhlump]

All of these 2015+ Ukraine conflict units will fit in perfectly with the cold war maps, F-4, F-5 redux, Mirage F1, teased A-6, A-7, MiG-23 type modules....

 

Would love if ED built cold war assets that matched the Cold War modules they're advertising and selling instead of chasing highly classified flavor of the day anti-air and ballistic missile systems.  I guess the Patrol 22160 Coast Guard vehicle is what we needed to bring the Caucuses map to life.  

[Flogger23m]

This is excellent news. Could not successfully install the mods, so getting some of these assets added officially will make it much more straight forward. The quality looks top notch and I am excited to see some new and updated assets.

With luck we can get the JAS-39 added officially as an AI plane as there are a number of now more common planes that are just not in DCS, like the Gripen, Rafale, Super Hornet, modern Flankers/Fulcrums. So more new and updated AI planes would be a good thing.

 

 

 

[Tom P]

How big will the download be? Also will we be getting the other current hill stuff down the road such as the Javelin?

[Tom Kazansky]

59 minutes ago, Tom P said:

How big will the download be?

According to CH's FAQ-thread:

Quote

Q7: Will the new core assets take up a lot of storage space?
A7: No. They will be better optimized than the Currenthill mod packs. The average size per asset is around 500 megabyte. 

[Kvek]

Thank you very much ED and Currenthill, this are great news

[Gierasimov]

On 4/25/2025 at 9:01 PM, II.JG1_Vonrd said:

Pretty sure I know what the answer is but I gotta ask anyway . What are chances of getting a full flyable module of the Mi-28N in future?

50/50 we will get it at some point or we won't

[II.JG1_Vonrd]

32 minutes ago, Gierasimov said:

50/50 we will get it at some point or we won't

The forum needs a ROFL reaction button  

[TheBiggerBass]

A 2TB M2 SSD is about 100€ - that's just peanuts compared to the cost of a gaming PC. I've got DCS with all maps and modules (see my signature) + MSFS 2024 + Win11 + tools etc. on my 2TB SSD with still about 850GB free space Ieft. I really don't care much about the size of maps, modules or assets but more about their qualtiy.

Edited April 28 by TheBiggerBass

[ThePops]

On 4/26/2025 at 5:35 PM, Vähäkylä said:

There is no world where it is better to have some asset as a mod rather than in the game

My point was that although this is good for ED and players right now, this is also an end to Currenthill as we know it. In his FAQ he writes that there will be no more new assets. Not enough time due to all the additional work with the substantially more complex "ED-certified assets". This is the end, not the beginning. Some might say it is a good end, and I agree. It's still the end though.

I mean, new assets every couple of months from CH was a big thing. Something to look forward to, there were always lots of surprises. DCS has become a better game due to this, but it's not without a cost, a rather substantial cost. No more new stuff will come unless a new "Currenthill" emerges from somewhere  

[Rudel_chw]

13 minutes ago, ThePops said:

My point was that although this is good for ED and players right now, this is also an end to Currenthill as we know it. In his FAQ he writes that there will be no more new assets.

 

Honestly, I can't really share this "new is good, old is bad" viewpoint ... it leads to never be satisfied with what one already has available, but instead always looking forward to the new. CH will not dissapear, what he meant on the FAQ is that his Mod Packs will not see further development, but instead he will work on new assets under ED's roof. 

 

13 minutes ago, ThePops said:

 new assets every couple of months from CH was a big thing. Something to look forward to, there were always lots of surprises.

 

I believe that view point is shared with a minority of very hands-on Users, I know that on my own case I updated the Packs only when really needed for the mission I was editing.

 

13 minutes ago, ThePops said:

DCS has become a better game due to this ..

 

Much better in fact ... I never shared my own missions that employed CH assets because I would have to do tech support for most people that use Mods without enough experience, but now that the assets will be built-into DCS, sharing missions become a much easier possibility.

So, for me this is an excellent development and can't share your sad feelings