Dear Fighter Pilots, Partners and Friends,
This week, we're looking ahead to a new Data Transfer Cartridge feature for the F-16C: customizable MFD color settings, letting you assign over 40 symbology elements across 8 color options for sharper situational awareness in formats like the HSD and HAD.
Also this week, the DCS community rallies together for Operation Wags, a two-weekend charity event supporting Matt "Wags" Wagner in his fight against bone marrow cancer, kicking off today with a persistent REDFOR vs. BLUFOR campaign, giveaways, and ways for every virtual pilot to get involved.
And finally, we're shining a spotlight on The Art of Warfare (TAW), a longstanding DCS community offering structured training, organized campaigns, and a home for virtual pilots of every experience level, recently on full display during an impressive community Elephant Walk.
Thank you for your passion and support.
Yours sincerely,
Eagle Dynamics
As we add to the growing list of DTC features, a notable addition coming in the near future will be editing the MFD color settings within the F-16C avionics. Over 40 different symbology elements may be independently set to one of 8 color options: White, Gray, Cyan, Blue, Green, Yellow, Red, or Magenta. Once configured, the COLR partition may be uploaded by pressing OSB 19 from Page 2 of the DTE MFD format.
Although this DTC feature does not alter any cockpit functionality, it can certainly enhance the player’s experience while adding additional situational awareness to some MFD formats. For example, each of the four geographic lines on the HSD and HAD formats may be colored separately for displaying coastlines, international borders, airspace boundaries, battlefield front lines, or kill boxes.
From the Operation Wags Team:
For more than two decades, Matt “Wags” Wagner has helped shape DCS World and the community that so many of us call home. Now, the DCS community has an opportunity to give something back. Operation Wags is a community-wide charity event supporting Wags in his fight against bone marrow cancer. Across two weekends, DCS content creators, Eagle Dynamics and third-party developers, mission builders, community leaders, squadrons, and pilots will come together for one purpose:
To raise as much money as possible for Wags and his family.
Event Schedule
Weekend One
Start: Friday, July 31 at 5:00 PM UTC
End: Monday, August 3 at 4:00 AM UTC
Weekend Two
Start: Friday, August 7 at 5:00 PM UTC
End: Monday, August 10 at 4:00 AM UTC
Throughout both weekends, the DCS community will take to the skies in one of the largest collaborative events our community has organized.
On REDFOR, you’ll find DCS creators, developers, mission builders, community personalities, squadrons, and familiar faces flying together. On BLUFOR...
That’s you.
BLUFOR is open to the public. Find the official Operation Wags server in the DCS server browser and join the fight.
Campaign Features
A fully persistent REDFOR vs. BLUFOR capture-and-advance campaign pioneered by the creators of The Panther Den, featuring: • SRS (highly recommended, but not required)
Airboss and Air Tasking Orders
Dynamic front lines and FLOTs
Logistics, supply operations, and persistence
Skynet integrated air defenses
SkyEye
Capture and hold territory, interrupt enemy supply lines, conduct logistics, destroy SAM sites to open corridors for strike aircraft, and much more. Whether you’re an experienced virtual pilot or just starting out, this is your opportunity to join the fight. Fly missions, capture or defend objectives, hunt down your favorite creators for bragging rights, support your coalition through logistics, or simply take part in an event supporting someone who has given so much to this community. The campaign will remain active around the clock during both weekends, allowing pilots worldwide to participate. Every sortie flown, stream watched, donation shared, and conversation started helps move us closer to our goal.
How You Can Help
Donate here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-matt-wags-wagners-cancer-fight Unable to donate? You can still make a tremendous difference by: • Sharing the event with friends, squadrons, and communities
Joining the servers during either weekend
Supporting participating creators
Sharing screenshots, videos, and memorable moments
Spreading awareness across social media
Every bit of support matters.
Giveaways & Participation
Thanks to the generosity of Eagle Dynamics, third-party developers, hardware manufacturers (such as WINCTRL, PIMAX and more), participants will have opportunities to win exciting prizes throughout the event. Giveaway entries are NOT tied to donations or donation amounts. Instead, giveaways will be based on campaign participation. You can earn multiple entries simply by flying in the server, shooting down bounties like NineLine, BIGNEWY and other REDFOR targets, time in flight, and more! All the entries will be collected and prices drawn at random from these. More details are coming soon, so stay tuned!
One Community. One Mission.
What makes DCS special has never just been the aircraft, technology, or simulation. It’s the people. Operation Wags represents creators putting aside competition, developers flying alongside community members, squadrons joining forces, and thousands of virtual pilots rallying behind someone who has spent decades helping build the hobby we all love. Now it’s our turn to support him.
We’ll see you in the skies.
Founded in 2001, The Art of Warfare (TAW) is one of the longest-running and most established online
gaming communities, with a dedicated Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) division that brings together virtual pilots from around the world. TAW DCS offers structured training, realistic operations, dynamic campaigns, and regular community events designed to accommodate everyone from brand-new pilots to seasoned veterans.
The mission of TAW DCS is simple: foster a welcoming, teamwork-focused environment where members can develop their skills, fly organized missions, and experience the depth of Digital Combat Simulator alongside a supportive community. Through mentorship, training programs, and coordinated operations, TAW has built a reputation for professionalism while maintaining a fun and inclusive atmosphere.
Within TAW DCS, the North American 33rd Battalion serves as one of the community's premier combat
aviation units, bringing together pilots from across North America to train, deploy, and fight as a cohesive
virtual air wing. Flying a diverse range of fixed-wing and rotary-wing aircraft, the 33rd Battalion emphasizes tactical proficiency, teamwork, and mission planning while maintaining an environment where experienced aviators mentor newcomers. Weekly training, large-scale operations, and community events provide members with opportunities to continually improve their skills while building lasting friendships.
Across the Atlantic, TAW's Combined Joint Task Force (CJTF) -13 unites European members in coordinated multinational operations spanning multiple time zones. The CJTF focuses on realistic joint-force missions that integrate fighter aircraft, helicopters, transport aviation, air defense, and command elements into complex battlefield scenarios. Working alongside other TAW units, the CJTF delivers immersive campaign experiences that showcase the cooperation and coordination required in modern air combat while providing European pilots with a thriving and active community.
Recently, members from across the TAW DCS community came together for an impressive community
Elephant Walk, assembling a diverse lineup of aircraft and pilots in a coordinated display of precision and
teamwork. The event showcased not only the size and professionalism of the community but also the
camaraderie that defines TAW. The resulting imagery and video captured the spirit of virtual military aviation and demonstrated what can be accomplished when hundreds of passionate pilots work toward a common goal.
Whether you're looking to master your first aircraft, participate in large-scale operations, fly in persistent
campaigns, or simply enjoy the camaraderie of fellow flight simulation enthusiasts, TAW DCS offers a place to call home.
To learn more or become a member, visit the TAW website at https://tawdcs.org/, join the Discord community at https://discord.gg/tawdcs, or check out the latest videos and events on YouTube at and .
Thank you again for your passion and support.
Yours sincerely,
Eagle Dynamics
THIS WEEK’S PRIORITY TASKING
Check out CITGO: The Deadliest Dogfight of Desert Storm (F-15C vs MiG-29A) (DCS Short Film) | SFL by J.P. Ferré. Watch it here.