Heatblur Announces DCS: F-14B(U) Release Date, Steam Pre-Orders Now Live
Quick summary· AI-generated
The F-14B(U) Upgrade represents a significant mid-life modernization of DCS's Tomcat, introducing VDIG-R avionics, PTID displays, JDAM/GBU-31 weapons, EGI navigation, digital flight control systems, improved countermeasures, and extensive JESTER AI refinements. Existing Tomcat owners can pre-order the expansion for $49.99 (discounted from $56.99), while a new Ultimate Edition bundle including both the base aircraft and upgrade is available for $98.99. The release follows years of Heatblur development on other aircraft and is framed as the next chapter in the Tomcat's virtual operational lifecycle. Pre-orders are live on Steam, the DCS E-Shop, and Heatblur's store.
Excerpt from Threshold
Heatblur Simulations has announced that the DCS: F-14B(U) Upgrade will release on July 22nd, 2026.
Alongside the release date announcement, the developer has also opened Steam pre-orders for the expansion, joining the existing pre-order options on the DCS E-Shop and the Heatblur Store.
The F-14B(U) Upgrade expands the existing DCS: F-14A/B Tomcat module, bringing the aircraft into the final stage of its operational life with a host of avionics, systems, and visual upgrades. Rather than replacing the current Tomcat, Heatblur describes the expansion as “the next chapter” for the iconic fighter.
Among the headline additions are:
VDIG-R and a modernised HUD
Programmable Tactical Information Display (PTID)
JDAM and GBU-31 integration
Embedded GPS/INS (EGI) navigation
Digital Flight Control System (DFCS)
ALE-47 countermeasure system
Fast Tactical Imagery (FTI)
Updated cockpit and external artwork
New mission planning tools
Extensive JESTER improvements
New in-game browser features
Additional Instant Action missions and campaign content
In their announcement, Heatblur reflected on returning to the Tomcat project after several years of development on other aircraft:
“We are incredibly excited to finally place the F-14B(U) into your hands. Returning to the Tomcat has been both a privilege and a labour of love for our entire team, and we have poured everything we have learned over the past years into making this expansion worthy of the aircraft and of the community that has supported it for so long.”
Tomcat owners can pre-order the F-14B(U) Upgrade for $49.99 USD, a discount from its regular price of $56.99 USD.
As the F-14B(U) is an expansion rather than a standalone module, ownership of the original DCS: F-14 Tomcat is required.
For those who do not already own the Tomcat, Heatblur is also offering the DCS: F-14 Ultimate Edition for $98.99 USD during the pre-order period, down from its regular price of $109.99 USD.
The bundle includes both the original DCS: F-14 Tomcat and the new F-14B(U) Upgrade.
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