Eagle Dynamics

Eagle Dynamics was founded in 1991 by Nick Grey and Igor Tishin, with offices in Moscow and the UK. The company teamed up with Jim Mackonochie of Mindscape{{Cite web |last=Nick |first=Grey |date=2013-04-24 |title=RIP Jim Mackonochie |url=https://forum.dcs.world/topic/87432-rip-jim-mackonochie/page/9/#comment-1859514 |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=ED Forums |archive-date=2023-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221223603/https://forum.dcs.world/topic/87432-rip-jim-mackonochie/page/9/#comment-1859514 |url-status=live }}{{cite interview |last=Grey |first=Nick |interviewer= |title=VIAF 2023 - Nick Grey Interview |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvkugzpzr-Q |access-date=2024-02-17 |date=2024-01-14 |quote=Well, it started by pure chance in 1991. We were introduced to three guys, ex-aviation engineers, who had a very simple green field, blue sky, and the Sukhoi flying around. [. . .] I said to the guy who introduced it to me - Igor Tishin - I said ‘we should make a company out of this’, and I invested in the development of the initial team from '91 til '95 and then we released it via Mindscape in the UK. The guy there, called Jim Mackonochie - he's died since - was absolutely passionate about aviation but he couldn't fly because he had a problem with his eyes. But his dad was a hawker test pilot - Hawker as in [one of these aircraft behind me] - and even flew one of [The Fighter Collection] aircraft - a Sea Fury that flew in Korea on Ocean - he was the manufacturing test pilot and so there was a very close bond between Mindscape and Eagle Dynamics. In the beginning, it was The Fighter Collection who financed everything, but we had this internal name ‘Eagle Dynamics’. |archive-date=2024-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240201032244/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fvkugzpzr-Q |url-status=live }} and publisher Strategic Simulations to produce its first game, a combat flight simulator. Released in November 1995, Su-27 Flanker offered players the opportunity to operate the Sukhoi Su-27 over the Crimean peninsula.{{cite news|url=https://theaviationgeekclub.com/a-quick-look-at-the-su-27-flanker-fighter-jets-evaluated-by-western-countries/|title=A quick look at the Su-27 Flanker Fighter Jets Evaluated by Western Countries|work=theaviationgeekclub.com|date=December 16, 2019|access-date=December 1, 2021|archive-date=December 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201213800/https://theaviationgeekclub.com/a-quick-look-at-the-su-27-flanker-fighter-jets-evaluated-by-western-countries/|url-status=live}} Updates to the simulator were released as Flanker 2.0 (1999) and Flanker 2.5 (2001) and were published by Ubisoft following the acquisition of Strategic Simulations.

Their next release, Lock On: Modern Air Combat (2003){{Cite web|url=http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_100a.html|title=Lock On: Modern Air Combat|website=www.simhq.com|date=5 December 2003|access-date=2021-12-01|archive-date=2021-12-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201220416/http://www.simhq.com/_air/air_100a.html|url-status=live}} was published by 1C Company and Ubisoft. Lock On expanded Flanker's engine and simulation into a survey sim featuring multiple aircraft. Two expansions were released, Flaming Cliffs and Flaming Cliffs 2.

The company then released three titles in the Digital Combat Simulator (DCS) series of study sims. These included DCS: Black Shark and DCS: Black Shark 2, simulating the Kamov Ka-50, and DCS: A-10C Warthog simulating the Fairchild Republic A-10C. DCS featured highly detailed cockpits with a near-total simulation of all onboard systems including sensors, controls, and interfaces. The DCS series titles were published by The Fighter Collection, a private company founded by Nick Grey's father Stephen Grey.

DCS World (2012) made DCS: Black Shark 2, DCS: A-10C Warthog, and a Flaming Cliffs 3 pack playable under a single platform that incorporates all Eagle Dynamics products. Since then, Eagle Dynamics has released a number of DCS World modules as DLC along with graphical and engine upgrades. DCS: World also supports third-party modules sold through Eagle Dynamics' e-shop since 2013.

Following Tishin's death in 2018,{{Cite web |date=2018-03-22 |title=Igor Tishin 1961 - 2018 |url=https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/news/newsletters/8bd8b7d86e05146b27c24ab116627663/ |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=DCS Newsletter |archive-date=2023-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221222340/https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/news/newsletters/8bd8b7d86e05146b27c24ab116627663/ |url-status=live }} Eagle Dynamics moved its headquarters to Switzerland, with multinational employees and contractors in Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, the United States, Canada, Germany, the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain and elsewhere.{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie2FVks9sQk |title=Air Combat Sim Podcast Episode #25: DCS AH-64D with Matt "Wags" Wagner |date=2022-03-15 |type=Podcast |language= |publisher=BVR Productions |trans-title= |location= |time=00:07:10 |access-date=2023-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221222017/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ie2FVks9sQk |archive-date=2023-12-21 |format= |id= |isbn= |oclc= |quote= |people= |url-status=live }}

In 2016, one of the company's developers, Oleg Tishchenko, was indicted by a US grand jury on multiple charges including violations of the Arms Export Control Act. Tischenko was extradited to the United States in 2018.{{cite court |litigants=United States v. Tishchenko |court=United States District Court District of Utah, Northern Division}} In 2019, Tischenko was convicted in the United States on charges of illegally acquiring documentation for an F-16 fighter and smuggling its technical manuals to Moscow.{{cite news|url=https://ria.ru/20190619/1555656550.html|title=Дело разработчика компьютерных игр Олега Тищенко в США|work=RIA Novosti|date=June 19, 2019|access-date=December 1, 2021|archive-date=December 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201203420/https://ria.ru/20190619/1555656550.html|url-status=live}} He was sentenced by the Utah District Court to a term of 12 months and 1 day. Since the term of his conviction had already been served in federal custody, he was immediately released to Homeland Security agents for deportation.{{cite news|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-deports-russian-convicted-of-smuggling-f-16-manuals/30009039.html|title=U.S. Deports Russian Convicted Of Smuggling F-16 Manuals|work=Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty|date=June 19, 2019|access-date=December 1, 2021|archive-date=December 1, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201203421/https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-deports-russian-convicted-of-smuggling-f-16-manuals/30009039.html|url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Prince |first=Todd |date=2019-06-19 |title=U.S. Deports Russian Convicted Of Smuggling F-16 Manuals |url=https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-deports-russian-convicted-of-smuggling-f-16-manuals/30009039.html |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=Polygon |archive-date=2021-12-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201203421/https://www.rferl.org/a/u-s-deports-russian-convicted-of-smuggling-f-16-manuals/30009039.html |url-status=live }} Tishchenko returned home in June 2019. Eagle Dynamics released a statement that Tischenko's actions were not related to any work related to his employment.{{Cite web |last=Wagner |first=Matt |date=2023-05-14 |title=Oleg Tishchenko and Eagle Dynamics Official Statement |url=https://forum.dcs.world/topic/206147-oleg-tishchenko-and-eagle-dynamics-official-statement |access-date=2023-12-21 |website=ED Forums |archive-date=2023-12-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231221225706/https://forum.dcs.world/topic/206147-oleg-tishchenko-and-eagle-dynamics-official-statement |url-status=live }}

On March 3 2025, the Ka-50, Mi-8 and Mi-24 modules for DCS were withdrawn from sale from Eagle Dynamics' Russian storefront at the request of Russian Helicopters, the owner of the Kamov and Mil brands.{{Cite web |date=2025-03-03 |title=Ka-50, Mi-8 and Mi-24 helicopters withdrawn from Russian DCS World storefront |url=https://stormbirds.blog/2025/03/03/ka-50-mi-8-and-mi-24-helicopters-withdrawn-from-russian-dcs-world-storefront/ |access-date=2025-03-04 |website=Stormbirds |language=en}}

Eagle Dynamics has consistently incorporated a theater of operations set along the shores of the Black Sea. Over time, the scope of this setting has undergone significant evolution.

File:ED Black Sea map - Flanker - november 1995.svg | Su-27 Flanker
1995
(Crimea alone)

File:ED Black Sea map - LOMAC - november 2003.svg | LOMAC
2003
(Crimea and Northwest Caucasus)

File:ED Black Sea map - FC2 - april 2010.svg | Flaming Cliffs 2
2010
(Caucasus extended to Batumi)

File:ED Black Sea map - DCS1 - november 2011.svg | Black Shark 2[https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/products/helicopters/black_shark_2/ DCS official website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211201213801/https://www.digitalcombatsimulator.com/en/products/helicopters/black_shark_2/ |date=2021-12-01 }} DCS: Black Shark 2
2011
(Caucasus extended to Tbilissi)

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