superbug background superbug logo logo bug logo script

Available for FSX:SE or Lockheed Prepar3D®

  Class-defining combat aircraft systems and flight modeling

  TacPack-Powered features include weapons, AA/AG radar, IFF, FLIR and more

  Constantly updated and refined for over a decade

  Versions available for FSX:Steam Edition through v10.0.62615.0 and P3D through v5.4.9.28482

Buy Now!

VRS has created a truly remarkable and faithful reproduction of the F/A-18E Super Hornet - the U.S. Navy's front-line strike fighter. Crafted by a small, dedicated team of developers who also happen to be engineers in real life, the Superbug provides what we believe is by far the most comprehensive overall simulation of ANY combat aircraft ever created for any Flight Simulator derivative. The Superbug is the culmination of over a decade of work dating back to FS2004, and continues to be supported with frequent releases. From avionics to weapon systems, if it's in the real aircraft, it's probably in this simulation! VRS regularly receives input from active and retired F/A-18 pilots as well as aircraft maintainers serving with the U.S. Navy and Australian Air Force. We have continuously leveraged these invaluable friendships and resources for over a decade in order to bring you the most realistic experience possible. With the addition of the TacPack (required), the Superbug is taken to a whole new level of immersion and realism not previously attainable on the FSX/P3D platforms.

Feature-rich with Constant Updates

HornetThe Superbug is the single best-selling military aircraft of all time for Microsoft Flight Simulator, and is now also available for P3D Academic (or commercially for P3D Pro). The Superbug has been continually updated and improved upon since its initial introduction for Flight Simulator 2004, and continues to be updated regularly with significant new features and fixes. Your investment in the Superbug/TacPack is an investment in the future of military aircraft simulation.

The Superbug also includes a powerful external app called the Aircraft Configuration Manager (ACM), which may be used to manage aircraft systems and simulation preferences. The ACM provides functions to maintain and edit saved loadouts (weapon sets), program the Mission Unit (MU), set initial fuel loads, and even arm failures. Aircraft preferences are also available for everything from avionic to graphic options. Finally, the ACM can gather and export vital logging information for diagnostics/support.

Fully Combat Capable

SMSSuperbug for FSX and P3D is a professional-level, fully combat capable F/A-18E aircraft simulation. The Superbug and TacPack combat system (optional for classic FSX, required for FSX: Steam Edition or P3D), work together to bring dedicated aerial combat and ground attack capability to life for the first time in Flight Simulator or Prepar3D. Features include multiplayer-capable weapon, radar, transponder (team-based), countermeasures, and early warning systems that function seamlessly by leveraging the proven power of the TacPack. TacPack integration means sensor and weapon systems are fused just as their real-world counterparts. You can lock up AI aircraft and receive feedback to the HUD, radar and early warning systems. The radar simulation takes a number of factors into consideration, including signal strength (range), aspect angle, closing velocity (Doppler shift), and more. Every mode present on the F/A-18E AN/APG-73 airborne radar is simulated to exacting detail.

Fly-by-Wire

FBWThe Superbug is the first true 3-axis fly-by-wire combat aircraft designed for FSX/P3D. The flight control system is not a "fly-by-wire-like" CAS, it's a completely dynamic, fully control-law-dependent proportional system driving a single (ordinance independent) neutrally-statically-stable base flight model. The FBW system extends to 100% custom autopilot functions. Input signals from the stick, throttle and rudders are fed through I/O controllers where they're filtered, passed through control-law schedules, and finally sent to the control surfaces. The Control Augmentation System (CAS) is responsible for allowing an incredibly wide AoA range while maintaining excellent lateral and longitudinal handling qualities. In addition, neutral speed stability in conjunction with automatic longitudinal trimming means there is no need to trim the aircraft for pitch. Similar CAS algorithms are used to drive everything from engine FADEC control to dual-rate nosewheel steering and 100% custom flight director and autopilot modes.

History in the [re]Making

The Superbug is the recipient of multiple awards including the coveted Avsim Gold Star, PC Pilot's Platinum award, and the SimFlight Award for Best Military Aircraft. These are the highest review awards available in their respective mediums. However VRS hasn't been resting on our laurels; The Superbug has been constantly updated for over a decade. If you've tried military aircraft for MSFS before, and they've left a bad taste in your mouth, give the Superbug a try and see why VRS has been called The PMDG/Level-D of military add-ons. Explore all the Superbug has to offer by seeing the features and media below. We think you'll agree, the depth of the simulation is second to none, making this an investment you can be proud to add to your collection.


TacPackP3DPC Pilot PlatinumAvsimSimflight Award

Screenshots may represent various versions of the Superbug. The majority are taken from the TacPack-powered FSX version, while some are P3D. Note that the TacPack-Powered Superbug, which is installed by default when the TacPack is detected, has many external and VC cosmetic improvements over the non-TacPack-powered ("vanilla") version.


The Superbug has dozens of unique features, many of which have never been available in any FSX/P3D aircraft, and remain exclusive to this day. Some features require TacPack, while many are standard. Wherever possible, TacPack-specific features are called out separately, but in general these range from live weapons to air-to-ground radar and FLIR video.


  • Study-level simulation designed based on U.S. Navy NATOPS flight manuals
  • Unmatched accuracy and depth of simulation
  • The only true fly-by-wire control augmentation system (CAS) available for Prepar3D:
    • A single, dynamic (changes in real-time based on current loadout) base flight model
    • Every weapon and store individually modeled with weight, asymmetry and drag characteristics
  • Dozens of custom keystroke commands which may all be mapped to gaming devices for HOTAS setups
  • Fully functional Helmet-Mounted Display (HMD)
  • Fully collimated (TrackIR savvy) vector HUD
  • HUD and full screen NVG modes for night vision in any conditions
  • Custom landing lights which illuminate not only the ground, but objects and auto-gen
  • Dynamic g-induced and Mach vapor effects
  • Over 70 22K 16-bit discrete cockpit sound samples
  • 7 cockpit-selectable strobe patterns modeled on the exact same frequencies used in the real aircraft
  • 3D landing lights licensed from A2A
  • Model-based exterior lighting with Fresnel flaring
  • Complete set of undockable 2D panels with panel navigator utility
  • State of the art virtual cockpit (VC):
    • High resolution textures with incredibly sharp panel text
    • Unshaded (emissive) avionics and HUD
    • HUD collimation for TrackIR
    • Transilluminated panel text with separate main and console circuitry
    • Flood lighting
    • NVG lighting
  • Adjustable levels of detail (via ACM)
  • AN/APG-73 A/A Radar simulation
    • True B-sweep design with adjustable scan volumes and Doppler simulation
    • Multi-sensor integration (cheat) mode
    • Velocity Search (VS)
    • Range While Search (RWS)
    • Track While Scan (TWS)
    • Boresight (ACM)
    • Vertical Acquisition (VACQ)
    • Wide Acquisition (WACQ)
    • Auto Acquisition (AACQ)
    • Fast Acquisition (FACQ)
    • RAID
  • AN/APG-73 A/G Radar simulation (requires TacPack)
    • Polar design with a completely custom back-end that simulates Doppler-bean sharped modes and terrain masking
    • Ground Moving Target (GMT)
    • Sea Surface Search (SEA)
    • Doppler Beam Sharpened (expanded) modes
    • MAP mode
  • Thousands of combinations of useable weapons systems and other droppable ordinance. Stores include (but are not limited to):
  • In-game loadout manager
  • Aerial refueling using any AI aircraft. Receive or deliver (buddy tank) fuel (TacPack required)
  • Highly efficient and detailed external modeling recreating every nuance of the F/A-18E:
    • Boarding ladder
    • Port and starboard avionics bays
    • ECS auxiliary duct doors
    • Radar bay
    • Full pilot articulation with autonomous movement and gesturing
    • FCS-driven flight control surfaces
    • Speedbrake function involving multiple surfaces
    • Rudder toe-in and flare
    • Asymmetrical trailing and leading edge flaps
    • Wing fold
    • Tailhook
    • Launch bar
    • Holdback bar
    • Catapult shoe
  • 700+ pages of documentation including tutorials
  • True combat capability via TacPack:
    • Accurate AN/APG-73 A/A and A/G radar simulation with multi-mode capability and IFF
    • AI and multiplayer aircraft can be tracked and fired upon
    • Multiple bombing, AGM and AAM launch modes
    • FLIR IR and TV imagery
    • Laser Target Designation (LTD) (including buddy lasing)
    • Laser Spot Tracking (LST)
    • ALE-47 (chaff and flare) dispensing
  • 40 official liveries including all active F/A-18E USN squadrons
  • Comprehensive failure and battle damage system
  • Sharp vector graphics and advanced lighting techniques
  • NATOPS-accurate tactical avionic displays
  • Custom auto throttle:
    • Cruise ATC maintains airspeed at the time of engagement
    • Approach ATC continually adjusts speed to maintain approach AOA
  • Custom 12-mode autopilot which mimics the actual F/A-18E AFCS:
    • Barometric Altitude Hold (BALT)
    • Radar Altitude Hold (RALT)
    • Flight Path Angle Hold (FPAH)
    • Heading Hold (HHLD)
    • Heading Select (HSEL)
    • Ground Track Hold (GTRK)
    • Ground Track Select (GSEL)
    • Roll Hold (ROLL)
    • Coupled Waypoint (CPL WPT)
    • Coupled TACAN (CPL TCN)
    • Coupled Sequence (CPL SEQ)
  • Aircraft Configuration Manager (ACM) application:
    • Livery import/export and browsing functions
    • Custom weapons loading. Anything you want in any combination
    • Fuel Loading
    • Electrical, hydraulic and avionic failure arming
    • External model and VC preferences
    • Operational preferences
    • Reference Section
    • Automatic Updates
  • Comprehensive, custom primary systems modeling:
    • Hydraulics
    • Environmental Control (ECS)
    • Fuel
    • Electrical
  • Custom navigation system:
    • Ground-based and air-to-air TACAN navigation
    • Custom in-flight waypoint insertion/deletion
    • GPS transfer function
    • Military Grid Reference System (MGRS) with ellipsoid selection (read-only)
  • World-class tech support via official support forums
| System Requirements
Component Requirement Notes
O/S See FSX or Prepar3D requirements Windows 7+. 64-bit required for P3D v4 versions
RAM See FSX or Prepar3D requirements 4GB VAS recommended
CPU See FSX or Prepar3D requirements
GPU See FSX or Prepar3D requirements
FSX FSX:Steam Edition through v10.0.62615.0

Versions outside supported ranges will break compatibility

Legacy versions of FSX:Acceleration NOT supported on Windows 10+

P3D x86 P3D Academic
v1.4 to v3.4.22.19868
Versions outside supported ranges will break compatibility
P3D x64 P3D Academic
v4.1 to v5.4.9.28482
Versions outside supported ranges will break compatibility
D/L 430MB (FSX) | 191MB (P3D) size varies based on partitioning
HDD 539MB (v1.4) size varies based on partitioning
Prerequisites FSX or Prepar3D
TacPack FSX/P3D
Direct-X 9.0c runtime
Microsoft .NET 4.6.1
Please see supported versions, above
FSX:Steam Edition and P3D versions require TacPack

Terms & Conditions

Please read before purchase!

SuperbugFSX

F/A-18E | FSX:Steam Edition

Non-commercial use for FSX:SE through v10.0.62615.0*

Requires TacPack for FSX:Steam Edition.
Please see system requirements prior to purchase.

$29.99 $39.99 USD

SuperbugP3D Academic

F/A-18E | P3D v4+ Academic

Non-commercial use for P3D Academic v4.1.7.22841 through v5.4.9.28482*

Requires TacPack for P3D Academic 4.1 through 5.4 (x64).
Please see system requirements prior to purchase.

$59.99 USD

TacPackP3D Pro

F/A-18E | P3D v4+ Professional

Commercial use for P3D Pro v4.1.7.22841 through v5.4.9.28482*

Requires TacPack for P3D Pro 4.1 through 5.4 (x64).
Superbug is included with all commercial TacPack licenses.

Contact Sales

*Superbug is ONLY comatible with the EXACT version ranges specified above. Updating FSX/P3D beyond the supported ranges WILL break compatibility.