A Soviet/Russian short-range radio navigation system broadly comparable in purpose to TACAN/VOR-DME, used to provide aircraft with navigation information relative to a ground station.
Key characteristics:
- Military navigation aid: Common on Soviet-era aircraft for enroute navigation and approach guidance.
- Station-based: Aircraft tune/select an RSBN channel/station to receive navigation information.
- Provides usable nav cues: Depending on aircraft/system implementation, RSBN can support:
- Bearing/course guidance to/from a station (similar “work” to VOR/TACAN course tracking)
- Range information (functionally like DME) in many implementations
- Often paired conceptually with landing systems: In Soviet doctrine, RSBN is commonly associated with approach/landing support ecosystems (with separate components providing glidepath/localizer equivalents depending on the airfield/system).
Application in DCS World
- RSBN is modeled on certain Soviet-era DCS aircraft and maps/airfields that support it (especially aircraft like the MiG-21bis and others with RSBN/PRMG-style equipment).
- In training terms, cadets can use RSBN to practice the same core skills you’d practice with TACAN/VOR-DME:
- Intercepting and tracking courses
- Flying station-based navigation legs
- Using range information for step-downs, timing, and situational awareness
- Coverage and station availability are mission/map dependent, so RSBN training is best done in missions designed with known RSBN stations and clear objectives.