Top Mach Studios’ F-22A Raptor for MSFS 2024 is nearly ready, with avionics overhaul and revised fly-by-wire complete
Top Mach Studios has been one of the most active military aircraft developers in the MSFS ecosystem. Their B-2A Spirit, T-7A Red Hawk and YF-23 Black Widow II are already in the sim, and now they’ve shared a detailed development update that paints an encouraging picture of what’s coming next.
The F-22A Raptor for MSFS 2024 is nearly at the finish line
The 2024 version of the F-22A Raptor is the one to watch. Top Mach Studios first released their F-22A for MSFS 2020 back in July 2022, after more than two years of development. Now the studio is going back to the drawing board for MSFS 2024, and based on this month’s update, the rebuild is nearly done.
The studio says the avionics and displays overhaul is complete, with final detailing and testing now underway. The stores management and tracking system is done, the 3D mesh work for both exterior and interior is finished, and initial texturing and game export testing is in progress. Visual effects work is also wrapped up.
Top Mach says principal development of a revised fly-by-wire system for MSFS 2024 is complete. The studio also mentions a native EFB-embedded stores configuration system, already complete, with plans to expand it in future updates to cover sim configuration menus, checklists, and more.
Remaining work includes aircraft animation, pilot figurine integration, and ongoing testing, and crucially, the studio says beta testing applications will be opening soon. That puts a real release within sight.
Su-57 and Su-35 are well into development
Top Mach also reveals that the Su-57‘s initial exterior and interior model mesh and texture work is over 90% complete. A shared avionics platform covering both the Su-57 and the Su-35 is also done. Static weapon model planning is progressing, including custom launcher models, pylons, and drop tanks.
The studio hasn’t given a timeline, but at 90% on the 3D side with avionics already in hand, this project is considerably further along than its low profile might suggest.
F-15E/EX is close on the modelling side, but systems work is delayed
The F-15E and EX models are both sitting at 95% completion on exterior and cockpit mesh work, which is essentially done in practical terms. However, the studio notes that scoping work for the common avionics platform has been pushed back to a May/June timeframe. So the airframe is ready, but the systems layer still needs to be built.
With the F-15 systems work pushed to later in the year, all eyes are now on the F-22A. Based on this update, the wait isn’t going to be much longer.
