How to install Jane's Combat Simulations USAF

How to install Jane's Combat Simulations USAF

In this post I'll show you how to install the flight simulation video game Jane's Combat Simulations: USAF on a modern Windows 10 or Windows 11 PC and make the necessary configuration to make it run smoothly. A classic video game that deserves to be enjoyed by the old and new generations alike.

What is Jane's Combat Simulations USAF?

Is a combat flight simulation video released in 1999 as part of Jane's Combat Simulations series. The game is set from the late 1960s to the early 2000s and it is a jet aircraft survey simulation featuring satellite imagery for terrain which allowed quite detailed graphics for the time of the release of Jane's USAF.

The game features four campaigns: the Vietnam War, Persian Gulf War, and two fictional campaigns, one based on the Red Flag exercises and one depicting a war between NATO and Russia over Germany in the then-future of 2005. Also included are single missions, with maps from the Middle East to Korea. Training missions include take-off, landing, and refueling in Nellis Air Force Base.

What do you need to make the installation

To complete the installation of Jane's Combat Simulations USAF on your Windows 10/Windows 11 PC you will need the following programs or software:

1. The Jane's Combat Simulations USAF installation CDs or .ISO images. (Download)
2. The Jane's Combat Simulations USAF Windows 7 patch. (Download)
3. WineD3D for Windows for 32 bits applications. (Download)

Jane's USAF installation process

1. Mount the .ISO images or introduce the Jane's USAF game CDs in your CD drive and open the installation program and follow the regular installation procedure of the game. Just remember to let the program to be installed in its default installation path:

C:\Program Files\Jane's Combat Simulations\USAF

Don not open the game yet!

2. Now install the Jane's USAF Windows 7 Patch. To do so, extract all the files from the compressed .ZIP patch's file and copy, don't move, those files to the game's installation folder.
You will be asked to overwrite some files, say yes to all.

Don not open the game yet!

3. Install the 3D3 wrapper. First extract all the content of the .ZIP file on its own directory. On that directory locate and copy, don't cut, the win3d3.dll and ddraw.dll files. Paste those files inside the Jane's USAF main folder.

Don not open the game yet!

4. Compatibility configurations. Open the windows explorer and go to the game's main fonder (C:\Program Files\Jane's Combat Simulations\USAF) and execute the USAFConfig.exe program.
Once opened, select "DirectDraw HAL" on the Display Device option and click on "TEST". After the test is done close the program by clicking on "OK".

Don not open the game yet!

5. Shortcut configurations. Finally, right click on the Jane's USAF shortcut at the Windows PC's desktop and open the "PROPERTIES" option from the menu.
Now click on the "COMPATIBILITY" tab. There, check the "RUN THIS PROGRAM IN COMPATIBILITY MODE FOR" checkbox and on its drop-down menu select Windows 7.
Also on the settings section, check the "RUN THIS PROGRAM AS AN ADMINISTRATOR" checkbox and click on "OK" to save the changes.

Now double click the Jane's Combat Simulations USAF shortcut and... enjoy the game!

Jane's USAF installation video

The following video shows the step-by-step installation process as it was described above for a more graphical depiction of the process.

If you like the content of this site and have any suggestions, please leave it in the comments section below. Also, don't forget to follow me on my social networks and subscribe to my YouTube Channel.

YouTube | Instagram | TikTok | Discord | Facebook Page