Today, Korean War Flight Simulator Korea: IL-2 Series Update 1.004 was officially released, introducing a broad range of improvements to the combat flight simulator, including AI behavior, new missions, Career Mode changes, manual fuel-system controls, multiplayer updates, and refinements to controls, graphics, sound, and stability.
To start, Korea: IL-2 Series Update 1.004 significantly overhauls aircraft AI and autopilot behavior. Enemy aircraft now perform defensive maneuvers when pursued, while fixes address AI aircraft spinning during combat, colliding with terrain, and struggling with attack runs against airborne targets.
Bombers now have improved aiming during level bombing in windy conditions, while jets low on fuel or ammunition use improved return-to-base profiles. Ground vehicle AI has also been refined, with fixes to road detection, waypoint navigation, convoy cornering, target selection, and attacks against aircraft.
Korea: IL-2 Series also expands mission selection by adding Strategic Object Cover and Enemy Harbor Attack missions to Career and Task Editor, alongside the M6 Tractor. Mission generation now accounts for aircraft type and flight distance when determining waypoint altitude, and new interception mechanics can introduce both jet and piston-engine fighters, with enemy numbers affected by group size and mission settings.
Career Mode receives several improvements, including persistent damage to buildings, bridges, and other map objects between missions, as well as gradual bridge repairs. The MiG Alley operation zone has also been added for Eastern Bloc countries, while airfield ownership, operation boundaries, resource balance, pilot records, awards, mission results, planning maps, and Career interface elements have all been adjusted or fixed.
One of the update’s larger gameplay additions is manual control of aircraft fuel systems, as players can now operate fuel valves and pumps directly using instrument controls; it is important to note that the previous automatic system remains available as an optional assistant. Fuel simulation has also been refined with air density now affecting the probability of fuel-tank fires, along with fixes for empty tanks burning and radiator leaks.
Multiplayer receives several quality-of-life improvements, including direct server connections from the Friends and Squadron Members screen, expanded Co-op lobby functionality, improved gunner joining, and fixes for radar, communications, aircraft callsigns, and B-29 sounds and animations. Controls have also been expanded with force-feedback adjustments, improved low-speed effects, PS5 controller vibration support, DualSense Edge recognition, additional gamepad functions, and new commands for gunsight and radar equipment.
Korea: IL-2 Series Update 1.004 also improves the interface, cameras, sound, graphics, environment, VR, stability, localization, and mod support. Visual additions include new bomb explosion effects, improved ground-vehicle effects, shallow-water rendering, additional environmental objects, and automatic VR Optimized mode.
Last but not least, Mod mode now also includes aircraft telemetry for recording trajectories and animations you can use to create aircraft-focused scenes. If you want to hear and see more of Korea: IL-2 Series, check out our preview with gameplay and get in on the Steam early access action before it releases fully on August 4, 2026.
