Elite Dangerous | Kestrel Mk. II Update

The Kestrel Mk II Update is now live.

Core Dynamics is changing the rules of engagement with their next generation combat vessel. Designed for pilots who value agility, precision, and relentless firepower this small-frame combat ship delivers performance above its weight class. Available now via ARX early access, alongside an significant number of audio changes and improvements as well as bug fixes.

Features of Note:

• Added Core Dynamics Kestrel Mk II

  • Mk II Agile Boost Thrusters

    • Increased maneuverability while boosting including a significant increase to lateral and vertical thrust.

  • Mk II Plasma Shock Accelerator

    • Burst fire Shock Cannon with plasma damage type and built in plasma slug functionality.

  • In world holo-screen adverts now present for Kestrel Mk II

• Added pre-built ships:

  • Kestrel Mk.II Standard (16,520 Arx)

    • Standard Ship.

    • Owners Club Decal.

  • Kestrel Mk.II Stellar (33,000 Arx)

    • High Spec Ship.

    • Primacy White Paint Job.

    • Aggro Ship Kit.

    • Owners Club Decal.

  • Kestrel Mk.II Galactic (60,000 Arx)

    • All Stellar Content.

    • Flare Animated Holo-Kit.

    • Swift Ship Kit Pack.

    • Owners Club Decal.

• On-Foot Combat Audio Rebalance:

  • The Combat audio has been extensively reworked to improve situation awareness during combat.

    • Gunfire carries further and gives better feedback to the player about ongoing conflicts.

    • Enemy fire is easier to pinpoint, through clearer directionality and reduced reverb clutter.

    • Explosions and grenades stand out more, with sharper transients and better indoor/outdoor differentiation.

    • When you're hit or grazed, surrounding gunfire briefly adjusts to improve threat identification.

    • Hit markers, shield breaks and kill confirmations are more legible in the mix.

  • Weapon Audio Refresh (Per Weapon):

    • Manticore Executioner:

      • More powerful, heavier sound profile.

      • New layers improve threat, distance readability, and presence.

    • Manticore Intimidator:

      • Updated existing audio to match weapons threat profile

      • Clearer, chunkier close‑range impact.

    • Karma AR-50 & Karma P-15:

      • Redesigned with new assets, sharper impacts and improved presence.

      • Cleaner transient detail and consistent first‑/third‑person presentation.

      • Better indoor audio behaviour and more convincing bullet impacts.

    • Grenades (Shield Disruptor & Frag):

      • Shield Disruptor grenades now have a distinct audio signature.

      • Explosions feel more impactful and are more readable during combat.

    • Explosions (General):

      • More impactful, less muddy at distance, and better filtered inside buildings.

  • Movement Audio Improvements:

    • We’ve improved clarity and positioning for a wide range of movement sounds:

      • Footsteps are clearer, better placed in 3D space, and vary more distinctly between walking, running and crouching.

      • Surfaces (metal, concrete, sand, gravel) sound more natural and less harsh.

      • Breathing, jumping and sliding have richer character and better mix presence.

      • Suit voice cues are slightly softer and less resonant.

    • These changes help you better locate other players and NPCs—and feel more grounded in the environment.

  • Environmental & Spatial Enhancement:

    • Settlements, buildings and outdoor areas mixing adjustments:

      • Indoor spaces now have more natural reverb and echo behaviour.

      • Settlement ambience has been reduced to eliminate consitent metal like droning.

      • Distant ships, dropships and engines are quieter while on foot, revealing space in the mix to hear enemy fire and footsteps.

      • Explosions now shake rooms more believably through improved detection.

  • Mixing, Clarity & Quality Passes:

    • A major behind‑the‑scenes mix and routing cleanup improves overall readability and combat awareness.

      • Unified hit‑feedback EQ across weapons and impacts.

      • More consitent filtering on occlusion between in door and outdoor areas.

      • Improved weapon dry and tail mixing balance for situational awareness.

      • New compression settings for hardpoints for sharper weapon detail.

    • These upgrades strengthen performance, clarity, and consistency across all audio systems.

Issue Tracker Fixes

• Resolved instances of the Caspian Explorer being unable to scoop cargo. (Issue ID: 81867)

• Resolved an issue where gaining CQC rank would