Smoke in A3 looks hundred times better than A2. It was significantly improved but still it can be improved in some areas.
On distance black smoke should became more grayish, graphite than black. Also smoke should disappear much higher. Should stay longer and be much greater.
One thing that infamous OFP:DR did pretty good was distant smoke.
{F19591} {F19592}
On the orher side smoke of this size would need huge amount of particles - or maybe different way of rendering it at close - and at far.
At far distances it could be just an texture and particles for close-ups. This way even if standing next to burning vehicle and looking up on the sky you will see huge smoke cloud made not of particles but high quality animated texture.
Of course it should blend. If you get close to it lets say in the chopper it must transist to particles but only in client-side said sphere.
No matter what position youre in, smoke down or upper you from a certain distance would be an texture.
Anyway, im not an expert and I don't know what limitations are bounded on Real Virtuality engine.
Mass closing ancient tickets with no activity for > 12 months; assume fixed or too trivial.
If this issue is still relevant in current dev build, please re-post.