CMWS PANEL ON AH-64D

[MertTunç]

Is there any documentation that provides any information and how to use the cmws panel on the right side of the cockpit

[WobblyFlops]

I doubt our Apache pilots will be able to talk much about this system. Once the ASE video by Wags comes out, we'll learn more.

[LooseSeal]

I mean, we'll be getting the manual in (hopefully) two or three weeks. Can't imagine it's a particularly difficult system to operate. I find the Hornet's considerably more irritating to use.

[Dragon1-1]

Looks pretty obvious, to be honest. Power switch, arm/safe, bypass/auto (manual override that likely causes the dispense switch to drop one flares and one chaff per press), missile warning volume, display brightness, flare/chaff display, and I bet the switch under the guard jettisons the expandables. The only things I can't guess are the "threat" part of the display and the CMWS/NAV switch.

[MertTunç]

15 minutes ago, Dragon1-1 said:

Looks pretty obvious, to be honest. Power switch, arm/safe, bypass/auto (manual override that likely causes the dispense switch to drop one flares and one chaff per press), missile warning volume, display brightness, flare/chaff display, and I bet the switch under the guard jettisons the expandables. The only things I can't guess are the "threat" part of the display and the CMWS/NAV switch.

Thanks to the planes I have flown before and my knowledge of English, I can understand what the texts mean, I just wondered if there was a document.

[llOPPOTATOll]

5 hours ago, MertTunç said:

Is there any documentation that provides any information and how to use the cmws panel on the right side of the cockpit

The OFF-ON-TEST 3 position switch controls the powering of the CMWS. On the display F indicates the amount of Flares remaining, C indicates the amount of Chaff remaining. The circle with 4 arrows indicates what quadrant the threat is coming from. When the device detects a launch  on it flashes in the quadrant it’s detected from. The D inside the circle lights up when it is dispensing flares. The R inside the circle indicates the device is Ready. The guarded switch jettisons flares. The SAFE/ARM switch arms the device. CMWS/NAV switch turns off the audio so you can listen to nav audio like Morse code. The bypass/auto switches between auto flare dispense and pre planned flare program without auto dispense.

[cgjimeneza]

im thinking of making a peripheral for this CMWS (no screen) and probably the fire extinguishers... would any of you would be interested in one (might involve 3D printing, Arduino and the like, would be shipped assembled completely.... no idea if feasible or final price... just trying to decide if you guys would be interested.

 

Bravo 25

 

[Bedouin]

7 hours ago, cgjimeneza said:

im thinking of making a peripheral for this CMWS (no screen) and probably the fire extinguishers... would any of you would be interested in one (might involve 3D printing, Arduino and the like, would be shipped assembled completely.... no idea if feasible or final price... just trying to decide if you guys would be interested.

 

Bravo 25

 

Interested but depending on price and would it be plug n' play ?

[cgjimeneza]

sir, i just will find out in a bit, obviously.

its just a thing in my mind... plug and play, USB, buttons to set in game etc.. its a few months away... arduino, probably with a shield extension, and maybe, the potentiometers and the 3 posit knob,   the works...   Trust me, Im an engineer LOL

 

Edit: this is getting so much more interesting... was watching a video by a cockpit builder and he mentioned that if you have a covered switch, you have to simulate the lid opening in the panel... so.. a bit more of CAD time...  the lid opening will click a microswitch or miniature push button, so the program will display the toggle switch...

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by cgjimeneza
clarification

[Dragon1-1]

Driving the display would be the big thing. I could certainly get some Chinese switches and an Arduino, maybe even a proper 3-pos knob, and wire up a panel (be careful with their pots, I had a few bad ones from Aliexpress), but if you want to be more than just a switch box, you'd need to dive into interfacing with DCS Bios.

[FalcoGer]

PWR:
Off - System is off
On - System is on
Test - Perform BIT

CMWS/NAV:
CMWS - ADF volume control controls CMWS and ASE volume, ADF is muted
NAV - ADF volume control controls ADF volume, CMWS warnings are muted

Audio - No function (audio volume controlled by ADF volume control)
Lamp - Display brightness

Arm/Safe:
Arm - Dispensers are powered
Safe - Dispensers are not powered

Bypass/Auto:
Bypass - Flares are dispensed manually, pressing the flare button dispenses the selected program
Auto - Flares are dispensed automatically when the CMWS detects a missile launch. Will also launch flares when missile is no threat (for example if wingman firing hellfire)

Jettison - Jettison all flares

Display:
F : NN - Number of remaining flares in inventory (not necessarily equal to the actual amount of flares)
C : NN - Number of chaff in inventory (dito)
Circle: Displays which sector a missile launch has been detected in, up being the direction of the aircraft's nose. Only displays 8 directions and no hemisphere (up/down) information. Displays R when system ready, D when flares are being dispensed.
A countdown timer is displayed for the BIT and the BIT results briefly after it concluded.

Edited March 12, 2022 by FalcoGer