Weapon Release Circuitry

Basic Armament Control Circuitry

The basic armament control circuitry sends release signals to the pylons to release rockets, bombs and dispenser contents. It can receive bomb pulses from either the manual delivery mode, automatic sight release release cue, or Low Altitude Bombing System release cue.

When a bomb pulse is received from the Aircraft Weapons Release System it is up to the weapons selection circuitry forward the pulses to the correct pylons to release ordinance.

All stations with their Station Release Selection Switch armed will receive the forwarded bomb pulse. Any stations which have jettison selected instead will convert the bomb pulse to a jettison signal (if the ordnance can be jettisoned).

AN/AWE-1 Aircraft Weapons Release System (AWRS)

Introduction

When the AWRS is active, any bomb pulse from the bomb-button or Low Altitude Bombing System is passed to the AWRS to sequence pylons, quantities and timing of bomb or rocket releases.

Station Release Selection Switches

For the Aircraft Weapons Release System to function correctly, all Station Release Selection Switches for the desired weapon type should be moved into either the NORM or JETT position (depending if armed release or jettison is required).

Controls

1. Quantity Selector Switch
2. Power Indicator Light
3. Release Interval Switch
4. Multiplier Switch (x10)
5. Mode Select Switch

Quantity Selector Switch

With the Quantity Selector Switch in the OFF position electrical power is removed from the AWRS system and the Basic Armament Control Circuitry is used. With the Quantity Selector Switch set to any numbered position the AWRS is active and energized.

The selected number provides the AWRS with the quantity of release pulses in ripple modes.

See operation.

Release Interval Switch

The release interval switch sets the time interval in milliseconds (ms) between AWRS pulses.

Multiplier Switch (x10)

Setting the multiplier switch to x10 increases the release interval value by a multiple of 10. Setting it to x1 returns timing to the interval switch's value.

Modes

Operation

Release modes prouduce pulses distributed to pylons according to the release type. The following table describes how pulses are produced and forwarded to the release type circuitry after receiving each input signal from either the manual delivery mode or Low Altitude Bombing System release cue.

Release Mode	Number of Pulses
STEP	Input signal produces only one pulse
RIPPLE	Input signal produces a sequence of pulses with intervals specified by the Release Interval Switch and Multiplier Switch. The sequence length is the setting on the Quantity Selector Switch provided the input signal is held on the entire duration of the sequence. If the input signal is released early (ie bomb-button released) the sequence immediately stops.

There are 3 possible release types. Each type acts on sequence pulses.

Release Type	Pulse Result
SINGLE	A single bomb is released from the next valid pylon in the release sequence if one exists.
PAIRS	A pair of bombs or rockets is released from the next valid pair of pylons in the sequence.
SALVO	Every valid selected pylon releases a bomb or rocket if the pylon is not empty.

Examples

To assist in understanding the AWRS, below a few examples are shown. Each example assumes there are enough bombs on the plane in the correct configuration to drop the correct number of bombs or rockets.

Release Mode	Release Type	Quantity Selector Switch	Interval (ms)	Multiplier Switch	Result
RIPPLE	SINGLE	4	60	x1	4 bombs is dropped with an interval of 60 ms between them.
RIPPLE	SINGLE	6	100	x10	6 bombs is dropped with an interval of 1000 ms (due to x10 switch) between them
RIPPLE	PAIRS	3	150	x1	3 pairs of bombs is dropped (total 6) with an interval of 150 ms between each pair.
RIPPLE	SALVO	3	45 ms	x1	For example, let's say the aircraft is armed with a 1, 1, 3, 3, 1, 1 MK-82 on each pylon. The first salvo drops 6 bombs, leaving 0, 0, 2, 2, 0, 0 on the aircraft. 45 ms later, 2 more bombss drop, leaving 0, 0, 1, 1, 0, 0. 45 ms later again, the remaining 2 bombs will drop, resulting in a total of 10 dropped bombs.

Station Priority and Sequencing

Bombs or rockets drop in order of priority, alternating sides if two valid pylons share equal priority. The further a pylon is from the center, the higher its priority. The AWRS does not consider inactive pylons, empty pylons, nor pylons armed with an incorrect weapon type.

The following table displays each pylon's priority:

Left Outer	Left Middle	Left Inner	Right Inner	Right Middle	Right Outer
1	3	5	6	4	2