CENTER PANEL

2-38: Center panel

The center panel is located in the lower center of the front dash and has its functions divided into three primary areas:

1. Weapon control panel

2. Targeting display control panel

3. Landing lights and voice warning ("Betty") control panel

Due to the position of the panel, you may need to move the cyclic out of the way or use keyboard commands to access the functions.

PUI-800 Weapon Status and Control Panel

The weapon status and control panel is located at the top of the pedestal and it allows you to select the active weapon type, view weapon inventory and status, and control aspects of weapon employment.

2-39: Weapon status and control panel The weapons control panel has the following functions:

1. “ТИП” (Store type). This field displays a two character indication of the selected store type: "НР" = rockets, "ПС" = anti-tank missiles, "АБ" = bombs, "ПБ" = external fuel tanks.

2. “ГЛАВНЫЙ” (Master arm switch). Master arm is set to on when the switch is in the up position. When in the down position, all weapons are safe and weapons may not be employed. [W + LALT]

3. “АВАР СБРОС” (Emergency launch button). Used to jettison all external stores except “Vikhr” ATGM. [R + LALT]

4. “АВАР ПУСК”. Emergency jettison of AA missiles. No function.

5. “ОФ-БР” (HE-API cannon round selector switch). The 2A42 30mm cannon is fed belts of high explosive and armor-piercing rounds. You may select between the two with this switch: "ОФ" = high-explosive (HE), "БР" = armor-piercing incendiary (API). [C + LCTRL]

6. “ДЛ-СР-КР” (Long-medium-short weapon mode switch). The 2A42 cannon has three firing modes: long burst "ДЛ", medium burst "СР", and short

burst "КОР". Use this three position switch to select the mode. This switch also controls rocket salvo amounts and if Vikhr is launched one at a time or in pairs. [S]

7. “РУЧН-АВТ” (Manual/Auto weapon control switch). Placing this switch in the up "РУЧН" position commands manual weapon and sensor control, and placing the switch in the down "АВТ" position commands automatic control. When in manual mode, computed launch authorization, automated gate tracking size, and vertical compensation Vikhr launcher to target are absent. You should only use the manual mode when the automatic mode is inoperative. [A]

8. Weapon readiness indicator. The four green lamps represent each of the four under-wing hardpoints. When a store attached to a hardpoint is ready to fire, the green lamp over the station will light.

9. Weapon presence indicator. These four yellow lamps beneath each of the hardpoints represent a store being loaded on the station.

10. Selected weapons remaining. This field consists of two digits and displays the number of selected weapons (rockets or Vikhr) remaining.

11. Cannon rounds remaining. This field displays the number of cannon rounds remaining according to the cannon round selector switch setting. This number is displayed in tens.

12. ATGM jettison selector “УСКОР РАЗГРУЗ” switch. When this switch is held down, all Vikhr ATGM will launch quickly off the launcher with no guidance. [W + RCTRL]

13. “ВЗР – НЕ ВЗР” (Armed/Disarmed weapon jettison arming switch). This switch determines if the weapon will be armed prior to being jettisoned. "ВЗР" = armed, "НЕ ВЗР" = disarmed for jettison. [W + LALT + LSHIFT]

14. “МТ-БТ” (Low-High cannon rate of fire (ROF) switch). The 30mm cannon has two rates of fire that can be selected with this switch: “МТ" = low and "БТ" = high. [C + LSHIFT]

Targeting Display Control Panel

Located directly below the weapon control panel, this panel controls how data is displayed on the different targeting and navigation displays.

2-40: Targeting display control panel

The targeting display control panel has the following functions:

1. “ЯРКОСТЬ НВУ” (HMS Brightness control knob). This knob can be rotated to control the brightness of the night vision goggles and Helmet Mounted Sight (HMS) reticle. This knob may be rotated up [] + RALT + RCTRL + RSHIFT] and down. [[ + RALT + RCTRL + RSHIFT]

2. “ФОН БЕЛЫЙ – ЧЕРНЫЙ” (Shkval polarity switch). Using this switch, you may display either "БЕЛЫЙ" = white indication or "ЧЕРНЫЙ" = black indication on the Shkval display. [B + RCTRL + RSHIFT]

3. “ОГР ИНФО – ПОЛН” (HUD declutter switch). Use this switch to remove non-essential symbology from the heads up display: "ОГР ИНФ" = declutter, "ПОЛН" = full data. [S + RCTRL]

4. Laser code selector. The rotary dial has three positions and can be used to select the laser code that the Shkval will use when laser illuminating a target. This dial can be rotated left [I + RALT + RCTRL + RSHIFT] and right. [O + RALT + RCTRL + RSHIFT]

5. “ЯРКОСТЬ ИТ” (TV display brightness knob). Rotate this knob left [] + RALT + RCTRL] and right [[ + RALT + RCTRL] to adjust the brightness of the Shkval TV display.

6. “КОНТРАСТ ИТ” (TV display contrast knob). Rotate this knob left [] + RCTRL + RSHIFT] and right [[ + RCTRL + RSHIFT] to adjust the contrast of the “Shkval” TV display.

7. “ТР – ОТКЛ” (Tracer switch). No function.

8. "СФ", "К", "", "", " ", etc. color optic filters dial. This dial adjusts the Shkval optics for various weather conditions. No function.

Landing Lights and Voice Warning Control Panel ALMAZ

The landing and voice warning ("Betty") control panel is located in the lower part of the center panel. It controls landing lights, navigation channels, and the automatic voice message unit (VMU). The landing lights are used to illuminate the landing position in the absence of lighting on the ground. The landing lights are located underneath the fuselage and can be slewed.

2-41: Landing lights and voice warning ("Betty") control panel.

The lights and VMU panel contains the following functions:

1. “ОСН-РЕЗЕРВ” (Main and backup landing light switch). To select either the main or backup landing lights, set this switch to the "ОСН" position to turn on the main landing light or select the "РЕЗЕРВ" position to select the backup light. [L + RCTRL]

Note that both lights can also be controlled via the "ПОСАД ФАРЫ" switch on the collective, independent of the "ОСН-РЕЗЕРВ" switch position. Additionally, you may slew the main landing light by holding down the right control key and pressing [;], [,], [.] and [/].

2. “УПР. СВЕТ – УБОРКА” (Landing light ON/OFF switch). This is a three-position switch that controls the main landing light. The “УПР СВЕТ” extends the light and turns it on; the middle position turns the light off, and the “УБОРКА” position will turn off the light and retract it. [L + RSHIFT]

3. “ПРИВОД Р/С. БЛИЖН-АВТ-ДАЛЬН” (NDB's INNER-AUTO-OUTER beacon mode switch). The Non-Directional Beacon (NDB) mode switch has three positions and is used to select the ADF channel. "ДАЛЬН" (Outer) selects a navigation mode referenced to an outer airfield beacon while the "БЛИЖН" (Inner) setting is for navigation to the inner airfield beacon. The "АВТ" (Auto) mode automatically switches from outer to inner modes as the beacon is approached. [= + LALT]

4. “РЕЧЕВОЙ ИНФОРМАТОР ОТКЛ” (VMU cease message button). The "ОТКЛ" (OFF) button ceases current voice messages. [V + LSHIFT + LALT]

5. “РЕЧЕВОЙ ИНФОРМАТОР ПОВТОР” (Repeat VMU message button). This button initiates a replay of the active failures messages. [V + LALT]

6. “ВКЛ – АВАР” (On-Emergency) switch. “ВКЛ” is normal mode and “АВАР” is emergency mode with doubling all EKRAN messages with VMS sound. [V + LCTRL]