Control Stick
The control stick (fig. 15-1), located in the forward
cockpit, contains the weapons selector button, weapon
trigger, bomb-release push button, and the DLC/
CHAFF DISPENSE push button.
Master Light Control Panel
The master light control panel (fig. 15-1) is located
on the right side console of the forward cockpit. It
contains
the
ACM
thumb-wheel
control,
which
controls the 26 volts of ac to the ACM panel indicator
lights.
Landing Gear Handle
The landing gear handle (LDG GEAR) handle (fig.
15-1) is located on the left vertical console of the
forward cockpit. It operates a switch assembly that
functions as an armament safety device. As such, it
prevents accidental missile launching, bomb release,
rocket firing, and ACM encounter jettison of external
weapons/stores when the aircraft is on the ground.
Master arm power is prevented when the LDG GEAR
handle is in the down (DN) position. When the LDG
GEAR handle is in the UP position, the fire control
system master arm power is available.
Armament Safety Override Switch
The armament safety override (ARM SAFETY
ORIDE) switch (fig. 15-2) is located in the nosewheel
well.
It is a magnetically held closed switch.
The
switch is used as an armament safety override to bypass
the open landing gear safety circuit when the LDG
GEAR handle is in the DN position. This lets you make
functional checks of the system during ground
maintenance.
Missile Control System
The missile control system consists of the controls
and components you have already read about. It also
contains the following missile system controls and
components:
Weapons status indicators
Liquid (LIQ) cooling control panel
Aft cockpit caution advisory panel
The AIM-54 and AIM-7 missile fire control
systems help to select, prepare, and launch AIM-54 and
AIM-7 missiles.
The AIM-54 is a long-range,
semiactive, radar midcourse guided and active radar
terminal guided missile. It operates in either the normal
or boresight mode. The F-14 carries a maximum of six
AIM-54
missilestwo
are
suspended
from
multipurpose pylons on stations 1B and 8B, and the
remaining four at weapons rail stations 3R, 4R, 5R, and
6R. The AIM-7 is a medium-range, semiactive, radar-
guided missile. It also operates in either the normal or
boresight mode. The F-14 carries a maximum of six
AIM-7
missilestwo
are
suspended
from
multipurpose pylons on stations 1B and 8B and four at
semisubmerged fuselage stations 3, 4, 5, and 6.
The AIM-9 fire control system enables selecting,
preparing, and firing of the AIM-9 (series) missiles.
The AIM-9 missile is a supersonic, short-range,
air-to-air intercept missile that uses passive infrared for
target detection and guidance.
The F-14 carries a
maximum of four AIM-9 missilesone missile each
on stations 1A, 1B, 8A, and 8B.
The weapons status indicators are located on the
ACM panel. They notify the pilot of the weapon status
of the AIM-9 missiles on stations 1A, 1B, 8A, and 8B.
The Sidewinder cool (SW COOL) switch (fig.
15-1) is a two-position, push-button switch on the ACM
panel.
This switch is used to generate the AIM-9
missile cool signal to cool the missiles. When in the
ACM encounter mode, AIM-9 missile cooling is
automatically selected, regardless of the SW COOL
switch position.
The throttle quadrant, located on the left side
console
of
the
forward
cockpit,
contains
the
CAGE/SEAM push-button switch for initiating the
Sidewinder
expanded
acquisition
mode
(SEAM)
lock-on command. The pilot presses the CAGE/SEAM
push-button switch when the missile is locked on the
target, as indicated by the AIM-9 tone in the pilot
headset. The SEAM LOCK advisory indicator, located
on the ACM panel, lights to notify the pilot that the
AIM-9 missile selected is locked on the target. A tone
volume control panel with a SW potentiometer, located
on the pilot's left side console, controls the AIM-9 tone
to the pilot's headset.
Multiple Weapons Release System
The multiple weapons release system has basic
controls and components and multiple weapons system
controls and components. They are discussed in the
following paragraphs.
15-4