AMSOC 26-003 Module A Practice Test

AN/AAR-57 CMWS is a missile warning system that sits passively in the aircraft’s sensor suite. It uses ultraviolet detectors to sense the exhaust plumes of incoming missiles, both surface-to-air and air-to-air. Because it is passive, it doesn’t emit signals of its own, which helps stay stealthy and reduces vulnerability. When the system detects a missile plume, it tracks the threat and declares it to the cockpit and to the aircraft’s defensive systems so countermeasures can be activated in time. This is different from jammers (which try to disrupt enemy communications), laser warning systems (which detect laser designators or rangefinders), or infrared countermeasures (which actively confuse or defeat missile seekers). The ultraviolet, passive detection and threat declaration are what define this system.