The Area Weapon System, or AWS, consists of the 30mm chain gun mounted below the front of the aircraft on an articulating mount. It can fire both high explosive dual purpose and training rounds to an effective range of approximately 1,500 to 1,700 meters at an average of 550 rounds per minute against unarmored and lightly armored vehicles.

By default, 1,200 round will be loaded, and the burst limit can be selected from the Weapons, Gun page.

In addition to being fixed forward, the AWS can be slaved to the IHADSS or Target Acquisition and Designation System, or TADS, line of sight.

In this sneak peek, we’ll look at the 2.75” Hydra rockets of the AH-64D. 19 high explosive, smoke, or illumination rockets can be loaded in each M261 rocket pod,
and up to four rocket pods can be loaded on the stub wings. Additional rocket types like MPSM are planned for later.

Dear All,
 
Time for a little update on the DCS: AH-64D. As you may have gathered from the videos, progress has been excellent, and we are well on track for both the pre-order and early access release this year. We hope you have been enjoying the sneak peek videos and Cato's fantastic show cases. These are created for the dual purpose of building customer awareness (one of our biggest challenges as a small company) and providing you a better appreciation of what you would be pre-ordering. An informed customer is a happy customer (generally).
 
Although we’ve been able to show off quite bit, there is still much work to do before an early access release. Some of these items include:
 
• AI flight takeover
• AI command system
• Front seat/Back seat cooperative multiplayer synchronization
• Add attitude and altitude hold modes
• Tune flight model, SCAS, and SAS
• Radios and radio pages
• Damage modeling (art and systems)
• Complete all systems required for a cold start
• Voice message and tone alerts
• UI art
• Training, instant action, and single missions
• And more…
 
So, while I understand many you are repeating the “release it now” mantra, I think you will agree that all the above items much first be addressed. No one wants a repeat of the Viper launch.
 
Also, once the pre-order starts, I will pivot to the full-up training lessons to help prepare you for the early access release.
 
Kind regards,
Wags

DCS: AH-64D is progressing well with the 2.75” Hydra/M261 rocket system in the final stage of completion. 19 high explosive, smoke or illumination rockets can be loaded into each M261 pod, and up to four pods can be mounted on the stub wings. Additional rocket types such as MPSM and flechettes are planned for at a later date.