MAWS in game come in two flavours UV/IR sensors and PD radar, on some platforms they use sensor fusion to compare what the RWR see’s and what the MAW sees and tries to release the right countermeasure for the threat.
But for example Eurofighter Typhoon as 360° coverage for its RWR in both elevation and azimuth. But its MAW coverage is only 360° in azimuth, in elevation its 45° this means there is a blind stop top and bottom. When a threat comes into coverage of both, if the RWR sees it (SARH or ARH missile) it will drop chaff, if the MAW sees it but the RWR doesn’t (IR/Wire Guided/laser/beam riding etc) it will flare.
It’s funny how, despite not having a MAW, I can activate and deactivate it on these models, and before the latest update, they all automatically launched countermeasures. It must have been magic 😂😂😂
More proof than see the auto deploy of chaff and flares?? Have you tried turning it on and off on those models? Did you know that if the plane doesn’t have it, you’ll get a message saying it doesn’t have one?
The AH-1W is equipped with a MAW system which will automatically release countermeasures if a heat-seeking missile is launched at the helicopter, and an IRCM system creates jamming for IR missiles’ seeker heads
This message will show up on ANY plane that has both countermeasures and RWR, it doesn’t mean said plane has MAW . Just a little snail oversight . (Don’t tell them about it, they will somehow break at least 10 features trying to fix this one)