U.S. Army Paratroopers assigned to Alpha Company, 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 173rd Airborne Brigade are currently getting intensive training on how to use new Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS) that was installed on Family of Medium Tactical Vehicle.
CROWS allows the warfighter to remotely engage targets with precision fire while on the move or stationary to the maximum effective range of the weapon. Capable of target engagement under day and night conditions, the CROWS sensor suite includes a daytime video camera, thermal camera and laser rangefinder.
CROWS is designed to mount on any tactical vehicle and supports the MK19 Grenade Machine Gun, M2 .50 Caliber Machine Gun, M240B Machine Gun and M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.
The remote weapon station systems consists of weapons cradles, traverse and elevation drives, weapon interface, weapon remote charger, ammunition container and feed system, laser range finder, day/night viewing and sighting unit, joystick, and remote fire control and display unit.
U.S. Army Paratroopers conducted a series of fire tests of an M249 Squad Automatic Weapon using the CROWS system in Grafenwoehr Training Area during Saber Junction 2019 exercise, according to a statement issued by 173rd Airborne Brigade.
As to Saber Junction 2019, this is an exercise involving nearly 5,400 participants from 16 ally and partner nations at the U.S. Army’s Grafenwoehr and Hohenfels Training Areas, Sept. 3 to Sept. 30, 2019.
Saber Junction 19 is designed to assess the readiness of the U.S. Army’s 173rd Airborne Brigade to execute land operations in a joint, combined environment and to promote interoperability with participating allies and partner nations.
