The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, known as CROWS, was once a mere aspiration of
the military. However, modern technology has now caught up with the warfighters’ craziest dreams.
This revolutionary series of weapon stations is transforming the way soldiers engage with
targets. The US military has implemented CROWS on their armored vehicles and ships, providing
soldiers with an unprecedented level of protection and accuracy. CROWS is a versatile weapon system
that provides both defensive and offensive capabilities, making it an indispensable tool.
Designed to be mounted on various vehicle platforms,
the system is equipped to handle a range of armaments,
including the Mk 19 grenade launcher, the 12.7-millimeter M2 .50 caliber machine
gun, the 7.62-millimeter M240B machine gun, and the 5.56-millimeter M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.
Now more than ever, the troops on the frontline are ready to fight against invisible foes…
Islands of Resistance
Field Marshal Erich Von Manstein famously stated: (QUOTE) "The safety of a tank formation operating
in the enemy's rear largely depends on its ability to keep moving. Once it comes
to a halt it will immediately be assailed from all sides by the enemy's reserves."
Decades after World War 2 ended, American military analysts were intrigued about why US
military doctrine did not contemplate a bypassed force as a contributor to defense maneuvers.
For one, Major Donald Cranz, in his 1988 paper titled ‘Strongpoints in a Defense
Against Blitzkrieg,’ pondered whether a bypassed force in a built-up area or another strongpoint
could have more to offer to the overall battle than merely being able to break out.
Moreover, the analyst asserted that strongpoints were part of a system
and that they might be deliberately established to be part of an integrated scheme of defense.
As he accurately pointed out, every commander tries to avoid the encirclement of forces,
explaining that: (QUOTE) "Once they are encircled, the moral imperative to get them out as quickly
as possible dominates all subsequent tactical analysis. Before any thought can be given to
something like the web defense, there needs to be some sort of assurance the islands of
resistance can survive. If they can't, there is no sense in deliberately establishing them--not
only because it is not cost-effective,[...] but because it is morally unacceptable as well."
The Right Kind of Soldier
Indeed, such ideas were not prevalent in US doctrine for several decades,
and for good reasons. The memory of the disasters at Arnhem and
Dien Bien Phu still haunted US commanders. However, as is often
the case, survivability can be decisively influenced by technological breakthroughs.
According to Major Cranz, new technology is always discussed with caution among
military decision-makers. On the one hand, the potential tactical
impact of new acquisitions is complex and challenging to fully understand.
On the other hand, technological advancements are continuously evolving.
Undoubtedly, technological advancements in areas such as obstacle technology,
anti-armor firepower, aerial resupply, and optics/sensors have improved the
survivability and effectiveness of strongpoints. However, the increasing quantity and delivery
systems of blast-producing munitions have noticeably counterbalanced any advantages.
Moreover, the survivability and effectiveness of strongpoints heavily depend on the state of
training of the opposing force, as well as its military doctrine. Critically,
without real-world experience, the survivability of strongpoints can only be speculated.
Cranz also indicated that it was possible to maintain a strongpoint for a significant period,
but at a high cost. The Major concluded: (QUOTE) "Unless the right kind of soldiers with the right
equipment and logistics are present and have had time to prepare their positions,
the strongpoint will have a life expectancy measured in hours."
Hitting The Road
It wasn't until the new millennium that technological advances led to the creation of
a new weapon system that allowed warfighters to engage in combat while keeping themselves safe:
The Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station, better known as CROWS.
The series of remote weapon stations was used in US armored vehicles and
ships to enable weapon operators to engage targets without sacrificing their safety.
The impressive weapon allows for on-the-move target acquisition and first-burst target
engagement, in addition to its programmable target reference points for multiple locations
and sector surveillance scanning. It also features automatic target ballistic lead,
automatic target tracking, and programmable no-fire
zones. Equipped with a fully integrated fire control system, it provides ballistic correction.
The CROWS system comprises two parts: a mount fixed to the vehicle's exterior and the control
group mounted inside. The mount is gyro-stabilized with a full 360-degree rotation and -20 to 60
degrees elevation capability, making it incredibly accurate even in high-stress situations.
The sight package includes a daylight video camera, a thermal camera, and an eye-safe laser
rangefinder, as well as a fully-integrated fire control system that provides ballistic correction.
Plus, the weight of the weapon station varies depending on the armament module,
starting from a light 163 pounds.
The
control group is mounted inside the vehicle and includes a display, switches, and a joystick to
provide full remote control of the weapon system. The fighting crew can operate from inside armored
combat vehicles while still being able to acquire and engage targets up to 1,500 meters away.
Notably, the mount can absorb about 85 percent of weapon recoil, delivering an incredible
95 percent accuracy rate, as well as the ability to track targets moving up to 25 miles per hour.
Modern warfare had never been safer or more effective.
Invisible Threats
When it was first introduced in 2004, CROWS was a true game-changer in modern warfare. Additionally,
it can be mounted on a variety of vehicle platforms, including the Mk 19 grenade launcher,
12.7-millimeter M2 .50 caliber machine gun, 7.62-millimeter M240B machine gun,
and 5.56-millimeter M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.
As such, the weapon boasts unparalleled versatility on the battlefield.
Large ammunition boxes also enable sustained firing periods, carrying up to 96 rounds for
the Mk 19, 400 rounds for the M2, 1,000 rounds for the M240B, and 1,600 rounds for the M249.
The 506th Expeditionary Security Forces Squadron was the first to operate CROWS in the Air Force
inventory, and it first saw combat as one of three security forces squadrons in Iraq,
mounted onto the M1116 up-armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or Humvee.
In the words of First Lieutenant David Bolin, security forces flight leader:
(QUOTE) "CROWS increases our situational awareness and allows us to see things we might never have
known were there, especially at night. It's an asset on the types of mission we do here."
American Airmen took CROWS-equipped vehicles on dozens of combat missions. Exceeding the human eye
in range, the system can help the gunner identify threats that may not be immediately visible.
Similarly, it often finds things the crew may not have known were there.
Security forces gunner Senior Airman Jeffrey Oats recounted that: (QUOTE) "On one mission, we were
scanning the countryside looking for threats and spotted a bunker a substantial distance away. When
we approached the area, we came upon a cache of more than 100 pieces of unexploded ordnance."
By the fall of 2013, the US Army had over 8,000 CROWS systems in use among the I and II variants.
However, the newer CROWS III would incorporate laser dazzlers to temporarily blind suspicious
individuals rather than immediately opening fire. It also features additional cameras on the sides
and rear of the turret, further expanding situational awareness without the need to
rotate the turret. What's more, it includes an infrared laser pointer to mark objects at night.
From the start of its service, Airman Oats recognized the value of the remote weapon,
which had long been a dream for generations of military leaders. As he concluded:
(QUOTE) "I believe this weapon system to be very useful for the military. It increases our ability
to observe and locate the enemy and eliminates the threat of sniper fire for the turret gunners."
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