It's Alive! (CROWS - common remotely operated weapon stations)

strategypage.com ^ | December 11, 2008 | NA

[neverdem]

The remote control turret changed the battlefield more than you might think.  It all began three years ago, when the U.S. Army realized that new remote control gun turret designs actually worked, and suddenly they could not get enough of them. The army ordered over 9,000 CROWS (common remotely operated weapon stations), but for a while could only get 15 a month. By the end of 2006, there were about a thousand CROWS in service by the end of the year.

The main issue was that the enemy was no longer able to knock out the turret gunner, early in a firefight, and take away a lot of the vehicles firepower. Because of that, once the enemy opens fire, they are in trouble. The remote turret tends to begin delivering accurate fire right away, and is much more immune to enemy fire than a human gunner. If the vehicle is a Stryker, the enemy will soon find themselves dealing with half a dozen or so heavily armed infantry, who get out of the vehicle and come at the ambushers. Iraqis don't like that. They also don't like how some of the CROWS turret equipped vehicles will come after them. All those accurately aimed bullets coming their way, and no enemy soldiers in sight, is demoralizing.

The idea for CROWS has been around for nearly half a century. Years of tinkering, and better technology, eventually made the remote control gun turret effective and dependable. CROWS is a real lifesaver, not to mention anxiety reducer, for troops who drive through bandit country a lot, and have a turret mounted gun (usually in a hummer). The guy manning the turret mounted machine-gun is a target up there, and too often, the bad guys get you. Not with CROWS. The gunner is inside...

[Riley]

I’m sure that C3PO will be noticeably less abusive in the future.

[AmericanVictory]

bump!

[Farmer Dean]

Pretty neat to think that the machine gun shown is pushing 90 years old.John Browning was a genius.

[stompk]

“How can it be that the vehicles are all covered in mud but not the CROWS?”

Evasive maneuvers. (that’s still classified. don’t tell anyone)

[Blueflag]

MK19 CROWS were deployed after the Ma-Deuce versions.

First Ma-Deuce/CROWS went to MPs, then SF, then general mechinfantry.

If you’d like to play with one of these or both, download and learn to play America’s Army Online. See www.americasarmy.com. You’ll have to pass Special Forces training then get certified on the CROWS.

Way cool.

Meet me on line — I am Tot4l.nOOb in America’s Army. This is a great time-waster on endless design review calls ;-)

[snippy_about_it]

Freedom Poster;Delta 21;mostly cajun ;archy; Gringo1; Matthew James; Fred Mertz; Squantos; colorado tanker; The Shrew; SLB; Darksheare; BCR #226; IDontLikeToPayTaxes; Imacatfish; Tailback; DCBryan1; Eaker; Archangelsk; gatorbait; river rat; Lee'sGhost; Dionysius; BlueLancer; Frohickey; GregB; leadpenny; skepsel; Proud Legions; King Prout; Professional Engineer; alfa6; bluelancer; Cannoneer No.4; An Old Man; hookman; DMZFrank; in the Arena; Bethbg79; neverdem; NWU Army ROTC; ma bell; MoJo2001; The Sailor; dcwusmc; dts32041; spectr17; Rockpile; Theophilus;humblegunner;Spktyr;snippy about it;samwolf


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ON THE WAY!!!!. :-)

[skeeter]

That M2 sure looks like it should. Serious.

[Squantos]

They have em....M134DT’s versus the old style GAU2B’s etc .....twin 4400 ammo chutes are available yet all I have ever seen are single 4400 round chutes. GE gave up the ghost to Dillon....Blue Press Dillon. He redesigned the mini-gun so it can be cleared easily by the gunner versus the old GAU 2B that had to be taken apart to clear . M134D is standard and the M134DT version is lightweight for aircraft use.

Damn fine tool for the American arsenal.....

[rmlew]

We are getting many more than 15 a month, now that Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace plants in Norway and Pennsylvania are supplementing Recon Optical's plant in Illinois.

Of course, if we are looking at raw firepower, the Rafael Samson Remote Controlled Weapons Station seems king of the hil with a 30mm cannon, SPIKE ant-tank missile launcher, and smoke grenades.

[MrPiper]

I remember kids in Iraq throwing rocks at convoys. Looking at this, I'm thinking a kid with spray paint could take one out! Or a suicide paint gunner.

Our guys hate to shoot kids.

[freema]

Bump and a Ping

[Spktyr]

They’d have to get awful close and climb on top of the vehicle to use spray paint, and for a paintball gun, he’d have to take out mulitple sensors at once - there’s not just the one camera! And they all have protective lenses.

[Doe Eyes]

I’d stick with the 50 Cal currently installed.

[MrEdd]

Can I have one?

[papasmurf]

50 Cals rock!

I still have a small scar (over 30 years later) from head space and timing. LOL

[papasmurf]

[freema]

Little known fact. I am a certified elf. I'll put in a good word for you. You have been good, haven't you? If you need to confess anything, now's the time!

[Tailback]

Two questions.

Is it stabilized?

How vulnerable to small arms fire is all the whizbang gizmos?

If all it takes is one bullet in the right place to disable it, how is that any different than killing the gunner?

[MrEdd]

You're an elf!!!

Hey wait a minute....are you this elf ?

[PapaBear3625]

If all it takes is one bullet in the right place to disable it, how is that any different than killing the gunner?

The vulnerable areas are smaller, and easier to replace than a gunner.

I'd like to see them deployed on fully remote-controlled vehicles. Let the unmanned vehicles take point.