US Army has tested Kongsberg M153 CROWS II RWS on Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light.

According to information released on June 25, 2021, in collaboration with the U.S. Army, KONGSBERG Defence and Aerospace and the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) conducted a four-shot, multi-platform Javelin demonstration at the U.S. Army Redstone Test Center in Alabama on May 25, 2021. Three different vehicles were each equipped with different configurations of the KONGSBERG Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station-Javelin (CROWS-J) and Protector RS6 Remote Weapon Station (RWS).
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Kongsberg M153 Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station II (CROWS II) was tested on RCV-L Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light armed with .50 caliber M2 machine gun, and the 40mm MK19 Mod 3 automatic grenade launcher. (Picture source U.S. DoD)

“KONGSBERG has solidified its position as the remote weapon station of choice for Javelin deployment across a broad range of platforms. Our remote weapon stations are powerful force multipliers, especially given that we’re delivering a Multi-User Multi-Station (MUMS) capability to facilitate advanced target sharing and cooperative engagement,” said Jason Toepfer, director for Army Business Development (US) at KONGSBERG Defence and Aerospace. “Our continued investments in the architecture and platforms overall maximize the U.S. military’s current inventory, training and provisioning while providing groundbreaking advancements in capability.”

During the demonstration, three different KONGSBERG remote weapon station configurations on three unique ground platforms fired Javelin, successfully engaging targets each time. Using QinetiQ North America’s Robotic Combat Vehicle-Light (RCV-L), KONGSBERG executed a fully remote firing of Javelin using CROWS Tech Refresh control components. This was a first for the Army’s official RCV-L platform and demonstrated Tech Refresh’s backwards compatibility with legacy CROWS systems.

Another firing demonstrated KONGSBERG’s capability to fire Javelin on a 4x4 (JLTV) platform from a previously qualified and fielded system within the inventory on an 8x8 platform – the same KONGSBERG RWS that is currently fielded with Stryker brigades in Germany.

Finally, KONGSBERG continued to showcase its PROTECTOR RS6 (30x113mm) platform by successfully firing javelin from a lightweight, Ground Mobility Vehicle (GMV). The RS6 RWS is the system selected by the U.S. Marine Corps for the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) program. This Javelin firing is one of several conducted from this station and further demonstrates the inherent flexibility of the RS6 design, allowing users to address a broad range of threats and operational needs – C-UAS, SHORAD, ATGM, Maneuver Support, Manned / Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) – from a single system. 

With more than 20,000 systems delivered worldwide and 14 years of CROWS experience, KONGSBERG will continue to support the soldiers with new systems, capabilities and features meeting tomorrow’s requirements while maintaining, supporting and keeping up to date a wide range of CROWS variants and support equipment. All CROWS and RWS systems are produced in the KONGSBERG Johnstown, PA facility. Continuing the execution of this contract secures 3,000+ jobs, both directly and through the KONGSBERG U.S. supply chain. With systems sold to 26 nations, KONGSBERG is the world-leading provider of remote weapon stations.