Air Force Security Forces airmen at Kirkuk AB, Iraq, are testing a new machine gun system—Common Remote Operated Weapon Station—that enables them to remain inside a armored Humvee instead of having to stand in an external gun turret to fire a machine gun. It mounts to a Humvee and includes a daylight video camera, a nighttime thermal imager, and laser rangefinder. The CROWS enables the operator to remotely aim and fire numerous weapons, according to Air Force officials. The Kirkuk airmen, who patrol outside the base, so far have used CROWS in more than 25 combat missions.
While the Sentinel ICBM program writ large is undergoing a major restructure due to cost and schedule overages, prime contractor Northrop Grumman is touting progress on milestones with the missile itself.
