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.
Army Building Up New Space Operations Branch
Oct. 15, 2026
The Army has long been dependent on space capabilities to navigate terrain, communicate in hard-to-reach areas, and identify and strike targets. Now, the service wants to deepen its space operations expertise and is making plans to expand its own cadre of operators in the coming years.