US troops hold live-fire drills in South Korea Using CROWS remote system

The U.S. military personnel stationed in South Korea has staged live-fire drills involving a remote weapon station designed to be mounted on armoured vehicles, the U.S. Eighth Army said on February 5.

The drills, conducted on January 28-29, involved assembling, preparing, and operating the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS), a remote weapon system mounted on armoured vehicles to protect the gunner inside, according to the U.S. military, as reported by South Korea's Yonhap news agency.

The two-day exercise also involved live firing with the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and M240 machine gun to enhance hands-on training for the troops.

The CROWS "allows us to employ our machine guns from the safety of the cockpit of the vehicle and not have to expose ourselves," said Capt. Noah Klein, 84th Ordinance Company commander.

The CROWS is a U.S.-developed remote weapons system widely used across the U.S. Army and allied forces. Mounted on armoured vehicles, it enables soldiers to aim and fire weapons such as machine guns from inside the vehicle using sensors, cameras, and fire-control systems, significantly reducing exposure to enemy fire. CROWS has been extensively deployed in combat zones, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and remains a key element of U.S. force protection and deterrence posture on the Korean Peninsula, where regular drills are conducted to maintain readiness amid persistent regional security tensions.

By Khagan Isayev