Bird's Eye View: Is the Common Remotely Operated Weapons Station an Improvement over a Traditionally Manned Weapon

摘要

This thesis compares a traditional M2 machine gun with an M2 mounted on the Common Remotely Operated Weapon Station (CROWS). CROWS is a remotely operated weapons platform primarily mounted on the Army's M1114 Up-Armored High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle (HMMWV). The problem is whether this state of the art weapon system is an improvement over a traditionally manned weapon in combat. To address the problem the thesis analyzed the benefits of CROWS over an M2, any systemic issues associated with the system, what users thought, and what additional and unique resources CROWS requires. This thesis also analyzed the system's limitations in terms of doctrine, organization, training, materiel, leadership and education, personnel, and facilities (DOTMLPF). The combination of document research and primary source information provide justification that, despite some increased capabilities, CROWS is not an improvement over a traditionally manned weapon in combat at the current time.