Remote weapon stations: Kongsberg

Kongsberg recently demonstrated its CROWS Tech Refresh system with an advanced architecture supporting full remote lethality for manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T).

In collaboration with the US Army, KONGSBERG Defence and Aerospace and the Javelin Joint Venture (JJV) conducted a four-shot, multi-platform Javelin demonstration at the US 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).

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 US Marine Corps for the Marine Air Defense Integrated System (MADIS) programme. The RS6 design allows users to address a broad range of threats and operational needs – Counter-UAS, ATGM,  ATGM, Manoeuvre Support, Manned / Unmanned Teaming (MUM-T) – from a single system. 

KONGSBERG has delivered more than 20,000 RWS worldwide. All CROWS and RWS systems are produced in its Johnstown, Pennsylvania facility.