A Crew Remotely Operated Weapon Station sits atop a

A Crew Remotely Operated Weapon Station sits atop a mine-resistant ambush protected all terrain vehicle prior to a mission at Forward Operating Base Sharana, Afghanistan, Aug. 7. The CROWS system, recently obtained by the Paktika Provincial Reconstruction Team, replaces the human gunner on top of the vehicle with a highly-technical camera and detection system mounted on the turret. Instead of having the gunner stand with his body partially exposed to possible enemy activity, the CROWS system allows the gunner to sit in a regular seat inside the armor-protected cab and fire the weapon using cameras, a video screen and a joystick. The new system makes it safer for the gunner to operate the weapon system and also provides greater accuracy and efficiency when scanning and engaging targets.