FY18 ARMY PROGRAMS

Stryker Common Remotely Operated Weapon

Executive Summary
• The Army developed the Stryker Common Remotely Operated
Weapons Station – Javelin (CROWS-J) in response to an
Operational Needs Statement submitted in March 2015. It is
not a Program of Record. When fielding is complete, the 81
Stryker CROWS-J will comprise 50 percent of the vehicles
in the rifle and scout platoons in the 2nd Cavalry Regiment
(2CR).
• The Army conducted an Early User Test and Evaluation
(EUT&E) from February through April 2018. The EUT&E
findings support the Army Program Executive Office decision
to field the Stryker CROWS-J to the 2CR.
• When equipped with the Stryker CROWS-J, the majority of
infantry and scout platoons from the 2CR were able to engage
targets with the Javelin missile and accomplish their assigned
tactical task and purpose.
• The Stryker CROWS-J improves unit lethality by enabling
crews to detect, identify, and defeat targets at greater ranges
and against a wider array of enemy targets than non-equipped
crews.
• The platform meets reliability requirements for the weapon
station without degrading the reliability of the base chassis.
• Leadership from the scout platoon experienced challenges
manning the Long-Range Advanced Scout Surveillance
System (LRAS3).
• The Stryker CROWS-J has cybersecurity vulnerabilities that
can be exploited.

System the target array of enemy vehicles that can be defeated by the
• CROWS-J is an M153 CROWS II system manufactured by Stryker Brigade Combat Team, including armored vehicles.
Kongsberg that has been modified through the addition and
fire control integration of the FGM-148 Javelin Anti-Tank Mission
Guided Missile (ATGM). Units equipped with the Stryker CROWS-J will provide the
• In conjunction with the Javelin missile, the CROWS II mounts Commander, European Command with a medium-weight force
either a M2 .50 caliber machine gun, M240 7.62 mm machine capable of rapid strategic and operational mobility to disrupt or
gun, or an MK-19 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. destroy enemy military forces, to control land areas including
• The CROWS II is stabilized, electrically operated, and populations and resources, and to conduct combat operations to
incorporates a Detached Line-of-Sight (DLOS), which allows protect U.S. national interests.
the gunner to maintain a stable sight picture independent of
weapon or ammunition selection. The CROWS-J replaces Major Contractors
the legacy Remote Weapon Station (RWS) mounted on the • Kongsberg Protech Systems – Kongsberg, Norway;
Stryker Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV), and gives infantry and Johnstown, Pennsylvania
scout soldiers the ability to engage targets with the Javelin • Raytheon & Lockheed Martin – Tucson, Arizona
missile while under armor. It increases the range and expands

Stryker CROWS-J 105

Activity
• The Army conducted a two-phased EUT&E from February missile from successfully connecting to the Javelin Integration
through April 2018, in accordance with DOT&E-approved test Kit.
plans, and provided adequate data. • During Phase II, infantry and scout platoons equipped with the
- Phase I testing was conducted at Grafenwoehr (Germany) Stryker CROWS-J were able to accomplish their assigned task
Training Area and consisted of crew gunnery qualification and purpose in 14 of 16 missions. During this phase, scout
on an instrumented multi-lane range. platoon leadership stated that relocating the LRAS3 to the
- Phase II (force-on-force) was conducted at Hohenfels back of the scout vehicles created a manning dilemma for the
(Germany) Training Area (HTA) from April 10 – 20, 2018. crew. The scout platoon mitigated the problem by adjusting
The test unit was an infantry company headquarters, an their internal manning.
infantry rifle platoon, and a scout platoon. U.S. Army • The platform met its reliability requirements for the turret
Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) accredited and gun system without degrading the reliability of the base
the opposing force (OPFOR) and represented current and Stryker chassis.
near-future threats. • Crews experienced a significant number of software-related
• The Army Test and Evaluation Command (ATEC) conducted essential function failures when using training ammunition
a Cooperative Vulnerability and Penetration Assessment of the that caused them to have to reboot the CROWS system during
CROWS-J in July 2017 and an Adversarial Assessment during Phase II missions.
Phase II of the EUT&E in April 2018. • The design of the mounting fork for the Javelin Integration Kit
• DOT&E intends to publish an Early Fielding Report in is not structurally sound.
2QFY19. • Adversaries demonstrated the ability to degrade select
capabilities of the Stryker CROWS-J.
Assessment
• The Stryker CROWS-J improves combat lethality and force Recommendations
protection by enabling crews to destroy enemy heavy armor The Army should consider the following recommendations:
vehicles while under armor. Platoon-level formations present 1. Correct design deficiency in the mounting fork on the
new tactical dilemmas to opposing forces that increase Javelin Integration Kit.
tactical risk to enemy vehicles and soldiers as a result of these 2. Correct or mitigate cyber vulnerabilities of both the
improved capabilities. platforms and government-furnished equipment.
• During Phase I, all five crews qualified in accordance with 3. Correct the Essential Function Failure rate observed when
Army gunnery standards. In addition, the crews fired six live using training ammunition.
Javelin missiles, hitting their targets five times.
• During gunnery, a crew member bent the mounting fork while
attempting to align the missile onto it, which prevented the

106 Stryker CROWS-J