US military stages live-fire drills using remote weapon system in South Korea
Seoul: The US military stationed in South Korea has staged live-fire drills involving a remote weapon station designed to be mounted on armoured vehicles, according to the US Eighth Army on Thursday.
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 US military.
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, reports Xinhua news agency.
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.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, Matthew Lohmeier, US undersecretary of the Air Force, visited Osan Air Base in South Korea last week as part of his tour of Indo-Pacific bases, the base’s website showed Thursday.
Lohmeier visited the air base in Pyeongtaek, some 60 kilometres south of Seoul, on January 30, according to a release uploaded on the website.
During his visit, Lohmeier engaged with US airmen and guardians along with senior officials of the Seventh Air Force, the 51st Fighter Wing and Space Forces Korea as part of efforts to better understand how the base operates.
The visit reinforced the US Air Force’s focus on readiness across the force and its continued investment in the people, programs and culture that enable airmen and guardians to execute their mission, according to the release.
“Being forward-postured in this region places Osan at the heart of deterrence, and their readiness is critical to protecting our nation and preventing conflict,” Lohmeier said.