1st Sustainment Command (Theater) Public Affairs

Story by Master Sgt. Michele Hammonds

By Master Sgt. Michele R. Hammonds
First Sustainment Command (Theater) Public Affairs

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – Members of the 2nd (Stryker) Cavalry Regiment recently became the first Army unit to have the new Remote Weapon Systems refitted and mounted on their Stryker vehicles.

The RWS is the Army's latest advancement in weapon systems. The system has a new laser range finder for its .50-caliber mounted machine gun. Before 2nd SCR Soldiers deployed to Iraq the new systems were mounted on Strykers in Germany and Kuwait.

"I think the new weapon system will increase the survivability of all Soldiers and coalition forces on the battlefield," said Sgt. 1st Class Robert Bright of 2nd SCR's Regimental Headquarters and Headquarters Troop. "I am 100 percent confident the new weapon systems will be more effective on the battlefield."

The RWS is a remote controlled weapon station for medium and light caliber weapons that can be put in or on any type of sea or land-based vehicles or platforms. The weapon systems have been installed on Strikers bound for duty in Iraq allowing the gunner to remain shielded by the protection of the vehicle.

Another new Stryker component is the Storm system. Storm is a component of the RWS that provides stabilization so gunners can shoot on the move. The stabilizer has a built-in laser range finder, which has a more accurate balance between the weapon and the target.

The majority of the Strykers assigned to the 2nd SCR were recently fitted with the new Storm system in Vilseck, Germany, prior to unit deployment. The remainder of the Strykers received the Storm system once the vehicles arrived in Kuwait.

"Once we got here, they made some adjustments to the Storm system and tested it all," said Bright, a native of Walton, W.Va. "The Storm is part of the gun system. All components put together helps stabilize the gun system," said Bright. "It helps us to shoot on the move."

Pfc. Michael Burgner, 21, likes the idea of being able to shoot on the move. Burgner, is a driver and training to become a vehicle commander for the 2nd SCR. He said the RWS operates faster and more efficiently.

"It is good to know improvements will be there when I become a vehicle commander," said Burgner, an Oswego, Ill., native. "I definitely feel safer and I will be able to support the men on the ground. I think with this new weapons system I can bring more men home."

Spc. Christopher Whitlow of Roxboro, N.C., a Stryker driver for the 2nd SCR feels confident using the new system.

"I love the system. It takes less time to locate the target. The laser range finder gives us an accurate reading of the target," said Whitlow, who had fond memories of using the old weapon system. "When using the old system, I had to guess at the range of the target."

Soldiers of the 2nd SCR are deployed as part of the Third Army (Forward), supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

(Editor's note: Sgt. Major Rich Greene contributed to this article.)

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