FORT CARSON, Colo.— With the push of a button, a Stryker gunner fires a volley of rounds and destroys a distant target at a range during a familiarization fire event, May 7.
Soldiers of Troop B, 2nd Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, learn to use the Stryker’s remote weapons system during a familiarization fire event, May 7.
Soldiers learned how to use the RWS from the simulations in its built-in trainer to prepare for the live-fire event.
“Practice always makes you better,” said Cpt. Rudolph Zombek, commander, Troop B, Troop B, 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav. Reg., 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. “The Soldiers have been training on the RWS for the last two weeks and right now they’re finally going to put rounds downrange.”
The system enables the Stryker gunner to acquire and engage targets from the safety of their armored vehicle with improved optics to identify, engage and defeat targets under any condition day or night.
“The RWS is a good system with intuitive controls,” said Sgt. Travis Luper, squad leader, Troop B, 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav. Reg., 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div. “It was really easy system to pick up and learn.”
Coming from other stabilized systems like the Bradley Fighting Vehicle, Luper said he quickly learned how to operate the RWS and began instructing the fellow Soldiers on his Stryker crew.
Pfc. Fred Line, driver, Troop B, 2nd Sqdn., 1st Cav. Reg., 1st SBCT, 4th Inf. Div., said he felt safer and more at home in his new vehicle.
“It was neat to learn about all of the capabilities the Stryker has over a Humvee,” said Line.
Zombek said his troop is excited to continue training on their Strykers and believes the new platform will provide a valuable asset to the brigade.
“The Stryker is a very versatile vehicle; fast with a good off-road capacity,” said Zombek. “I think these vehicles will do a great job of reconnaissance for the brigade.”