Army Vehicle Upgrades Could Benefit From a Common Remote Weapons Station (From RealClearDefense)

The Army’s plans to develop a new Optionally Manned Fighting Vehicle and combat robots have dominated the public discussion of ground vehicle modernization. Yet, the Army is making great strides in making the rest of its armored fighting vehicle fleets more capable. A new variant of the Abrams main battle tank and a replacement for the M-113 are entering production. The Army has initiated a program to upgrade at least three Stryker brigades with a new turret housing a 30mm cannon and, potentially, anti-tank missiles. In addition, the Army is about to start procuring the Initial Maneuver Short-Range Air Defense system using a different turret also mounted on a Stryker vehicle. As the need to increase the lethality of most of its ground platforms continues to grow, the Army should consider investing in a common remote weapons station. I have written about this subject here.