M163 VADS
Encyclopedia
The M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) is a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) that was used by the United States Army
. The M168 gun is a variant of the General Dynamics
20 mm M61 Vulcan
rotary cannon, the standard cannon in most US combat aircraft since the 1960s, mounted on either an armored vehicle or a trailer.
vehicle (the M741 carrier). The system was designed to complement the M48 Chaparral
missile system. The M163s uses a small, range-only radar, the AN/VPS-2, and an M61 optical lead-calculating sight. The system is suitable for night operations with the use of AN/PVS series night vision sights that can be mounted to the right side of the primary sight. The gun fires at 3,000 rounds per minute in short bursts of 10, 30, 60, or 100 rounds, or it can fire in continuous fire mode at a rate of 1,000 rounds per minute. A linkless feed system is used.
; although the Russian ZSU fired a larger shell (23 mm rather than 20 mm), the M163 had a higher muzzle velocity providing a similar effective range and a lower rate of fire. However, unlike the ZSU the M163 has no search radar, and has limited engagement capability against aircraft at night. The M163 gunner is exposed in the open turret, whereas in the ZSU-23-4 the gunner is in a fully enclosed armored turret; this gives the M163 gunner much better situational awareness and field of view at the cost of losing protection against rifle-caliber weapons. This is important, especially since the M163 has no search radar.
In US and Israeli service the VADS has rarely been needed in its intended purpose of providing defense against aerial threats—consequently the Vulcan gun system was in use throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s primarily as a ground support weapon. For example, VADS guns were used to support American
ground assault troops in Panama
in 1989 during Operation Just Cause. One Vulcan of B Battery, 2/62 ADA even sank a PDF Vosper
PT boat
. The last combat action the VADS participated in was Operation Desert Storm.
DIVADS (Divisional Air Defense System), but that system was canceled due to cost overruns, technical problems and generally poor performance.
In 1984 the improved PIVADS (Product-Improved VADS) system was introduced, providing improvements in the ease of use and accuracy of fire, but the limitations of the 20x102mm caliber remained. Also, the radar remained a range-only device. In the late 1980s modifications to the Vulcan through the addition of an interior and an exterior rack designed to carry Stinger missiles for dismounted firing were added in order to extend the life cycle of the system. Eventually the M48 and M163 were both replaced in US service by the M1097 Avenger
and the M6 Linebacker, a M2 Bradley with FIM-92 Stinger
missiles instead of the standard TOW
anti-tank missiles: the Stinger missile providing the necessary range to deal with helicopters with anti-tank missiles far out-ranging the 20 mm gun, as well as considerably extending the reach against fixed-wing targets. The final US Army VADS equipped unit at Fort Riley Kansas completed turn in of its Vulcans in 1994.
. Main types of combat rounds are listed in the table below; for comparison purposes the table includes also the PGU-28 round used in M61 Vulcan aircraft cannon and the Mk149 naval anti-missile APDS rounds, although these are not normally used in land-based air defense guns.
Ecuador
Egypt
: (108) Iran
Israel
Portugal
: 36 ex-USA M163 Vulcan SPAAG United States of America
Kingdom of Morocco
South Korea
Thailand
Tunisia
Jordan
:120 in service with RJAF
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
. The M168 gun is a variant of the General Dynamics
General Dynamics
General Dynamics Corporation is a U.S. defense conglomerate formed by mergers and divestitures, and as of 2008 it is the fifth largest defense contractor in the world. Its headquarters are in West Falls Church , unincorporated Fairfax County, Virginia, in the Falls Church area.The company has...
20 mm M61 Vulcan
M61 Vulcan
The M61 Vulcan is a hydraulically or pneumatically driven, six-barreled, air-cooled, electrically fired Gatling-style rotary cannon which fires 20 mm rounds at an extremely high rate. The M61 and its derivatives have been the principal cannon armament of United States military fixed-wing aircraft...
rotary cannon, the standard cannon in most US combat aircraft since the 1960s, mounted on either an armored vehicle or a trailer.
Technical description
The weapon is mounted on a modified M113M113 Armored Personnel Carrier
The M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
vehicle (the M741 carrier). The system was designed to complement the M48 Chaparral
MIM-72/M48 Chaparral
MIM-72A/M48 Chaparral was a US Army self-propelled surface-to-air missile system based on the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile system. The launcher is based on the M113 family of vehicles. It entered service with the US Army in 1969 and was phased out between 1990 and 1998...
missile system. The M163s uses a small, range-only radar, the AN/VPS-2, and an M61 optical lead-calculating sight. The system is suitable for night operations with the use of AN/PVS series night vision sights that can be mounted to the right side of the primary sight. The gun fires at 3,000 rounds per minute in short bursts of 10, 30, 60, or 100 rounds, or it can fire in continuous fire mode at a rate of 1,000 rounds per minute. A linkless feed system is used.
Performance
From the beginning, the main drawback of the M163 was its small caliber and lightweight shells, which limited its effective range. Early M50 series ammunition exacerbated the situation, but the M163 was still comparable to the contemporary Soviet ZSU-23-4ZSU-23-4
The ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" is a lightly armored, self-propelled, radar guided anti-aircraft weapon system . ZSU stands for Zenitnaya Samokhodnaya Ustanovka , meaning "anti-aircraft self-propelled mount". The "23" signifies the bore diameter in millimeters. The "4" signifies the number of gun barrels. It...
; although the Russian ZSU fired a larger shell (23 mm rather than 20 mm), the M163 had a higher muzzle velocity providing a similar effective range and a lower rate of fire. However, unlike the ZSU the M163 has no search radar, and has limited engagement capability against aircraft at night. The M163 gunner is exposed in the open turret, whereas in the ZSU-23-4 the gunner is in a fully enclosed armored turret; this gives the M163 gunner much better situational awareness and field of view at the cost of losing protection against rifle-caliber weapons. This is important, especially since the M163 has no search radar.
In US and Israeli service the VADS has rarely been needed in its intended purpose of providing defense against aerial threats—consequently the Vulcan gun system was in use throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s primarily as a ground support weapon. For example, VADS guns were used to support American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
ground assault troops in Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
in 1989 during Operation Just Cause. One Vulcan of B Battery, 2/62 ADA even sank a PDF Vosper
Vosper & Company
Vosper & Company, often referred to simply as Vospers, was a British shipbuilding company based in Portsmouth, England.-History:The Company was established in 1871 by Herbert Edward Vosper, concentrating on ship repair and refitting work....
PT boat
PT boat
PT Boats were a variety of motor torpedo boat , a small, fast vessel used by the United States Navy in World War II to attack larger surface ships. The PT boat squadrons were nicknamed "the mosquito fleet". The Japanese called them "Devil Boats".The original pre–World War I torpedo boats were...
. The last combat action the VADS participated in was Operation Desert Storm.
Upgrades and replacement
In order to provide effective battlefield air defense against helicopters equipped with anti-tank missiles that could be fired accurately from ranges of several kilometers, the VADS was slated to be replaced by the M247 Sergeant YorkM247 Sergeant York
The M247 Sergeant York DIVAD was a self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon , developed by Ford Aerospace in the late 1970s. Based on the M48 Patton tank, it replaced the Patton's turret with a new one that featured twin radar-directed 40 mm rapid-fire guns...
DIVADS (Divisional Air Defense System), but that system was canceled due to cost overruns, technical problems and generally poor performance.
In 1984 the improved PIVADS (Product-Improved VADS) system was introduced, providing improvements in the ease of use and accuracy of fire, but the limitations of the 20x102mm caliber remained. Also, the radar remained a range-only device. In the late 1980s modifications to the Vulcan through the addition of an interior and an exterior rack designed to carry Stinger missiles for dismounted firing were added in order to extend the life cycle of the system. Eventually the M48 and M163 were both replaced in US service by the M1097 Avenger
M1097 Avenger
The Avenger Air Defense System, designated AN/TWQ-1 under the Joint Electronics Type Designation System, is a missile system which provides mobile, short-range air defense protection for ground units against cruise missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, low-flying fixed-wing aircraft, and helicopters...
and the M6 Linebacker, a M2 Bradley with FIM-92 Stinger
FIM-92 Stinger
The FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
missiles instead of the standard TOW
BGM-71 TOW
The BGM-71 TOW is an anti-tank missile. "BGM" is a weapon classification that stands for "Multiple Environment , Surface-Attack , Missile ". "TOW" is an acronym that stands for "Tube-launched, Optically-tracked, Wire command data link, guided missile"...
anti-tank missiles: the Stinger missile providing the necessary range to deal with helicopters with anti-tank missiles far out-ranging the 20 mm gun, as well as considerably extending the reach against fixed-wing targets. The final US Army VADS equipped unit at Fort Riley Kansas completed turn in of its Vulcans in 1994.
Ammunition
A wide variety of ammunition has been designed for the 20x102 caliber of the M168 six-barrel Gatling gunGatling gun
The Gatling gun is one of the best known early rapid-fire weapons and a forerunner of the modern machine gun. It is well known for its use by the Union forces during the American Civil War in the 1860s, which was the first time it was employed in combat...
. Main types of combat rounds are listed in the table below; for comparison purposes the table includes also the PGU-28 round used in M61 Vulcan aircraft cannon and the Mk149 naval anti-missile APDS rounds, although these are not normally used in land-based air defense guns.
| Designation | Type | Projectile Weight (g) | Bursting charge (g) | Muzzle Velocity (m/s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M53 | API | ? | 4.2 g incendiary | 1030 | Penetration 6.3 mm RHA at 0-degree impact and 1000-m range. |
| M56A3/A4 | HEI | 102 | 9 g HE (RDX/wax/Al) and 1.5 g incendiary | 1030 | Nose fuzed round, no tracer. Effective radius to produce casualties to exposed personnel 2 meters, fragmentation hazard out to 20 meters. Penetration 12.5 mm RHA at 0 degree obliquity at 100m range |
| M242 | HEI-T | ? | ? | ? | Similar to M56 series of HEI rounds, but with a tracer element. |
| M246 | HEI-T | 102 | 8.0 g HE | ? | Nose fuzed tracer round for anti-aircraft applications, self-destruct after 3 to 7 seconds of flight due to tracer burn-through. |
| M940 | MPT-SD | 105 | 9 g A-4/RDX/wax | 1050 | Multi-purpose fuzeless round for ground-based air defence, naval and helicopter applications. The HE charge is initiated by the incendiary charge on the nose on impact. Self-destruct due to tracer burn-through. Penetration 12.5 mm RHA at 0 degree impact at 518 m range, or 6.3 mm at 60 degrees and 940 m. |
| PGU-28A/B | SAPHEI | 102.4 | total 10 g | 1050 | Multi-purpose fuzeless round for M61 aircraft cannon. Incendiary charge in the nose set off the HE behind with a slight delay, maximizing lethality against aircraft. No tracer or self-destruct functions. A zirconium pellet at the bottom of the HE cavity provides additional incendiary effect. |
| Mk 149 | APDS | projectile: 93 penetrator 70 | none | 1120 | Spin-stabilized finless sub-caliber round with a 12mm depleted uranium penetrator for Mk 15 Phalanx naval close-in anti-missile system. |
Specifications
- Armour layout:
- front: 38 mm
- sides: 45 mm to 32 mm
- rear/top: 38 mm
- bottom: 29 mm
- M168 gun on the M163:
- Effective range: Figures depend on source and ammunition type; 1.5–2 km or beyond 2 km
- Maximum firing range: 5 km
- Maximum rate of fire: 3,000 rpm
- Elevation: +80° to -5° at 45°/second
- Traverse: 360° at 60°/s
-
- Ammunition: M167: 500 rounds. M163: 1,100 rounds
Variants
- M163;M163A1. Changes to gun mount and vehicle to bring it in line with the M113A1M113 Armored Personnel CarrierThe M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
. The resulting carrier vehicle was designated M741A1.- M163A2. Powertrain changes to bring it in line with the M113A2M113 Armored Personnel CarrierThe M113 is a fully tracked armored personnel carrier that has formed the backbone of the United States Army's mechanized infantry units from the time of its first fielding in Vietnam in April 1962. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S...
. The resulting carrier vehicle was designated M741A2. - M163 PIVADS (1984). Accuracy and workload improvements developed by Lockheed Electronics CompanyLockheed CorporationThe Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
including a digital microprocessor, director sight and low backlash azimuth drive system. The PIVADS used the M741A1 carrier vehicle, and the improvements were carried over to the M163A2.
- M163A2. Powertrain changes to bring it in line with the M113A2
- M167M167 VulcanThe M167 Vulcan Air Defense System was a towed short-range United States Army anti-aircraft gun designed to protect forward area combat elements and rear area critical assets. It was also used to protect U.S. Air Force warplane airfields and U.S. Army helicopter airfields...
. Towed version of the turret. Prime mover was the Gama GoatGama GoatThe Gama Goat was a six-wheel-drive semi-amphibious off-road vehicle originally developed for use by the US Military for the War in Vietnam. It was famous for an articulated body, which allowed it to travel over exceptionally rough terrain and for a unique four-wheel steering arrangement with the...
until 1989 when the HMMWV replaced it. - MachbetMachbetThe Machbet is an Israeli upgrade of the M163 self-propelled automatic anti-aircraft gun, based in turn on the M113 armored personnel carrier. In addition to the 20 mm M61 Vulcan rotary cannon it is armed with 4-tubes FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missile launcher...
. IsraelIsraelThe State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i upgraded version equipped with 4-tubes FIM-92 StingerFIM-92 StingerThe FIM-92 Stinger is a personal portable infrared homing surface-to-air missile , which can be adapted to fire from ground vehicles and helicopters , developed in the United States and entered into service in 1981. Used by the militaries of the U.S...
pod, upgraded tracking system and the ability to share information with local high-power radar.
Operators
ChileChile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
Ecuador
Ecuador
Ecuador , officially the Republic of Ecuador is a representative democratic republic in South America, bordered by Colombia on the north, Peru on the east and south, and by the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is one of only two countries in South America, along with Chile, that do not have a border...
Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
: (108) Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
: 36 ex-USA M163 Vulcan SPAAG United States of America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Kingdom of Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
South Korea
South Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
Tunisia
Tunisia
Tunisia , officially the Tunisian RepublicThe long name of Tunisia in other languages used in the country is: , is the northernmost country in Africa. It is a Maghreb country and is bordered by Algeria to the west, Libya to the southeast, and the Mediterranean Sea to the north and east. Its area...
Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
:120 in service with RJAF