M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS)

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M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS)
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.

The weapon is mounted on a modified M113 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.

M163 VADS
Place of origin United States
Specifications
Weight 27,542 lb (combat weight)
Length 191.5 in
Width 112.4 in
Height 115 in
Crew 4 (commander, gunner, loader, driver)

Armor Rolled 5083/5086 H32 aluminium, 29-45
Main
armament
M168 General Dynamics 20 mm Vulcan gun
1,100 rounds
Secondary
armament
None/Crew small arms
Engine General Motors 6V53, 6 cylinder two stroke diesel
212 hp (158 kW)
Suspension torsion bar, 5 road wheels
Operational
range
360 liter fuel tank, 480 km
Speed 64 km/h (40 mph)

The main drawback of the M163 was from the beginning its small caliber and lightweight shells, which limited its effective range. Early M50 series ammunition exacerbated the situation, however the M163 was still comparable to the contemporary Soviet ZSU-23-4; although the Russian ZSU fired a larger shell (23mm rather than 20mm), the M163 had a higher muzzle velocity (giving a similar effective range) and much higher rate of fire. Unlike the ZSU, however, the M163 has no search radar, and has limited engagement capability against aircraft at night. Compared to the ZSU-23-4 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.


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