The M113 is one of the most famous armored personnel carrier in the history of military vehicles. It has a “fully tracked” layout and it entered in service at the beginning of ‘60s. The M113 was the most widely used armored vehicle of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Marine Corps in the Vietnam War. On the M113 hull was developed the self-propelled anti-aircraft gun M163 VADS (Vulcan Air Defense System). The M163 adopted the General Dynamics 20 mm. M61 Vulcan rotary cannon, installed in a small turret above the hull, and a radar system for the control of the fire. The M163 was designed to complement the M48 Chaparral missile system and to provide the highest level of anti-aircraft and anti-helicopter defense to the ground troops. The huge firepower of its 20 mm gun could however also be used, with devastating effects, against terrestrial targets. The M163 was mainly used by the United States Army and it is still used today by many Countries.
The M163 VADS (Vulcan Air Defense System) was an American self-propelled anti-aircraft gun from the Cold War period. The vehicle entered service in 1968. The car was powered by an engine General Motors 6V53 diesel engine with 212 hp. It was armed with a 20mm General Dynamics M168 Vulcan autocannon.
Car The M163 VADS was developed as a supplement to the M48 Chapparal air defense missile system. To shorten the design work, it was decided to adapt a lot of components and elements from the structure of the M113 armored personnel carrier. By the way, the chassis designation was changed to M741. A properly adapted M61 Vulcan cannon was selected as the main armament. Despite the use of many proven and successful elements, the M163 turned out to be not a very successful weapon system. It quickly turned out that it was ineffective against modern jet aircraft. The system was at best comparable to the Soviet ZSU-23-4, although it was inferior to it in many fields and was clearly inferior to the German system Gepard. As a result, it was quickly started to be used against manpower and lightly armored vehicles. Several development versions were created in the course of production. The first was the M163A1, which used the adapted chassis of the M113A1 transporter, not the M113. The M163A2 version was created in the same way, by adapting the chassis of the M113A2 car. Finally, the M163 vehicles were withdrawn from the line in favor of the M1097 Avenger and M6 Linebacker. The M163 vehicles were exported to several countries, including Chile, Ecuador, Israel and South Korea. They also took part in some armed conflicts, mainly in the Vietnam War (1964 / 65-1975) or in the Operation Desert Storm (1990-1991).
The M163 Vulcan is an American self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, based on the M113 chassis. It was constructed in the mid-1960s and serial production started in 1968. The M163 consists of a slightly modified M113A2 chassis and a modification of the M61A1 Vulcan cannon. Since 1984, the US army has had an improved system of this weapon called Vulcan (PIVADS). It has a more perfect fire control system and the ability to fire ammunition with the Mk.149 sub-caliber. The M163 took part in the Vietnam War, primarily as a cover for convoys, and in the Israeli intervention in Lebanon in 1982. Especially there, they proved very effective in countering enemy aircraft. This is a successful self-propelled AA cannon. It is used by many armies, including American, Israeli, Filipino, South Korean and Tunisian. The only, more serious, disadvantage of the M163 is the inability to fire in all weather conditions. Technical data: length: 4.86m, width: 2.85m, height: 2.74m, weight: 13.3t, engine power: 215HP, speed (on the road): 68km / h, armament: 20mm M61A1 Vulcan six-barrel cannon with a range of up to 2600m.