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M163
M163A1

20mm Self-propelled Antiaircraft Artillery Gun M163 Vulcan Air Defense System^1,3-6

The M163 utilized a modified version of the US Air Force's M61 Vulcan six-barreled 20mm rotary cannon. It was installed in an open-topped gun mount M157 on a modified version of the M113A1 APC designated as the M741. Major differences between the M741 and M113A1 included rearrangement of the passenger compartment to accommodate the gun mount and that the M741 was equipped with an hydraulic suspension lock-out system to stabilize the vehicle when firing. Since the M163 weighed so much more than the M113A1, flotation cells were fitted to the sides of the vehicle, and a high-displacement trim vane was added to the front. When the powertrain modifications of the M113A2 APC were introduced to the M163, the carrier vehicle was redesignated as M741A1. The improved suspension of the M113A2 was not fitted, however, due to the M163's suspension lockout system. The M168 gun could fire at a high rate of 3,000 rounds per minute in 10-, 30-, 60-, or 100-round bursts, and it could also fire at a low rate of 1,000 rounds per minute with no burst limit. The gunner was to keep the trigger held until the end of the burst during high rate fire, and was not to fire less than a 10-round burst in low rate fire. The AN/VPS-2 radar had a minimum range of 250m and a maximum range of 5,000m for a 1m² target. It could track fixed-wing propellerless aircraft to a minimum speed of 15m/s, and propeller-driven or rotary wing aircraft at 0m/s provided that the power in the doppler spectrum from the rotating aircraft parts was sufficient.

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20mm Self-propelled Air Defense Artillery Gun M163A1 Vulcan Air Defense System^1-5

Modifications to the gun mount changed its designation to M157A1, and the vehicle's to M163A1. The above data tables pertain to the carrier M741A1. The Product Improved Vulcan Air Defense System (PIVADS), first accepted in 1984, was a kit developed by Lockheed Electronics Company which reduced the gunner's workload and improved the accuracy of the system. Hardware improvements included a digital microprocessor, director sight, low backlash azimuth drive system, and the ability to fire armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) ammunition. PIVADS provided its operators with automatic notification of system failures through its built-in test equipment (BITE). PIVADS's radar remained a range-only device.

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References

1. Hunnicutt, R.P. Bradley: A History of American Fighting and Support Vehicles. Navato, CA: Presidio Press, 1999. Reprinted with permission from Bradley, R.P. Hunnicutt ©1999, available from Presidio Press, 505B San Martin Drive, Suite 160, Navato, CA 94945.
2. TM 9-2350-300-10 C4 Operation and Maintenance Manual (Crew) for Gun, Air Defense Artillery, Self-Propelled, 20-mm, M163A1 (2350-01-017-2113). Washington, DC: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 12 August 1985.
3. TM 9-2350-300-10 Operator's Manual for Gun, Antiaircraft Artillery, Self-Propelled: 20-mm, XM163 (2350-999-4392). Washington, DC: Headquarters, Department of the Army, 10 March 1971.
4. Crismon, Fred W. U.S. Military Tracked Vehicles. Osceola, WI: Motorbooks International, 1992.
5. Hogg, Ian V. The Greenhill Armoured Fighting Vehicles Data Book. London: Greenhill Books, 2000.
6. Federation of American Scientists. "M163 Vulcan Air Defense System." DOD 101. 29 May 2000. 23 May 2001 <http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m163.htm>. DOD 101

Last updated 25 Jul 2024.
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