Machbet

M163 Hovet.

The Machbet (Hebrew: מחבט, meaning "racquet") 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 four FIM-92 Stinger surface-to-air missile launch tubes. The Machbet comes equipped with an upgraded tracking system and can establish a datalink with an external radar. The vehicle carries 1,800 rounds of 20 mm ammunition and 8 Stinger missiles. The Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) developed the Machbet in the mid 1990s. It had undergone testing in the IDF in 1997 and entered operational service in 1998. Pending on budget issues, the IAF is planning to convert all its Hovets to the newer Machbet configuration.

The Machbet is in service in the Israeli Air Force. It adds an enhanced suite of TV and FLIR target auto-tracking capability to the 20 mm Vulcan and Stinger launchers. A unit-level fire coordination and management capability is provided, as well as an interface to a sectorial air surveillance radar for the air targets picture. These all enable to acquire approaching targets at an early stage, making the weapons much more efficient.

500 m minimum range; 6,000 m maximum range against helicopters; 8,000m against aircraft Interfaces with the EL/M 2106 search radar Adaptable to Stinger, MISTRAL, SA-16, SA-18 and other very short range air defense missiles It is almost identical to the Hovet, but atop the turret is a launching box with 4 Stinger launchers.

Developed by Israel Aircraft Industries in the mid-1990s. In service since 1998. As of 2005, most of Israel's M163s (also known in Israel Defense Forces as Chovet or Hovet) had been upgraded to Machbet. While the intended role of the Machbet is the shooting down of aircraft approaching at low altitudes, it has been also found useful in urban warfare and ground fire support in general. This is typical of self-propelled anti-aircraft guns (SPAAG) in general.

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