The Machbet (Hebrew: מחבט, or “racket”) is an Israeli upgrade of the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System (VADS) developed by Israeli Aircraft Industries, or IAI. Compared to the preceding M163 and Hovet, the Machbet retains the 20 mm M168 cannon but trades out the antiquated AN/VPS-2 tracking radar for a new FLIR/IR optical tracker and is equipped with a quad FIM-92 Stinger launcher, allowing it to combat enemy aircraft at distances beyond the gun’s effective range. The Machbet also has thermals and a laser rangefinder to aid with spotting and targeting enemy aircraft.
With its excellent optics and a versatile offensive armament, the Machbet is able to destroy enemy aircraft from afar with the Stingers and at close distances with the gun. However, the Machbet lacks a search radar which makes searching for targets more difficult. The Machbet also has poor armor and is vulnerable to strafing attacks and overpressure damage. Utilizing shoot 'n scoot tactics and not revealing the vehicle’s position until necessary is critical to success.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Versatile with 4 missiles and a potent gun | No search radar or IRST to quickly locate air targets |
| FLIR/IR tracker is accurate and reliable | Armor is negligible and doesn’t protect the crew from most threats |
| Equipped with thermals for easier target acquisition and a laser rangefinder | FIM-92 Stingers have mediocre maneuverability and tracking, can be dodged rather easily |
| Good mobility on most surfaces | Gun is only effective under 2 km |
Armor and survivability
Armor
The armor on the Machbet is negligible as it will not protect the vehicle against most enemy munitions. Although the thickness of the aluminum alloy is 30–40 mm in most areas, the armor’s actual effectiveness against kinetic munitions is quite weak at around 13–14 mm. The armor will stop 7.62 mm bullets, but anything larger will penetrate the armor with ease.
With the exception of the structural steel and gun barrel, the armor of the Machbet is composed of Aluminum Alloy 5083.
| Armor | Front | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 38 mm (UFP/LFP) 29 mm (hatch) | 44 mm (upper) 32 mm (lower) | 38 mm | 38 mm |
| Turret | 17 mm | 17 mm | 17 mm | None |
The only internal armor in the vehicle is a 6 mm plate of aluminum alloy separating the engine, radiator, and transmission from the crew compartment.
Survivability
Overall, the Machbet is not very survivable due to the thin armor and the open-top design. The Machbet can survive some misplaced shots, but don’t expect the armor to save the vehicle from explosions, artillery, or shots from MBTs.
Warning: Unless forced to, the Machbet should never engage MBTs or heavily armored vehicles due to the poor armor and survivability.
Crew and ammo locations
The Machbet is operated by 4 crew members, with one driver in the front, a gunner in the turret, and the loader and commander in the back of the vehicle. The gunner can be killed easily by strafing, and all of the crew are vulnerable to overpressure since the Machbet is an open-top vehicle.
The ammo for the M168 cannon is stored in two parts: 1,100 rounds in the belt fed to the gun and ammo drum, and another 1,100 rounds stored in a box at the rear of the vehicle. The four FIM-92 Stinger missiles are stored in the external quad launcher.
The risk of ammo detonation should not be a major concern as damage that would detonate the ammo would most likely kill the crew first.
Mobility
| Top speed | 65 km/h |
| Reverse speed | 15 km/h |
| Max horsepower from engine | 212 hp at 2800 rpm |
| Power to weight ratio | 16.79 hp/ton |
The Machbet is a relatively light vehicle, weighing 11.2 tons and is able to accelerate quickly on roads and other flat terrain. Due to the low engine horsepower, the Machbet may struggle when attempting to climb slopes or when driving through hilly terrain. The Machbet will typically travel at 30 to 40 km/h on most terrain and flat areas, but can go much faster on roads.
Optics
The Machbet is equipped with a FLIR/IR IRST tracker that provides a lead indicator for the gun under ~ 2 km when locked onto targets. The FLIR/IR tracker can lock onto targets that are up to 10 km away (press ALT + F to lock onto targets with the IRST). The gun sight has 6x of optical magnification.
Note: Although the lead indicator is fairly accurate, the indicator does not take distance or the target’s trajectory into account. If the gun isn’t hitting targets when firing at the area specified by the indicator, adjust the aim slightly to compensate for distance or the target’s maneuvers.
In addition to the IRST tracker, the Machbet also has first generation thermals and a laser rangefinder. The thermals are extremely useful for spotting both air and ground targets, while the laser rangefinder can be used with the gun to destroy hovering helicopters and ground targets.
Offensive armaments
The Machbet is equipped with a 20 mm M168 rotary cannon and 4x FIM-92 Stingers. Ammunition for both weapons can be replenished using the ammo box mechanic.
M168 rotary cannon
The M168 is a ground version of the M61 Vulcan, a 20 mm rotary cannon manufactured by General Dynamics. The Vulcan can also be found on many aircraft in War Thunder, like the F-4E Phantom II and F-16.
With good muzzle velocity of 1,030 m/s and an extremely fast fire rate of 3,000 rpm, the M168 is able to saw through enemy aircraft with lethal precision and is effective until 2 km against air targets. The gun can be rotated very quickly and also is able to elevate to hit targets that are directly above the Machbet.
Note: Use the IRST to help aim the gun under 2 km! Simply lock the target with the FLIR/IR tracker to display the lead indicator.
| Horizontal traverse speed | 52.5° per second |
| Vertical traverse speed | 42° per second |
| Vertical guidance | -5 / 80° |
The M168 is able to destroy lightly armored ground vehicles, including SPAA and light tanks such as the BMP-2 and TAM. However, the gun’s AP rounds can only penetrate 40 mm of armor, making it ineffective against MBTs.
Warning: Do not hold down the trigger for long periods of time, as the gun will eventually overheat when it is continuously fired. Overheating the gun will incur a reload delay before it can be fired again.
FIM-92E/K Stinger
The FIM-92 Stingers can be used to engage aircraft beyond the effective range of the gun. The Stingers only have a 13 Gs of overload and relatively poor tracking, making them easy to dodge with well-executed maneuvers. However, the FIM-92s also have dual-IRCCM which significantly decreases the chance that the missile will be defeated by flares. The IRCCM is most effective in rear or side aspects.
Stingers should not be fired at distances below 2 km as the missile will not be able to track and maneuver to hit the target in time. Additionally, lofting or leading the missile when appropriate is helpful when trying to hit fast-moving or off-boresight aircraft.
The FIM-92E is the default Stinger the Machbet uses, while the FIM-92K is an unlockable Tier III modification. The FIM-92K has an additional proximity fuse that can damage aircraft even if they dodge the missile, making it more lethal against targets.
Recommended loadout
20 mm belt: Air Targets (2 belts/full ammo)
Missile: FIM-92K if unlocked
Camouflage: As appropriate
Usage in battles
Utilize shoot 'n scoot tactics and focus on positioning
The Machbet is lightly armored and is rather fragile, so change your position frequently to confuse enemy aircraft and to make the vehicle harder to spot and target. The gun is most effective under 2 km and in head-on scenarios, while the missiles are best used above 2 km but below 5-6 km.
Warning: Don’t sit in the spawn area after spawning. Experienced CAS players will always look at the enemy spawn first, because plenty of SPAA usually will spawn and not move afterwards. Relocate to a safer area, but don’t extend beyond friendly lines.
Additionally, utilize the terrain and other obstacles to conceal your position, like rocks, buildings, or foliage. Don’t sit in the middle of an open parking lot or field, as this will make the Machbet a very appealing target.
Stay aware
Using your eyeballs and ears is the best way to survive and to not be jumpscared by an attack aircraft or a 500 kg bomb. Look and listen for approaching helicopters, aircraft, or other threats. Also pay attention to how your team is doing, as it may be necessary to retreat to not run into enemy MBTs.
Don’t only pay attention to aircraft; keep an eye on whether there are enemy tanks around you. If you only look to the skies for targets, you may not notice the enemy tank driving towards you until it is too late.
Use ammo crates to replenish your ammo
You don’t need to travel to the nearest friendly capture point to replenish your ammo. Utilize the ammo crates feature by pressing ALT + E and selecting a suitable flat location to construct an ammo crate.
Credits
Hangar is “Blank Hangar” by zZoKo.
Images are from their respective sources if mentioned. Otherwise, all other images are by me.
