Machbet
| This page is about the Israeli SPAA Machbet. For other versions, see M113 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Machbet (מחבט; lit. Racquet) was an upgrade of the fleet of Hovet (M163 VADS) in IDF service in late 1990s to modernize the vehicle, the upgrade features 4 all-aspect infrared-tracking Stinger missiles that allow it to engage long-range targets and an IRST tracker that is more reliable than the AN/VPS-2 which also doesn't trigger aircraft RWRs; these vehicles soon replaced Hovet in service by 1998 and been deployed at the Purple Line (Post-Six-Day War ceasefire line between Israel/Syria, de facto borderline) since then until the Israel Air Defense Command was disbanded in 2006.
Introduced in Update "Wind of Change" alongside with Israel tech-tree, the overall dimension of Machbet is mostly identical to Hovet; while players would soon notice the disappearance of the radar rangefinder, the overall capability is now ensured by the new FLIR tracker with optical tracking capability and 4 FIM-92 Stingers to handle long-range (relative to the gun's < 2 km range) targets. Players will soon get used to the performance of Machbet, enemies might underestimate the potential of these upgrades until they got shot down by either the missiles or the gun itself.
General info
Survivability and armour
Despite its thin armour, the Machbet has the particularity of being able to withstand some misplaced shots, but pay attention to HE shells that are able to destroy instantly the vehicle .
Beware also of tanks equipped with machine guns above 7.62 mm calibre, these tanks can easily penetrate the sides of the vehicle.
Armour type:
- Aluminium Alloy 5083
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 29-38 mm (44°) Front glacis 38 mm (26°) Lower glacis |
44 mm Top 32 mm Bottom |
38 mm (9°) | 10-38 mm |
| Turret | 17 mm (17-18°) Turret front 150 mm Gun mantlet |
17 mm (12-19°) | 17 mm (0-20°) | N/A |
Notes:
Mobility
While not being the fastest vehicle, especially while stock, the Machbet lack power in slope but on flat ground , he can handle himself pretty easily.
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 70 | 17 | 11.2 | 301 | 404 | 26.88 | 36.07 |
| Realistic | 65 | 15 | 188 | 212 | 16.79 | 18.93 | |
Modifications and economy
| Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
The Machbet is equipped like the M163 with a 20 mm M168 VADS, or Vulcan air defence system. The M168 is a variant of the M61 cannon, which can be found in-game on vehicles such as the Japanese T-2, and the American F-4C Phantom II. Used initially during the Vietnam war, the M168 was a 20 mm air-cooled rotary cannon attached to a small turret on the Machbet. Dangerous to anything in the sky below 2 km, it will lock on and rip through anything in its path. Helicopter and plane will be crippled effectively.
| 20 mm M168 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 2,200 (1,100) | 3,000 | -5°/+80° | ±180° | N/A | 66.0 | 91.4 | 111.0 | 122.8 | 130.6 | 26.00 | 23.00 | 21.20 | 20.00 |
| Realistic | 44.6 | 52.5 | 63.8 | 70.5 | 75.0 | |||||||||
Ammunition
- Default: AP-I · HEI-T · API-T
- HEI: HEI-T · HEF-I · API-T · HEF-I
- AP-I: AP-I · API-T · HEF-I · API-T
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | ||||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| HEI-T | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| AP-I | 40 | 36 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 3 | |
| API-T | 40 | 36 | 22 | 12 | 6 | 3 | |
| HEF-I | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| HEI-T | 1,030 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 12 | 79° | 80° | 81° | ||||
| AP-I | 1,030 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 47° | 56° | 65° | ||||
| API-T | 1,030 | 0.1 | - | - | - | 47° | 60° | 65° | ||||
| HEF-I | 1,030 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 0.1 | 17.12 | - | - | - | ||||
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 (+1) | 0 (+2) | No |
Additional armament
The FIM-92 E and K are effective weapons but only under certain conditions. With turns at 10 G maximum, the missile will not be able to follow some aircraft unless the angle is favourable. Opportune moments to hit an aircraft are when it is facing directly towards the missile launcher or flying directly away from it. The K upgrade of the missile is more likely to hit due to its proximity fuse with a trigger radius of 5 m. Helicopters, on the other hand, have a good chance of being hit due to their low altitude. Without the use of countermeasures, the missile can be sure to hit a helicopter. However, missiles may have a hard time acquiring helicopters if they are low to the ground, and helicopters may use the terrain to mask themselves or evade incoming missiles.
| FIM-92 Stinger missile | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 4 | -10°/+70° | ±180° | N/A | 66.0 | 91.4 | 111.0 | 122.8 | 130.6 | 19.5 | 17.2 | 15.9 | 15.0 |
| Realistic | 44.6 | 52.5 | 63.8 | 70.5 | 75.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Missile details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Range (m) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Arming distance (m) |
Trigger radius (m) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | ||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| FIM-92E | SAM | 670 | 5,000 | 10.1 | 1 | 0.1 | - | - | 540 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
| FIM-92K | SAM | 670 | 5,000 | 10.1 | 1 | 0.1 | 0 | 1 | 540 | 79° | 80° | 81° |
Ammo racks
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 (+4) | No |
Usage in battles
The Machbet is a very good anti-aircraft vehicle if its capabilities and limitations are managed. It excels in many areas behind the front lines, either directly supporting allies during an assault or back towards spawn or capture points to maintain security.
Difficulties will be met around BR 10.0 matches as multiple aircraft types will have access to countermeasures able to defeat the FIM-92 Stinger missiles.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Access to capable FIM-92 Stinger missiles even when stock.
- FIM-92K missile an upgradeable option to enhance lethality due to proximity fuze.
- Have powerful 20 mm M168 for close-range protection against aircraft.
- Lightweight with good horsepower for good mobility
- Access to thermal imager
- Access to a laser rangefinder
Cons:
- Armour is thin and basically non-existent except against machine gun calibre rounds
- 20 mm only useful within 2 km firing distance
History
As the world entered the last decade of 20th Century, Hovet would already been obsolete against new aerial threats due to its inferior FCS and lack of missile. Thus IAI planned for an upgrade to the fleet of Hovet with modernized FLIR tracking systems and FIM-92 Stingers MANPADS; this upgrade also introduced GPS and the "Hermit" (הרמיט) computerized command system for battery vehicles with all-in-one display of radar signals and video display from command systems via a military-grade briefcase laptop.
The upgraded vehicles replaced Hovet in borderline air-defense by 1998 and served IADC until their disbandment in 2006. [1]
Devblog
After the M163 VADS began being decommissioned from American service, the vehicle was heavily exported to foreign operators. Israel was one of several states which adopted the M163 VADS into its own military under the name 'Hovet' in the early 1980s. By the early 1990s however, it was realized that the system required modernization. As such, the IAI company was tasked with developing an upgrade package.
Together with General Dynamics, IAI upgraded the Hovet's fire control system and equipped the vehicle with a Stinger missile launcher, in an effort to increase the vehicle's effectiveness against low-flying jet aircraft. Following successful testing of the prototype in 1997, the vehicle was formally accepted into service with the IDF under the name 'Machbet' in 1998. In the upcoming years, several of the older Hovets were modernized to the Machbet standard. However, the Machbet only saw a short service life with the IDF. Because of changing tasks and requirements, the Machbet was officially withdrawn from active service in 2006.
Media
- Skins
See also
- Related development
External links
| Israel Aerospace Industries (התעשייה האווירית לישראל) | |
|---|---|
| Jet Fighters | Nesher · Kfir Canard · Kfir C.2 · Kfir C.7 |
| SPAAs | Machbet |
| Israel anti-aircraft vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Half-track | TCM-20 |
| M163 derivatives | Hovet · Machbet · Imp.Chaparral |
| Captured | ZSU-57-2 · ZSU-23-4 |
