M163

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Rank VI USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Su-25K Pack
M163
us_m163_vulcan.png
M163
AB RB SB
7.7 7.7 7.7
Class:
Research:95 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:270 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

The Gun, Air Defence Artillery, Self-Propelled: 20-mm, M163 is a rank V American self-propelled anti-aircraft gun with a battle rating of 7.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters".

General info

Survivability and armour

Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat?

If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.

Mobility

Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability as well as the maximum speed forward and backward.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: M168 (20 mm)

A 20 mm VADS, or Vulcan air defence system. Used initially during the Vietnam war, it was a 20 mm air-cooled minigun attached to a small turret on the M163. Dangerous to anything in the sky, it will lock on and rip through anything in its path.

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Radars

Main article: AN/VPS-2

The M163 is equipped with an AN/VPS-2 tracking radar, with no search radar. The radar is fitted to the side of the turret.

Msg-info.png In order to lock on you must be looking through your sight, position the crosshair over a target (within 7 km) and press the lock on key. The target must be within a 2° cone from the centre of the crosshair.
AN/VPS-2 - Tracking Radar
Maximum
Tracking
Range
Minimum
Tracking
Range
Azimuth Tracking
Angle
Elevation Tracking
Angle
Minimum
target speed
7,000 m 100 m 360° -20°/+85°
(lock between -20°/+20°)
15 m/s (54 km/h)

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Amphibious
  • Quick acceleration
  • Good traverse, especially when fully upgraded
  • Insane rate of fire of 3000 rpm; can literally shred incoming enemy aircraft.
  • Has a tracking radar

Cons:

  • Light armour
  • Not keen to climbing hills until performance modules are equipped
  • Relatively slow for the rank
  • Slow in water
  • Inaccurate/wobbly in water
  • One of the longest rearm/reload times in the game
  • No search radar

History

The VADS was used during the Vietnam war and onwards and was based on the chassis of the M113 armoured personnel carrier. NATO used it as an anti-aircraft gun platform.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

See also

Other vehicles based off the M113 platform:

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • encyclopedia page on tank;
  • other literature.


USA anti-aircraft vehicles
M3 Half-track derivatives  M13 MGMC · M15 CGMC · M16 MGMC
M24 derivative  M19A1
M41 derivative  M42
Radar SPAAG  M163 · M247
Missile SPAA  Imp.Chaparral · LAV-AD · XM975