I was helping clean up some of our TM shelves today with my sergeants and I ran across a TM for the old M163A1 Vulcan. Didn't know why we had it since the Vulcan has been out of active service for almost 10 years (National Guard may have used it until more recently though). Nice old piece of history to run across and add to my collection.

Rob,
One of the guys was looking for some info or TM pics of the Vulcan a while back. I just cant remember who it was. I thought we had an old manual too in or shop office back at my Guard unit, but I didnt. Hopefully the person who was asking will come forward again!!!!

Here is a question.....why did they take the M163 out of active service?

Would seem to me that the M163 could fullfill the same requirement for the battlefield that the Phalanx does for the Navy. obvioulsy the radar couldn't be as big and high as the phalanx....but maybe some downlink from a J-star and/or AWACS to help....

Rob ,
Any chance of posting some scans to the motorpool?
I snagged a copy of the Hobbyfan resin set (It's beautiful!!) and have the Verlinden book, but I'd love to have more info ( i'm a hopeless reference-aholic) available.

Mike

I'm not sure when the Vulcan came out of active service throughout the Army (or ARNG for that matter). I know that it was around 1993-94 when the 1st Cav's ADA battalion turned in their M163s and received M3(A1?) Bradleys. This was in anticipation of the eventual fielding of the Bradley Linebacker.

It's a good sized TM, the normal 3" thick. I'll see if there are any drawings worth uploading. I never had any interest in the Vulcan, I know Italeri and Academy both do one. I'm guessing Academy's is probably better, but the Italeri kit is cheaper. I may take a look at one.

I feel bad for having my guys pitched a whole bunch of old (unused) TMs.

SABOT
I have both the Academy and the Italieri M163 Vulcans, and in my opinion the Academy is the better model. I was planning to combine the kits and get one super model. If you have to buy just one, go for the Academy. My personal opinion only.

Viper,
This might or might not answer your question, but it is a little info.
Rob was correct about the ADA units swapng there Vulcans for the Bradley's. In my Brigade, with the 24th INF DIV(MECH), they found out the Bradley 25mm main gun could do as good as the Vulcans gun against aircraft. The only problem was with the elevation. The could couldnt elevate really high enough. Most of the Bradley's that got swithced came with the racks for Stinger Missiles in the back, so now they had the main gun and the missiles to fight against aircraft.

OK...that makes sence with the Linebacker version of the Bradley, but wouldn't the 6 barrel Vulcan be able to put more lead in the air? Than the 25mm of the Bradley? Would be my thinking anyway...more lead, more chances to hit the target.

Do the AA corps still use the Chaparrel or has that been retired as well.

Was was going through the GM Canada site for their Defence division, and was looking through their weapon's systems. They have some pretty interesting stuff there. They don't do any work with the Bradley but they produce the LAV series and are doing alot of the work on the Stryker as well. I believe the 25mm gun on the LAV and the Bradley are the same gun aren't they? M242 Bushmaster? Well GM also produces a 30mm gun for the LAV turret, as well as a 35mm, they also have something called a LAV TOW turret....now this isn't the Hammerhead, it is basically a LAV turret, with your flavor of gun, in either 25mm, 30mm, or 35mm, but on either side of the turret are TOW tubes....they pop up and fire....similar to the Bradley, but instead of 2 on one side, they have one on each side. Another turret there was an AT turret. It basically consisted of 4 TOW tubes in a box launcher, this box launcher could be extended up to 6.5 metres above the vehicle to fire, so your LAV, or 113 chassis could stay hidden under the cover of a dirt birm, while the launcher is raised above the birm, with all the optics and weapons to take on the enemy!!
Quite the interesting page.....if I can find it again, I will post it here if you guys are interested.

Here is that page!!

http://www.gm-defense.com/mission.asp

The cannon's just back up to the missile system. A 4-stinger pod replaced the 2-TOW pod on the M6 Linebacker. A couple of ADA troopers in the back can dismount and use MANPAD Stingers to assist the tracks mounted system.

The basic ADA systems in place today are the Patriot for HIMAD and Avenger, Linebacker and MANPAD Stingers for SHORAD ADA (plus the Bradley 25mm and Avenger .50cal). Chaparrel and Hawk are gone from the inventory along with the Vulcan, although the light and airborne forces may still use the towed Vulcan. I am not an ADA expert, so I do not all the ins and outs of what still in use.

While the effectiveness of the Vulcan 20mm against fllying object may be questioned coupling it with a quad stinger pod (ala avenger) has kept them in IDF service. the large Radar dish has been removed and better manual sighting added. this in effect gives the Army both a reasonable area air defence and an excellent anti sniper vehicle.

Josh Aka shiryon :-)

LOL....yes I could imagine that it would be considered an effective anti-sniper vehicle....nothing like 3000rds a min coming at you to deter you from taking out one guy!!!