M163 Vulcan SPAAG

> Date: Sat, 22 Apr 2000 21:27:05 EDT

> In a message dated 4/22/00 8:17:16 PM Central Daylight Time,

> 20mm is used as the gun portion of the American Phalanx CIWS and the

> PIVAD is the name of the gun mount.

It was originally the M163 Vulcan SPAAG and did indeed mount a Vulcan 20mm
rotary cannon on a M113 chassis. Here is a picture (model) of 2 of them.
http://www.academy.co.kr/gall/kitafv/m163/ta957_tb.jpg

It entered service in the 1960's. The abortive attempt to replace it with the
Sergeant York SPAAG failed as this new system did not work. For the M163 to
soldier on, it was equipped with a radar and renamed with the acronym PIVAD.
It is a poor weapon system epecially when compared with the likes of
the very effective (ex-)Soviet ZSU-23-4. Shilka. Russia has gone on to
develop the Tunguska
http://www.weapons-catalog.com/0702ey70/artillery/tunguska.htm ), and to
my knowledge, there is no modern US equivalent self propelled anti aircraft
gun (if there is, please tell me).

Cheers,

In a message dated 4/23/00 6:17:51 AM Central Daylight Time,
> paulradford@innotts.co.uk writes:

<< and to my knowledge, there is no modern US equivalent self propelled anti
aircraft gun (if there is, please tell me). >>

The Diana system mounted on an M1 chassis was proposed (twin 30mm gun system)
but I don't know if it was largely accepted or not.