IAI Machbet

     Notes: This is an Israeli variation of the M163 PIVADS vehicle, used only by that country.  It is almost identical to the M163, but atop the turret is a launching box with 4 Stinger launchers.  The Machbet (Racket) was designed in the mid-1990s and entered operational service with the Israeli Air Force in 1998. By 2006, almost all Israeli M163 Hovets had been converted to the Machbet standard. Like most Israeli service weapon systems, the Machbet saw considerable use in the Middle East wars, but was retired in 2006, but recently restored to service for use as a counter-drone system.

     The Machbet includes a new set of day and night vision sights, including a FLIR camera and a day/night TV camera.  A computerized target tracking system has been added, which takes information from the FLIR and plots it, prioritizing targets by threat level.  The Machbet can also integrate and take information from other air defense assets, including antiaircraft guns, missiles, and radar systems. The Machbet also has a secondary role of engaging infantry, light vehicles, and buildings. The Machbet also includes the addition of a launch box for Stinger SAMs. (The Machbet was also designed to be adaptable to use Mistral, SA-16, and SA-18 SAMs by simply replacing the launch boxes.) The elevation limit for the gun and missile launcher is +80 degrees, with a depression limit of -5 degrees; with elevation and depression rate of 45 degrees per second. Turret rotation speed is 60 degrees per second.

     The M113A2 base chassis is powered by the turbocharged 6V53T, which develops 212 horsepower and has an improved cooling system.  The automatic transmission was also improved, with an additional forward speed.  The Machbet also has neutral (pivot) steering capability, with the pivot steering handles being located at the front of the driver’s compartment above and in front of the tillers; however, most Machbets have them disconnected as it was found that the Machbet easily throws tracks under pivot steering, even when simply turning in place.

     The Machbet also has a smoke grenade launcher kit; this consists of a pair of four-tube launchers mounted on either side of the front of the hull, above the fenders.  Originally designed specifically for white or dark smoke vehicular grenades, these launchers were later modified to permit the use of colored smoke or IR screening smoke as well.  The grenades are electrically fired, with a control box on the top of the wall of the engine compartment in front of the commander’s position.

     The increased weight of the Machbet makes swimming perilous; the tech manuals say that an M113A2 has a freeboard of 14 inches when fully loaded, but in practice, the freeboard is typically 10 inches or less, and it is quite possible for Machbets to sink in even moderately choppy water.  For this reason, normal practice is to leave all top hatches of a swimming Machbet open so that the occupants can quickly escape if the Machbet sinks. Several types of buoyancy cells were tried, ranging from the ones mentioned in the Mine Reduction Vulnerability Kit (in US Tracked APCs) to inflatable ones, but in the late 1980s, the amphibious requirement for the entire M113 series was dropped, and the Machbet was to swim only in emergencies.  Many units have not been even mounting the trim vanes on their M113-series vehicles since the late 1980s.

     The Machbet can mount Toga armor, which is a simple set of flat applique plates suspended off of the M113A2 base.  It provides some additional protection, but Toga’s primary purpose is to pre-detonate RPG warheads. A Machbet wearing Toga is no longer amphibious.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: This vehicle was a surprise to enemy pilots who thought they had spotted a standard PIVAD and thought they were out of range of it.