Difference between revisions of "Hovet"

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{{About
 
| about = Israeli SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| usage = other versions
 
| link = M113 (Family)
 
}}
 
 
{{Specs-Card
 
{{Specs-Card
 
|code=il_m163_vulcan
 
|code=il_m163_vulcan
Line 11: Line 6:
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Israeli SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]].
+
'''Hovet''' (חובט - "batsman") was the Israeli designation for the American [[M163|M163 VADS]]. The vehicle joined the Israeli Air Defense Command (IADC) in 1975, operating alongside the MIM-72 Chaparral which had been introduced a year earlier. It earned its first victory against an enemy target in the 1982 Lebanon War, and further served in the IDF for more than two decades until the IADC was disbanded, leading to the decommissioning of the Hovet and its modernised variant, [[Machbet]].
 +
 
 +
Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]] along with the initial Israeli tech tree, the Hovet performs identically to its American counterpart. It is a fairly strong self-propelled gun, the main feature of which is its six-barreled M168 gun with a rate of fire of 3,000 rounds per minute. However, it lacks a search radar, and has a relatively low effective range. The M113 chassis offers minimal protection due to the aluminium alloy construction, but provides good mobility and manoeuvrability.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 17: Line 14:
 
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
''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.''
+
Armour is thin enough and can be destroyed by 12.7 mm machine gun fire from the sides and rear, and by any cannon calibre from the front. The turret is partially open, leaving the crew vulnerable to enemy small arms fire. If attacked, the best bet for taking a hit and surviving is to point the engine towards the enemy and hope it absorbs the shot.
  
 
'''Armour type:'''
 
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 
* Rolled homogeneous armour
  
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
|-
 
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 
|-
 
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' <br> ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
| Hull || 38+6 mm (45°) ''Upper Glacis'' <br> 38 mm (26°) ''Lower Glacis'' <br> 29 mm (45°) ''Engine Maintenance Hatch'' || 44+6 mm ''Top'' <br> 32 mm ''Bottom'' || 38 mm || 38 mm
 
|-
 
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' <br> ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
+
|Turret || 17 mm ''Turret Front'' <br> 150 mm ''Gun Mantlet'' || 17 mm || 17 mm
|-
+
!
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 40: Line 36:
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 +
The Hovet suffers from a low power-to-weight ratio and low top speed. One of its upsides is the good acceleration
  
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=301|rbMinHp=188}}
 
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=301|rbMinHp=188}}
Line 71: Line 68:
 
==== Ammunition ====
 
==== Ammunition ====
  
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
+
* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T|High-explosive incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''HEI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
+
* '''HEI:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T|High-explosive incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''AP-I:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
+
* '''AP-I:''' {{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
  
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{{:M168 (20 mm)/Ammunition|AP-I, API-T, HEF-I, HEI-T}}
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
|-
 
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
|-
 
| AP-T || 53 || 50 || 39 || 28 || 20 || 14
 
|-
 
| HEI-T || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
! colspan="9" | Shell details
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
| AP-T || 1,030 || 0.15 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
| HEI-T || 1,030 || 0.1 || 0 || 0.1 || 12 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
Line 127: Line 94:
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== 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 instead 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).'' -->
 
<!-- ''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 instead 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).'' -->
''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 instead 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).''
+
The Hovet has an amazing rate of fire with the M168 gun, thus it has amazing damage output. In an anti-aircraft role, it is best used as a point-defence SPAA, defending a group of allies/cap zone from air attack. Its range isn't as good as the M247, so it's best to keep in mind the approximate 1 km targeting zone of the Hovet.
 +
 
 +
The Hovet wields about 60 mm of penetration, which is enough to mortally wound/destroy many lightly-armoured vehicles such as the Leopard, AUBL, and Centauro. The high rate of fire also allows the Hovet a sort of CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) type of role, as it can easily spray in the direction of an incoming bomb, thus destroying it and saving nearby allies. This is especially easy against the infamous FAB-5000 bomb from the Soviet Pe-8, as the bomb is large and easy to track.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''
 
  
'''Pros:'''  
+
'''Pros:'''
  
 
* Can be used as a last resort weapon to shoot down incoming bombs and rockets
 
* Can be used as a last resort weapon to shoot down incoming bombs and rockets
 +
* Cannot be easily killed by .50 cal MGs, meaning you are stronger against strafing aircraft
 +
* High rate of fire
  
'''Cons:'''  
+
'''Cons:'''
  
 
* Long reload time
 
* Long reload time
 +
* The 20 mm shells lose velocity quickly, making it very difficult to attack fast planes past 2 km or light tanks past 1 km
 +
* No passive radar search
 +
* The gun overheats rather quickly
 +
* Low penetration
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
+
According to the description from Israel Air Force, the M163 VADS (which consists of 2 batteries per unit) joined the Israeli Air Defense Command in 1975; these batteries would usually deployed near the northern border of Israel where the Purple Line (post-1967 ceasefire line between Israel-Syria by the Golan Heights) sit during peaceful times; but as soon as there was any need for armed conflicts, the vehicles would redeploy with the ground forces. After 7 years of service, the system achieve 3 victories including the first victory of M163 VADS against jet aircrafts in 1982. On 1982/6/10, an battery commanded by Lt. Dobi Amitai was having conflicts with insurgents during the 1982 Lebanese War (Operation Peace for Galilee) at Douha near Beirut, where Sgt. Yoav Weinkert spotted a Syrian MiG-21; the other battery commanded by Roni Kovertovsky spotted the same jet from the eyes of gun director Tamir Mor. Both batteries, now at 4 vehicles, fired upon the jet while covering each other as they were taking fire from insurgents at the same time; 15 seconds later, the jet was shot down by the batteries.<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20120310140629/http://www.iaf.org.il/239-18136-he/IAF.aspx?indx=1</ref>
 +
 
 +
Some of the M163 were also converted into the Machbet (מחבט, lit. racquet) with upgrades including opto-electronic tracker, TVD and 4 FIM-92 Stingers mounted next to the turret. After the disbandment of the IADC in 2006, these vehicles were decommissioned.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_m163_vulcan Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 153: Line 132:
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
  
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
;[[M113 (Family)|Related development]]
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
 
 +
* [[M163]]
 +
* [[Machbet]]
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
Line 168: Line 148:
  
 
{{Israel anti-aircraft vehicles}}
 
{{Israel anti-aircraft vehicles}}
 +
<references />

Latest revision as of 11:56, 25 August 2024

il_m163_vulcan.png
GarageImage Hovet.jpg
Hovet
AB RB SB
7.7 7.3 7.3
Class:
Research:82 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:240 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png

Description

Hovet (חובט - "batsman") was the Israeli designation for the American M163 VADS. The vehicle joined the Israeli Air Defense Command (IADC) in 1975, operating alongside the MIM-72 Chaparral which had been introduced a year earlier. It earned its first victory against an enemy target in the 1982 Lebanon War, and further served in the IDF for more than two decades until the IADC was disbanded, leading to the decommissioning of the Hovet and its modernised variant, Machbet.

Introduced in Update "Wind of Change" along with the initial Israeli tech tree, the Hovet performs identically to its American counterpart. It is a fairly strong self-propelled gun, the main feature of which is its six-barreled M168 gun with a rate of fire of 3,000 rounds per minute. However, it lacks a search radar, and has a relatively low effective range. The M113 chassis offers minimal protection due to the aluminium alloy construction, but provides good mobility and manoeuvrability.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull38 / 44 / 38
Turret17 / 17 / 17
Crew4 people
Visibility117 %

Armour is thin enough and can be destroyed by 12.7 mm machine gun fire from the sides and rear, and by any cannon calibre from the front. The turret is partially open, leaving the crew vulnerable to enemy small arms fire. If attacked, the best bet for taking a hit and surviving is to point the engine towards the enemy and hope it absorbs the shot.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
Armour Front (Slope angle) Sides Rear Roof
Hull 38+6 mm (45°) Upper Glacis
38 mm (26°) Lower Glacis
29 mm (45°) Engine Maintenance Hatch
44+6 mm Top
32 mm Bottom
38 mm 38 mm
Turret 17 mm Turret Front
150 mm Gun Mantlet
17 mm 17 mm

Notes:

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB70 / 17 km/h
RB and SB65 / 15 km/h
Number of gears6 forward
2 back
Weight11.2 t
Engine power
AB404 hp
RB and SB212 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB36.1 hp/t
RB and SB18.9 hp/t

The Hovet suffers from a low power-to-weight ratio and low top speed. One of its upsides is the good acceleration

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

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB4 003 → 5 151 Sl icon.png
RB3 633 → 4 675 Sl icon.png
SB4 873 → 6 271 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications68 800 Rp icon.png
117 400 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training68 000 Sl icon.png
Experts240 000 Sl icon.png
Aces990 Ge icon.png
Research Aces620 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
140 / 170 / 230 % Sl icon.png
184 / 184 / 184 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
7 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
7 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
2 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
2 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement il.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
20mm_Vulcan_HEI_ammo_pack
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
3 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 900 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
20mm_Vulcan_API_ammo_pack
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
3 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 200 Sl icon.png
140 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
5 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
9 600 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
7 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
13 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Main armament

20 mm M168 cannon
Ammunition2 200 rounds
Belt capacity1 100 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
26.0 → 20.0 s
Fire rate3 000 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 80°
Main article: M168 (20 mm)
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
AP-I 40 36 22 12 6 3
API-T 40 36 22 12 6 3
HEF-I 5 5 3 2 2 2
HEI-T 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%
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 - - -
HEI-T 1,030 0.1 0.1 0.1 12 79° 80° 81°

Ammo racks

Full
ammo
1st
rack empty
2nd
rack empty
3rd
rack empty
4th
rack empty
5th
rack empty
6th
rack empty
Visual
discrepancy
2 __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __ (+__) __

Usage in battles

The Hovet has an amazing rate of fire with the M168 gun, thus it has amazing damage output. In an anti-aircraft role, it is best used as a point-defence SPAA, defending a group of allies/cap zone from air attack. Its range isn't as good as the M247, so it's best to keep in mind the approximate 1 km targeting zone of the Hovet.

The Hovet wields about 60 mm of penetration, which is enough to mortally wound/destroy many lightly-armoured vehicles such as the Leopard, AUBL, and Centauro. The high rate of fire also allows the Hovet a sort of CIWS (Close-In Weapon System) type of role, as it can easily spray in the direction of an incoming bomb, thus destroying it and saving nearby allies. This is especially easy against the infamous FAB-5000 bomb from the Soviet Pe-8, as the bomb is large and easy to track.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Can be used as a last resort weapon to shoot down incoming bombs and rockets
  • Cannot be easily killed by .50 cal MGs, meaning you are stronger against strafing aircraft
  • High rate of fire

Cons:

  • Long reload time
  • The 20 mm shells lose velocity quickly, making it very difficult to attack fast planes past 2 km or light tanks past 1 km
  • No passive radar search
  • The gun overheats rather quickly
  • Low penetration

History

According to the description from Israel Air Force, the M163 VADS (which consists of 2 batteries per unit) joined the Israeli Air Defense Command in 1975; these batteries would usually deployed near the northern border of Israel where the Purple Line (post-1967 ceasefire line between Israel-Syria by the Golan Heights) sit during peaceful times; but as soon as there was any need for armed conflicts, the vehicles would redeploy with the ground forces. After 7 years of service, the system achieve 3 victories including the first victory of M163 VADS against jet aircrafts in 1982. On 1982/6/10, an battery commanded by Lt. Dobi Amitai was having conflicts with insurgents during the 1982 Lebanese War (Operation Peace for Galilee) at Douha near Beirut, where Sgt. Yoav Weinkert spotted a Syrian MiG-21; the other battery commanded by Roni Kovertovsky spotted the same jet from the eyes of gun director Tamir Mor. Both batteries, now at 4 vehicles, fired upon the jet while covering each other as they were taking fire from insurgents at the same time; 15 seconds later, the jet was shot down by the batteries.[1]

Some of the M163 were also converted into the Machbet (מחבט, lit. racquet) with upgrades including opto-electronic tracker, TVD and 4 FIM-92 Stingers mounted next to the turret. After the disbandment of the IADC in 2006, these vehicles were decommissioned.

Media

Skins

See also

Related development

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Israel anti-aircraft vehicles
Half-track  TCM-20
M163 derivatives  Hovet · Machbet · Imp.Chaparral
Captured  ZSU-57-2 · ZSU-23-4