Machbet

Machbet was an Israeli modernization of the M163 Vulcan Air Defense System, itself a self-propelled 20 mm Vulcan cannon mounted on an M113-derived chassis. Israel upgraded the older Hovet/M163 platform to keep short-range air defence relevant after gun-only systems became less adequate against faster aircraft and standoff threats.

Machbet retained the high-rate 20 mm Vulcan cannon while adding a launcher for FIM-92 Stinger missiles. The upgrade also improved electro-optical tracking and allowed better coordination with external air-defence information. This made the vehicle more flexible than the original M163, which depended mainly on the cannon's short effective range.

Operationally, Machbet protected forces and fixed assets against low-flying aircraft and helicopters. Its value was in rapid reaction at short range, not area defence. As Israel developed more modern layered air defences, including systems for rockets and missiles, Machbet became a transitional late-life upgrade for an older air-defence vehicle fleet.