| M163A1: General | |||
| Date of first acceptance (M163) | 1969 | ||
| Manufacturer | General Electric Co. | Crew |
|
| M163A1: Dimensions | |||
| Combat weight | 27,542lbs 12,493kg |
Height | 115" 292cm |
| Length | 191.5" 486.4cm |
Width over flotation pods | 112.4" 285.5cm |
| Tread | 85.0" 216cm |
Ground clearance | 16.1" 40.9cm |
| Ground pressure, zero penetration | 8.7psi .61kg/cm² |
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| M163A1: Armament | ||||||
| Type | Mount | Ammunition | Traverse | Max traverse rate | Elevation | Max elevation rate |
| 20mm Cannon M168 | M157 in turret | 2100 rounds | 360° (electric) |
75°/sec | +80° to -5° (electric) |
60°/sec |
| Night vision | ||||||
| Infrared periscope M19 for driver, night vision sight AN/TVS-2B or AN-TVS-5 for gunner | ||||||
| Rangefinder | ||||||
| Ranging radar AN/VPS-2, computing sight M61 | ||||||
| M163A1: Armor | ||
| Assembly | ||
| Welding | ||
| Hull | ||
| Rolled 5083/5086 H32 aluminum armor | ||
| Location | Thickness | Angle from vertical |
| Upper front | 1.5" 3.8cm |
45° |
| Lower front | 1.5" 3.8cm |
30° |
| Upper sides | 1.75" 4.45cm |
0° |
| Lower sides | 1.25" 3.18cm |
0° |
| Rear | 1.5" 3.8cm |
9° |
| Ramp | 1.5" 3.8cm |
8° |
| Top | 1.5" 3.8cm |
90° |
| Floor | 1.125" 2.858cm |
90° |
| M163A1: Automotive | |||||
| Engine | General Motors 6V53; 6 cylinder, 2 cycle, vee diesel | ||||
| Horsepower | Gross: 212@2800rpm | Torque | Gross: 492 ft-lb@1300rpm | Fuel capacity | 95gal 360L |
| Transmission | Allison TX-100, 3 ranges forward, 1 reverse | ||||
| Steering | DS200 controlled differential, steering levers | ||||
| Brakes | Differential band | ||||
| M163A1: Suspension | ||
| Type | Road wheels | Track return rollers |
| Torsion bar | 5 individually sprung dual/track | Flat track |
| Drive sprockets | Idlers | Shock absorbers | 10-tooth front drive | Dual adjustable at rear of track | On first and last road wheels/track |
| M163A1: Track | |||||||
| T130E1 | |||||||
| Center guide, single pin, steel with detachable rubber pad | |||||||
| Width | 15" 38cm |
Pitch | 6" 15cm |
Shoes/track | Left side: 63 Right side: 64 |
Ground contact length | 105" 267cm |
| M163A1: Performance | |||
| Max level road speed | 40mph 64kph |
Max water speed | 3.6mph 5.8kph |
| Max trench | 66" 170cm |
Max grade | 60% |
| Max sideslope | 30% | Max vertical obstacle | 24" 61cm |
| Min turning diameter | 26' 7.9m |
Max fording depth | Floats |
| Cruising range | ~300mi, roads ~480km, roads |
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The M163 utilized a modified version of the US Air Force's M61 Vulcan six-barreled 20mm rotary cannon. It was installed in a turret on a modified M113A1 APC, designated as the M741. Modifications to the gun mount changed its designation to M157A1, and the vehicle's to M163A1. The M741 was similar to the M113A1, except that the M741 was equipped with an hydraulic suspension lock-out system to stabilize the M163 when firing. Since the M163 weighed so much more than the M113 APC, flotation cells were fitted to the sides of the vehicle, and a high-displacement trim vane was added to the front. When the powertrain modifications of the M113A2 APC were introduced to the M163, the carrier vehicle was redesignated as M741A1. The above data tables pertain to the carrier M741A1. The improved suspension of the M113A2 was not fitted since the M163's suspension was fitted with the lockout device. The M168 gun could fire at a high rate of 3000 rounds per minute in 10-, 30-, 60-, or 100-rounds bursts, and it could also fire at a low rate of 1000 rounds per minute. The gunner was to keep the trigger held until the end of the burst during high rate fire, and was not to fire less than a 10-round burst in low rate fire.
The Product Improved Vulcan Air Defense System (PIVADS), first accepted in 1984, was a kit developed by Lockheed Electronics Company which reduced the gunner's workload and improved the accuracy of the system. Hardware improvements included a digital microprocessor, director sight, low backlash azimuth drive system, and the ability to fire armor-piercing discarding sabot (APDS) ammunition. PIVADS provided its operators with automatic notification of system failures through its built-in test equipment (BITE). PIVADS's radar remained a range-only device.
