Israel modernizes old anti-aircraft systems to counter drone threat

Israel has pulled old anti-aircraft weapons out of storage and modernized them. The renewed Machbet systems address the threat posed by mass-produced drones.

The story comes full circle as Israel decided to delve into its warehouses and retrieve weapons that had been preserved for over 20 years—the Machbet anti-aircraft system. After a swift modernization that took just three months, Machbet now addresses modern threats, including various types of drones.

Machbet is the Israeli version of the American M163 PIVADS anti-aircraft system. Originally developed in the 1960s as the M163 VADS, this system was improved in the 1980s under the name M163 PIVADS (Product Improved VADS).

The American weapon uses the chassis of the M113 armored personnel carrier, on which the M61 Vulcan cannon (General Dynamics M168) is mounted—a 6-barrel Gatling gun system firing 20 mm caliber rounds at a rate of up to 6,600 rounds per minute.

1988, the system was supplemented with a quadruple FIM-92 Stinger anti-aircraft missile launcher. These sets were used in Israel under the name Hovet.

The Israeli developmental variant of this weapon, Machbet (Hebrew for bat), was developed in the late 20th century. It received a thermal imaging camera and a radar for targeting detected targets, as well as a data link that allows target information to be acquired from external radars.

These systems were withdrawn from service and stored in 2006. After being removed from storage, they were modernized within three months.

The outdated radar was removed and replaced with a modern electro-optical head during the modernization. Thanks to this upgrade, the set now includes the function of automatic target tracking and aiming, with the optional involvement of a human decision to open fire.