An anti-aircraft vehicle, also known as a self-propelled anti-aircraft gun (SPAAG) or self-propelled air defense system (SPAD), is a mobile vehicle with a dedicated anti-aircraft capability.
Specific weapon systems used include machine guns, autocannons, larger guns, or surface-to-air missiles, and some mount both guns and longer-ranged missiles (e.g. the Pantsir missile system). Platforms used include both trucks and heavier combat vehicles such as armoured personnel carriers and tanks, which add protection from aircraft, artillery, and small arms fire for front line deployment.
Anti-aircraft guns are usually mounted in a quickly-traversing turret with a high rate of elevation, for tracking fast-moving aircraft. They are often in dual or quadruple mounts, allowing a high rate of fire. In addition, most anti-aircraft guns can be used in a direct-fire role against surface targets. Today, surface-to-air missiles (generally mounted on similar turrets) have largely supplanted anti-aircraft guns. However, the rise of drone warfare in the 2020s and the high cost of missiles have led to a resurgence of anti-aircraft vehicles in warfare using anti-aircraft guns.
Examples
Some examples of modern SPAAG: ModelManufacturerImageOriginPlatformsWeaponsCaliber and ammunitionsNumber builtNotesCS/SA5 SPAAGNorinco—Type 081 × Gatling gun (6 barrels) 2 × FN-6A30 × 113 mm ——PGZ-95 SPAAANorinco—4 × PG-87
4 × QW-2 IR missiles25 x 183 mmB~ 270PGZ-04/A SPAAA4 × Type 87
4 × FN-6 IR missilesUpgraded variant of PGZ-95 SPAAAPGZ-09 SPAAANorincoPLZ-05 chassis2 × PG99—Page 216
https://irp.fas.org/doddir/army/atp7-100-3.pdfPGZ 625 PGL-XX (Code name 625)Norinco—Type 081 × Gatling gun (6 barrels) 4 to 8 × FN-16 (for PGZ 625E)25 × 287 mm—PGL-12 (Type 12)Norinco—Type 081 × 35 mm revolver cannon 4 × FN-6 in PGZ-04A pod.—MachbetIAI (Israeli Aircraft Industries)M1131 × M61A1 Vulcan Gatling gun (6 barrels) 4 × FIM-92 Stinger20 × 102 mm ——Entered service in 1997, retired in 2006 OTOMATIC "OTO Main Anti-aircraft Tank for Intercept and Combat"OTO-MelaraHulls of the:
Leopard 1A2 OF-40 Mk.2 Palmaria1 × Cannone 76/62 OTO-Breda Super Rapido76 × 636 mmR2SIDAM 25OTO BredaM1134 × Oerlikon KBA25 × 137 mm275Stryker M-SHORAD "Maneuver Short Range Air Defense"Leonardo DRSStryker1 × XM914 (M230LF chain gun) 1 M240 (7.62mm)
4 × FIM-92 Stinger
2 × AGM-114L Hellfire30 × 113 mm 7.62 × 51 mm
—
—312 to 361 Type 87 SPAAGMHI (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries)Type 74 tank2 × Oerlikon KDAHEI ammunition52Kongsberg RS6 MADIS RWS MK2
"Marine Air Defense Integrated System US Marine Corps Ground Based Air Defense"Kongsberg—Oshkosh JLTV1 × XM914E1 (M230LF chain gun) 1 × M240C (7.62mm)
2 × Air-to-Air Stinger30 × 113 mm 7.62 × 51 mm
——Future USMC SHORAD systemPZA LoaraT-72M chassis2 × Oerlikon KDAHEI ammunition2 - 4SA-35PIT-RADWAR PGZ
(Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa)—Jelcz 6×61 × Oerlikon KDA35 x 228 mm Air burst programmable rounds—Developed from AM-35K naval gun. ZSU-23-4MP BiałaZMT SA (Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów)—4 × AZP-23 4 × Grom IR missiles23 × 152 mm —~ 70Polish modernised variant Mangart 25Valhalla TurretsOshkosh JLTV1 × Oerlikon KBA
1 × FN MAG
Option for short-range IR missiles25 × 137 mm 7.62 × 51 mm—K263 Cheongoong SPAAGDoosanK200A1 KIFV1 × KM167 A1 VADS Gatling gun (6 barrels)20 × 102 mm200 K30 Bi Ho "Flying Tiger"DoosanK200A1 KIFV2 × Oerlikon KCB30 × 170 mm176K30 Bi Ho Hybrid "Flying Tiger"Hanwha Aerospace LIG Nex1K808 White Tiger2 × Oerlikon KCB 2 × LIG Nex1 Chiron30 × 170 mm ——K30 Bi Ho II "Flying Tiger"Joint Venture Hanwha Aerospace
SAMI (Saudi Arabian Military Industries)— K808 White Tiger1 × Oerlikon KCB-B 4 SAM30 × 170 mm Air burst programmable munitions
——In development Lvkv 9040 Luftvärnskanonvagn 9040BAE Systems BoforsCV901 × 40 mm Bofors L/70B autocannon40 × 365 mm 30Flakpanzer GepardOerlikon Contraves
Krauss-Maffei Leopard 12 × Oerlikon KDAHEI ammunition570Flakpanzer Gepard 1A22 × 35 x 228 mm Airburst programmable rounds AHEADSkyranger 30Rheinmetall Air Defence (Oerlikon) Boxer A3 / tracked KF-41 Lynx Pandur 6×6 EVO Piranha IV and V PMMC G5Oerlikon KCE
Option for short-range IR missiles (FIM-92 Stinger or Mistral)30 × 173 mm Air burst programmable rounds AHEAD
—93 ordered (48 more planned, 9 in option)Rheinmetall Air Defence unveils its Skyranger 30 (upgraded). European Defence Review. 3 March 2021.Countering RAM, drones and other flying objects with highly mobile assets, Rheinmetall’s solutions. European Defence Review. 1 July 2022.Skyranger 35Rheinmetall Air Defence (Oerlikon) Boxer A3 / tracked KF-41 Lynx Leopard 2 Piranha IV and V1 × 35 x 228 mm Air burst programmable rounds AHEAD—Turret based on Skyshield / MANTISGÜRZAselsan—Seyit 8×8 (Anadolu Savunma)1 × KDC-02 4 × Bozdoğan IR missileATOM airburst
— —Comparable to Pantsir, in developmentKORKUTAselsan(Turret adapted to land platform) ACV-30 (FNSS) Arma 8×8 (Otokar)2 × KDC-02ATOM airburst 13MarksmanMarconi Electronic Systems T-55AM Leopard 2A42 × Oerlikon KDAHEI ammunition7
See also 4M (artillery) Assault gun Flakpanzer, a collective term for German anti-aircraft tanks, particularly those used in World War II. List of anti-aircraft guns Man-portable air-defense system Self-propelled artillery Tank destroyer
Footnotes
References