1990 Gulf War

M167 Vulcan in the 1990 Gulf War

U.S.-led coalition forces fielded M167 Vulcan towed 20 mm anti-aircraft guns in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm, with public-domain U.S. records documenting ammunition loading and convoy movement.

Weapon profileM167 Vulcan
SideCoalition forcesRoleAir DefenseForce Protection
M167 Vulcan, Towed 20 mm short-range anti-aircraft gun, Air Defense - 1990 Gulf War
Image source: U.S. and ROK Marines conduct combined live fire

Evidence Map

ClaimSources
U.S.-led coalition forces fielded M167 Vulcan guns in Saudi Arabia during the 1990 Gulf War.

Sources: 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery M-167, M998 Convoy Towing M-167

3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery personnel loaded projectiles for an M-167 during Operation Desert Shield.

Sources: 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery M-167

An M998 convoy in Operation Desert Storm included a vehicle towing an M-167 on February 24, 1991.

Sources: M998 Convoy Towing M-167

The M167A1 was a towed 20 mm gun air-defense artillery system with M168 cannon, sight, and range-radar components.

Sources: TM 9-1005-286-10 M167A1 Operator's Manual

Timeline

M167 Vulcan In 1990 Gulf War

  1. Iraq invades Kuwait

    Iraq's invasion of Kuwait triggered Operation Desert Shield and the U.S.-led coalition buildup in Saudi Arabia, the phase in which one M167 record places 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery personnel loading ammunition.

    Sources: U.S. Army War in the Persian Gulf, 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery M-167

  2. M167 towed in Desert Storm convoy

    A U.S. National Archives/PICRYL record dated February 24, 1991, identifies an M998 convoy in Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Storm with the foreground vehicle towing an M-167 20 mm Vulcan anti-aircraft gun.

    Sources: M998 Convoy Towing M-167

  3. Coalition offensive halts

    The U.S. Army history describes the coalition ground campaign as ending with a cease-fire after Iraqi forces were expelled from Kuwait, closing the main combat phase in which the M167 convoy record was dated.

    Sources: U.S. Army War in the Persian Gulf

Documented Use

Direct proof of use

The M167 Vulcan is directly documented in the 1990 Gulf War through U.S. National Archives and DVIDS image records from Saudi Arabia. One record shows members of the 3rd Battalion, 4th Air Defense Artillery loading projectiles for an M-167 20 mm Vulcan anti-aircraft gun during Operation Desert Shield.

A second public-domain record dated February 24, 1991, the opening day of the coalition ground offensive, shows U.S. military personnel in an M998 HMMWV convoy during Operation Desert Storm with the foreground vehicle towing an M-167 20 mm Vulcan anti-aircraft gun.

Sources: 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery M-167, M998 Convoy Towing M-167

Campaign timeline

The documented M167 appearances fall inside the coalition deployment and combat phases. Operation Desert Shield built up U.S.-led forces in Saudi Arabia after Iraq's August 1990 invasion of Kuwait; Operation Desert Storm began in January 1991 and culminated in the February 24-28 ground offensive.

The Desert Shield image places an M167 with a U.S. air-defense artillery unit during the Saudi buildup. The February 24 Desert Storm convoy image places a towed M167 in U.S. movement during the ground-campaign phase.

Sources: U.S. Army War in the Persian Gulf, 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery M-167, M998 Convoy Towing M-167

Battlefield role

In coalition service, the M167's documented role was short-range air defense and force protection for deployed ground forces. The records do not show a particular engagement or aircraft target; they prove fielding, ammunition handling, and convoy movement in Saudi Arabia during the Gulf War rather than a confirmed firing incident.

That role matched the system's design. U.S. Army operator material describes the M167A1 as a towed 20 mm gun air-defense artillery system built around the M168 cannon, sighting equipment, and range radar for close defense against aerial targets, with ground-mode use also described in the manual.

Sources: 3rd Battalion 4th Air Defense Artillery M-167, M998 Convoy Towing M-167, TM 9-1005-286-10 M167A1 Operator's Manual

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Sources