Self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon

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A self-propelled anti-aircraft weapon (SPAA, also self-propelled air defense, SPAD) is an anti-aircraft gun or surface-to-air missile launcher mounted on a mobile vehicle chassis. The Russian equivalent of SPAAG is ZSU, for zenitnaya samokhodnaya ustanovka, ("anti-aircraft self-propelled mount").

Specific weapon systems include machine guns, autocannon, larger guns, or missiles, and some mount both guns and longer-ranged missiles. Platforms used include both trucks and heavier armored fighting vehicles such as APCs 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 range of elevation, for tracking fast-moving aircraft. They are often in dual or quadruple mounts, allowing a high rate of fire. Today, missiles have largely replaced or supplanted anti-aircraft guns, but are generally mounted on similar turrets.

The concept was pioneered mainly by Germany during World War II, with their "flakpanzer" series. German WWII self-propelled anti-aircraft guns include Möbelwagen, Wirbelwind, Ostwind, Kugelblitz, Coelian. Other forces followed with designs of their own, notably the American quad-50 mounted on the M3 Half-track to create the M16. Larger guns were often mounted on large trucks as well, but generally required off-truck setup to be fired. One exception to this rule was the Italian 90mm gun, which was a feared weapon. The British Army also introduced their own SPAAG late in the war, the Crusader III AA Mark I, which mounted the excellent Bofors 40 mm gun.

Modern weapons include the Russian ZSU-23-4 Shilka, Chinese Type 88 SPAAG, American M163 VADS, German Gepard and similar versions with the British Marksman turret (which was also adapted for a number of other users), Italian SIDAM 25 and Otomatic and versions of the French AMX-13. Older post-war examples include the ZSU-57-2, the failed M247 Sergeant York and M42 Duster.