It's the best AA unit in the game. The planes you would be shooting down arrive even later
Thats my point. Its almost exclusivly used for aa.
Its overdrive is almost never used because in 99 out of a 100 cases it wont go on the offense or its dead before you can click the button.
It can supress nicely after 100 muni upgrade. But if it never sees inf or dies in a sneeze from at fire its a waste of muni.
If it arrives so late and the best way to use is having it somewhere in the back it needs something usefull to do. As soviets have the least and most restrictive stock healing by far having the m5 be able to slowly heal is a no brainer imo.