The T-80 main battle tank is a legacy of the Soviet era

Main battle tank (MBT) is a term given to a combat vehicle capable of combining high maneuverability, protection and firepower. An example of a Soviet MBT is the T-80 heavy tank, which has been in service for 42 years.

This is the first car where the designers used a gas turbine unit as an engine, which was ahead of its time. According to the Western Military District, there are currently about 4,000 pieces of equipment in the Russian Army. In total, more than 10,000 vehicles of various modifications were produced, including 6,000 T-80U tanks.

How the legendary car was created

In fact, the roots of the creation of the T-80 go back to the distant 1942-1948 years of the last century. It was then that designer Alexander Starosenko designed the first tank with a gas turbine engine instead of a standard diesel engine. Unfortunately, the project was not published, but it was not forgotten either. Seven years later, in 1955, designers Chistyakov and Ogloblin at the Leningrad Kirov plant designed and produced “Object 278”, with a GTD-1 engine.

Its power amounted to a thousand horsepower. This machine, which had a mass of 53.6 tons, developed a speed that was no joke for its weight - as much as 57.3 km/h. But again, failure - the slightly earlier versions with a diesel engine of the Object were rejected by Khrushchev, and the tank again went into obscurity, this time for three years.

In 1963, along with the new T-64 medium tank, a gas turbine version was designed, codenamed T-64T.

The design continued to be modified until 1976. As a result, little remained of the “sixty-four”. In addition to the engine, the chassis, the shape of the hull, and even the turret were redesigned. The designers left only the gun, automatic loader and ammunition.

And in the summer of 1976, an order was received from the USSR Army for a completely new main battle tank called the T-80. The technology turned out to be successful and suitable for deep modification, which continued until the end of the nineties. This is how the thorny and difficult path of our “eighty” began.

Story

The first "Kirov" gas turbine tank of the new generation, "object 219 sp 1", manufactured in 1969, was externally similar to the experimental Kharkov gas turbine T-64T. The vehicle was equipped with a GTD-1000T engine with a power of 1000 hp. pp., developed by NPO im. V. Ya. Klimova.

The next “object 219 sp 2” was already significantly different from the original T-64.

Tests of the first prototype showed that the installation of a new, more powerful engine, increased weight and changed dynamic characteristics of the tank required significant changes to the chassis.

It required the development of new drive and guide wheels, support and support rollers, rubber-coated tracks, hydraulic shock absorbers and torsion shafts with improved characteristics.

The shape of the tower was also changed. The gun, ammunition, loading mechanism (different from the automatic loader found on the T-72 and its modifications), individual components and systems, as well as elements of armor protection have been preserved from the T-64A.

Design features and changes

Although the T-80 was, in fact, a converted “sixty-four”, there were plenty of changes in its design, and they affected not only the engine. The layout was left the same - classic, the crew consists of three people. But the driver-mechanic acquired three viewing devices at once, although previously he had only one.

Unlike its predecessors, the designers added the ability to heat its place with warm air from the turbine compressor.

The T-80's hull was still welded. It was also decided not to change the angle of inclination of its frontal part - it remained equal to 68°. Crew protection is differentiated; the frontal parts of the vehicle hull consist of multi-layer combined armor. Materials: steel and ceramics. The rest of the armor is steel, with a variety of angles and thicknesses. The sides are covered with special protective screens made of reinforced rubber; this solution made it possible to improve protection against cumulative projectiles.

Inside the equipment there is a polymer lining that performs several functions. When armor is penetrated by kinetic projectiles, the lining reduces the scattering of fragments inside the vehicle, thereby increasing the protection of the crew. The second function is to reduce exposure to gamma radiation. To prevent exposure to radiation in radioactive areas, the designers installed a special plate under the driver’s seat. The weight of the tank varies depending on modifications - from 42 to 46 tons.

The T-80's turret was originally cast, with a thickness of 450 mm at its thickest point. In 1985, it was replaced with a more modern, welded one with fewer vulnerable areas. After modernization, it is possible to attach dynamic protection “Kontakt-1/2” and “Cactus”. The designers placed the tank's underwater driving equipment at the rear of the turret, thus covering the MTO compartment and providing it with additional protection.

Return of the two-person tower

The popular belief that designer Nikolai Aleksandrovich Astrov received the assignment for a two-seat turret for the T-70 during the development of this tank is fundamentally incorrect. There is no trace of a two-seat turret in the list of improvements indicated in the test report of the experimental GAZ-70. It is not mentioned in the resolution of the State Defense Committee (GKO) No. 1394 “On the organization of production of T-70 tanks at the Gorky Automobile Plant named after Molotov of the People's Commissariat of Medium Machine Building.” Experts considered the working conditions in the tower to be quite normal. Accordingly, there were no plans for any activities on the topic of a double tower.

Making a model of a two-man turret for the T-70, August 1942

The situation changed in the summer of 1942, when the T-70 went into battle. At the beginning of July, reports appeared from the Bryansk and Central fronts, the study of which provoked the start of work on modernizing the tank. As for the turret, the catalyst for the start of work on its two-seat version was a letter from the commander of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, Colonel N.D. Chukhina:

"1. It is difficult for the commander of a T-70 tank to simultaneously observe the battlefield, load a cannon, a machine gun, and conduct aimed fire. The work of a company commander becomes even more complicated, since in addition to this work he must lead the company.

It is necessary to expand the tank turret to accommodate 2 people.”

Converted T-70 with serial number 208207 with a two-man turret. Late September 1942

On July 15, 1942, a meeting was held to improve the design of the tank, which was attended by the leadership of the People's Commissariat of Medium Engineering, representatives of GAZ and the Main Armored Directorate of the Red Army (GABTU KA). The double tower was listed as the fourth and final point of improvement. According to the minutes of the meeting, it was decided to prepare a mock-up of the turret by August 1, and to test the artillery system by August 5 to determine the feasibility of placing a 45-mm cannon in such a turret.

In August, a wooden model of a two-seat tower was built in the design bureau of the automobile plant. Work on the turret was carried out rather in the background, since greater priority was given to modernizing the chassis. The acceleration of work on the turret and the modernized GAZ-203 engine occurred only after the release on September 8 of the State Defense Committee decree No. 2276ss “On T-70 tanks.” Paragraph 4 of this decree prescribed that a tank with a double turret should be prepared by October 1, and by the same time it was expected to receive uprated engines.

Placement of crew in the tower

They did not build a new tank from scratch. The T-70 with serial number 208207, manufactured in August 1942, was taken as the basis. This was one of the tanks undergoing testing under the program to strengthen the chassis and sides. In this regard, the thickness of its sides was not 15, but 25 mm. Minimal changes were made to the chassis. Due to the fact that the diameter of the shoulder strap of the two-man turret increased from 966 to 1112 mm, it was necessary to redo the roof of the fighting compartment. Previously, the sheet consisted of two parts, making it possible to remove the engine without removing the turret. Now, to dismantle the engine, it was necessary to first remove the turret, and then the roof of the fighting compartment.

Contents of the crazy niche. The idea of ​​placing ammunition stowage behind the commander/gunner's position turned out to be unsuccessful - it was impossible to use it in battle

When developing a two-man turret, the factory design bureau headed by V.A. Dedkov took the T-70 welded turret as a basis. Since the turret became much wider, all its elements had to be redone, including the movable armor of the gun mantlet. The tower received a developed aft niche. This made it possible to place in it not only a radio station, but also two stacks of 10 rounds of ammunition for a 45-mm cannon in each. The turret hatch, which was used by both the commander/gunner and the loader, was redesigned. True, the hatch turned out to be quite heavy; the T-34 with a wide hatch had a similar problem. In addition, the commander lost his all-round visibility device, which was located in the hatch. Instead, the commander received a PTK periscope device, and the loader received a periscope device similar to the one located in the T-70 turret hatch. The tower also received a floor covering, which improved the working conditions of the crew.

Factory tests that took place at the end of September 1942

The conversion of the T-70 to a two-man turret was completed towards the end of September 1942. On September 27, factory tests began and continued until October 2. Their goal was to determine the gun’s rate of fire, as well as the ease of operation in a two-man turret. For the purity of the experiment, fire tests were carried out by four crews. Each crew shot first in a double turret and then in a single turret. It turned out that the rate of fire in the double turret was 8-9 rounds per minute (for comparison: in the single-man turret it was not possible to achieve more than 4-5 rounds per minute). The incidence increased from 47.5 to 71 percent. The gunner could fire without being distracted by observing the battlefield, since the loader also had a periscope device.

The idea with a large hatch in the turret was considered not the most successful: it was difficult to open

Not without its shortcomings. The fastening of the seats in the turret and the placement of ammunition did not make it possible to equally conveniently retrieve shells at different angles of horizontal rotation. In certain positions of the turret, the rate of fire dropped to 5 rounds per minute. The left stowage for 10 rounds could only be used for transporting ammunition, since it was inaccessible to the loader. As the tank moved, cartridges repeatedly fell out of their stowage. The story repeated itself with the T-34 turret hatch: the large hatch turned out to be too heavy. In addition, while moving, the loader hit his head on the handle of the signal hatch and the travel stop of the main hatch. The trigger pedal was located inconveniently.

In total, there were more than a dozen different defects and shortcomings. The tower needed significant modifications. Nevertheless, the very idea of ​​​​a two-man tower turned out to be correct. The tank, which was called the T-80 in the report, was recommended for adoption by the Red Army after the shortcomings were eliminated.

T-80 armament

The tank has a 125 mm smoothbore gun 2A46-1, later 2A46-2 / 2A46M-1, capable of firing guided missiles of the Cobra, Invar, and Reflex-M types. The direct fire range is 4000 meters, missiles fly up to 5000 meters. The ammunition load includes sub-caliber, high-explosive fragmentation and, of course, cumulative projectiles, with a separate cartridge charge. The total number varies depending on the modifications of the tank (38-45 charges).

The designers also transferred the loading mechanism from the T-64A.

The carousel of the T-80 mechanized combat stowage holds 28 rounds, the average rate of fire is 6-9 rounds. On production samples, the gun received a thermal casing. The tank is equipped with a coaxial Kalashnikov machine gun, caliber 7.62 mm. On the commander's turret there is a 12.7 mm Utes anti-aircraft weapon with a firing range of 1,500 meters against air targets and 2,000 meters against ground targets.

The table shows the performance characteristics of various T-80 tanks

Modifications

T-80UM-1
T-80BV

T-80U of the 4th Separate Guards Tank Kantemirov Order of Lenin Red Banner Brigade

T-80 in the Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Technology

• Object 219 joint venture 1
  is a modification of the T-64A with the installation of a GTD-1000T gas turbine engine. During the tests, the unreliability of the T-64 chassis and the impossibility of realizing the increased dynamic characteristics of a tank with a gas turbine engine were revealed. A total of 31 tanks of this modification were manufactured.
• Object 219 sp 2
  is a pre-production model with a new chassis to fully realize the capabilities of the gas turbine engine. It was produced in a small series of 127 tanks from 1971 to 1976.
• Object 219 sp 2
  
  T-80
  main battle tank .
  The first serial version accepted for service with a GTD-1000T engine (1000 hp) and a T-64A turret, a 125-mm 2A46-1 cannon with a heat-protective casing, an electromechanical MZ (similar to that installed on the T-64A) and an optical rangefinder sight TPD-2-49. Combat weight 42 tons. Serially produced from 1976 to 1978. Object 219A
  is an experimental
  T-80A
  .
  It was developed from the mid-1970s in parallel with Object 478. In 1982, a prototype was created. In 1984, the prototype was equipped with hinged dynamic protection. Object 219AS
  is the
  T-80U
  .
  Adopted into service in 1985. Installed: KUV 9K119 “Reflex” and weapon control complex 1A45 “Irtysh” (laser sight-rangefinder 1G46, electronic BV, stabilizer 2E42, PRNA TPN-4S, combined night sight TPN-4 “Buran-PA”), gun 2A46M-1 , smoke grenade launch system 902B “Tucha”, PPO 3ETs13 “Rime”, new combined armor with built-in dynamic protection; since 1990, the GTD-1250 engine (1250 hp) and the KUV 9K119M “Invar” were installed. Combat weight 46 tons. Object 630A
  - main tank
  T-80UK
  . Adopted into service in the early 1990s. Command version of the T-80U. Installed: Shtora-1 system, Agava-2 thermal imager, new atmospheric parameters sensor, R-163U and R-163K radios, TNA-4 navigation system, remote detonation system for HE shells, AB-1-P28 autonomous power plant .
• T-80UE
  - modification of 1995. T-80UM variant, developed specifically for the Greek tender; hydrostatic transmission and new controls were installed.
• Object 219AM-1
  is the main tank
  of the T-80UA
  . Upgrade option for the T-80U tank.
• Object 219AS-M
  - main tank
  T-80UM
  .
  Modernization in 1992. An upgraded version of the T-80U (Agava-2 thermal imager, radio-absorbing coating, radio station R-163-50U). Object 219AS-M1
  is the main tank T-80UM1 "Bars".
  Modification 1997. T-80UM variant with the Arena-E active protection complex, a GTD-1250G engine, a 2A46M-4 cannon, and is additionally equipped with the following systems and complexes: Shtora-1, Velizh, TVN-5, R-163- 50U, R-163UP, air conditioning system. Object 640
  
  T-80UM2
  main battle tank .

Engine and transmission

The main difference between the T-80 and its predecessors and contemporaries is the gas turbine engine. The designers had to increase the length of the body due to its longitudinal location. The engine weight is 1050 kilograms, and the maximum speed is about 26 thousand revolutions per minute. In the engine compartment there are four fuel tanks with a total capacity of 1140 liters. The main advantage of a gas turbine engine is its versatility.

The engine runs successfully on a variety of aviation fuels (TS-1/2), as well as diesel fuel and low-octane gasoline. Thanks to the rear-facing turbine exhaust, the tank's noise signature was noticeably reduced, which had a positive effect on overall camouflage.

To facilitate the start-up of the gas turbine engine on the T-80, the designers installed an automatic engine operation control system (SAUR). This made it possible to increase its wear resistance by 10 times. The engine starts within -40° to +40° Celsius. Operational readiness is 3 minutes, engine oil consumption is minimal.

The transmission was heavily redesigned compared to the T-64.

The increased weight and power forced the designers to replace the drive and guide wheels, support and support rollers. The new tracks have rubberized tracks. Some experts consider telescopic shock absorbers to be the bane of a tank, but replacing them is not difficult even in the field. Thanks to these changes, the T-80 chassis is considered the best in its class.

Advantages and disadvantages of the T-80 main tank

From the moment it was adopted into service, and to this day, disputes have not subsided regarding the advisability of using the “eighties” and their combat effectiveness. The arguments of opponents and supporters of the T-80 are equally logical, however, both of them are far from “reinforced concrete”, and mainly concern not even the tank itself, but its “turbine” - the gas turbine engine. The debate about the fighting qualities of this unique machine has long turned into a sluggish “holivar” of the type “who is stronger - an elephant or a whale?” The following is an approximate list of the advantages and disadvantages of the T-80, which are most common.

The T-80 is called a “flying tank.” But not because it is very fast, but because during testing it had to be blown through in a real wind tunnel to make sure that the gas turbine engine “chews” the dust well!

• The gas turbine allows you to start the tank without warming up even at a temperature of -40 degrees Celsius.
• The gas turbine engine is an all-weather, all-season and omnivorous thing - the same tank can be used in a wide variety of climatic zones without the need to re-equip the power plant with additional filters, etc. The type of fuel for such a machine is not critical - the main thing is that it burns well!
• The gas turbine engine has exceptional power, and thanks to the design features of the T-80 chassis, it allows the tank to provide a very smooth ride (including when firing), and at the same time very high maneuverability.
• A tank with a gas turbine engine will not stall if it hits a solid obstacle, such as a stone wall.
• Fuel consumption for a gas turbine engine is no less than 1.5-2 times higher than for a diesel engine. Accordingly, with a comparable volume of fuel, the cruising range of a tank with a gas turbine engine is significantly less.
• A gas turbine engine is an order of magnitude more difficult to maintain than a diesel engine, and is more demanding both in terms of technical personnel and repair conditions.
• 1 T-80 gas turbine engine costs approximately the same as 10 T-72 diesel engines. At the same time, the main armament and protection of the three Soviet main tanks T-64, T-72 and T-80 are approximately the same, and the T-80 does not stand out at all.

Comparison with the MBT of a potential enemy

By rights, the main competitor of the T-80 is the American M1A1 Abrams main battle tank. This is quite logical, because the vehicles entered service with their countries at approximately the same time. The American competitor is only 4 years younger than the domestic tank.

Another interesting fact is that both cars are equipped with gas turbine engines. At the same time, the dimensions of the T-80 are smaller than those of the M1A1. This makes him less noticeable on the battlefield. Although, given the capabilities of modern high-precision weapons, this is a rather controversial advantage, for which the designers had to sacrifice the engine heat exchanger.

According to the stated data, the degree of air purification of the M1A1 engine is one hundred percent, while that of the T-80 is 1.5% less. But for some reason the Abrams is more difficult to operate in desert conditions. The American engine stalls due to a clogged filter. The domestic analogue feels great in any weather and climatic conditions.

The M1A1 weighs 60 tons, has a cruising range of 395-430 kilometers with a maximum speed of 70 km/h. Our T-80 boasts 46 tons of live weight and 355 kilometers of power reserve. This can be explained by the lower fuel consumption of the Abrams. This can be corrected by installing additional tanks on the T-80 hull; unfortunately, this does not allow increasing the ceiling speed of 60 km/h.

The American's armament is slightly different from its Soviet competitor.

The M1A1 is equipped with a 120 mm smoothbore gun, with 40 rounds of ammunition (versus our 45 for the T-80U). It is possible to fire sub-caliber and cumulative projectiles guided by missiles. The gun is loaded manually, so the number of tankers is four. Abrams has a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun installed on the turret, and two more 7.62 mm are paired with the main gun.

The most important issue is the price. The cost of the M1A1 Abrams is approximately $6 million. The T-80 costs the treasury about two million, which is cheaper. You can argue endlessly about whose main battle tank is better. Everyone has pros and cons, the most important thing is that they occur only at tank competitions, checkered sheets and virtual space.

In service

• USSR - passed to the states formed after the collapse.
• Russia: Russian Army - 450 T-80BV and T-80U, (3000 T-80B, T-80BV, T-80U in storage), as of 2016
• Coastal troops of the Russian Navy - 200 T-72 and T-80 tanks, as of 2014

Combat use of the most powerful tank of the Soviet Union

Oddly enough, the equipment created to protect the borders of the Soviet homeland did not take part in their defense. Not a single copy of the T-80 took part in battles for the USSR. The first combat use occurred on the territory of the Russian Federation in the fall of 1993.

It was the “eighties” who fired at the White House building in Moscow.

And then there was Chechnya. From 1995 to 1996, T-80 tanks took part in battles against the Republic of Ichkeria. I would like to note that the technology was used inadequately, sometimes not for its intended purpose.

Poor crew training, lack of dynamic protection, and the use of vehicles in urban and mountainous conditions led to losses. The command made conclusions and the T-80 was no longer used in the second Chechen campaign.

It should be said that after the collapse of the USSR, most of the tanks remained on the territory of Ukraine, along with the Kharkov plant, where this equipment was produced.

T-80BVM. Second life of the tank

In 2022, T-80BVM tanks began to enter service with the Russian army. The supply of modernized tanks to strengthen the northern territories caused a strong reaction from the Norwegian military. What are T-80 tanks and their modifications? For what purpose did the Russian army need a tank that was previously in storage? Read our material.

In the 70s, the military leadership of the USSR faced problems that required serious solutions. One of these problems was the not very successful main battle tank T-64, which, in addition to gradually becoming outdated and no longer meeting the requirements of modern conflicts, also turned out to be not a very reliable vehicle. The military complained about the capricious engine and chassis. It became clear that this tank needed to be replaced. At the same time, military analysts have come to the conclusion that in a modern large-scale military conflict, nuclear weapons will be used even before the parties have time to engage in serious clashes.

The leadership of the USSR intended to eliminate such widely differing problems with one solution. This solution was to be a new main battle tank. According to the military, the newest combat vehicle was supposed to both compensate for all the problems of the T-64 in terms of engine and chassis, and surpass it in armor. But the main emphasis was on the mobility of the tank. It was assumed that the combat vehicle would have excellent speed performance. The high speed of the tank, according to the plans of the military leadership, should have allowed for quick strikes and deep raids on enemy territory. First of all, this concerned Europe. The military assumed that if they captured European cities in a swift raid, then NATO simply would not dare to launch nuclear strikes, including on the captured territory.

To solve such ambitious problems, the designers approached it in a very original way. It was decided to equip the tank not with an ordinary diesel tank engine, but with a gas turbine engine. This is how the last main battle tank of the USSR, the T-80, later called the “Channel Tank,” began its military career.

In 1976, the T-80 tank was adopted by the USSR. According to the designers, the tank combined and enhanced all the best aspects of the previously launched T-64 and T-72 tanks and eliminated the worst. The vehicle received more modern tracks and chassis, enhanced armor and a gas turbine engine. Subsequently, the tank underwent modernization more than once, which resulted in improved performance of the vehicle. The first such modernization in 1978 was the T-80B version.

Unlike the standard T-80, its modification was equipped with a more modern fire control system, an improved engine, grenade launchers for launching Tucha smoke grenades and a system for launching Cobra guided missiles. The T-80 turret was unified with the T-64.

The conflict in Afghanistan, which began in 1979, into which the armed forces of the USSR were drawn, revealed a number of shortcomings of Soviet tanks. First of all, this concerned the protection of armored vehicles from anti-tank missiles. The T-80 did not participate in the Afghan conflict, but heavy losses in other armored vehicles during the fighting forced Soviet designers to look more closely at tank protection. Moreover, the T-80s, which were located in the European part of the USSR, were supposed to play the role of one of the main shock hammers in the event of a large-scale war. The protection of the new tank needed to be strengthened.

In response to requests from the military to improve the protection of tanks from anti-tank weapons, the T-80 was modernized to the level of the T-80BV. The modification involved installing Contact dynamic protection units on the tank and strengthening the upper frontal armor plate. A new version of the tank was put into service in 1985 at the Leningrad LKZ.

However, the Soviet military did not stop at the T-80BV version. The tank continued to be modernized. Also in 1985, the Kirov Plant, located in Leningrad, presented its modification of the T-80U. The new modernization of the vehicle had very significant changes from the basic version of the tank. The fire control system was significantly redesigned and improved, the tank's protection was seriously enhanced by installing Kontakt-5 dynamic protection, a modern fire protection system "Rime" was installed, and the vehicle's turret was redesigned and received enhanced armor. A system appeared for launching anti-tank missiles through the barrel of the Reflex tank.

The operation of the T-80 by the troops also revealed its weaknesses. First of all, it was the tank engine. The operation of a gas turbine engine required significant funds for its repair and maintenance. In addition, the tank turned out to be very voracious. The level of fuel consumption exceeded the average consumption by more than one and a half times compared to other main tanks. The military also complained about the not very convenient automatic loading system for the gun, and the actual isolation of the driver’s position from the fighting compartment. There were also complaints about the concept of the tank itself. Some experts noted that despite the novelty of the T-80, in fact the tank did not contain anything significantly revolutionary except the engine. The new tank, in its initial characteristics, was very similar to the T-64 and T-72 that were previously in service.

With the coming to power of the new General Secretary of the USSR, Gorbachev, the country's foreign policy was aimed at reconciliation with Western countries. A course was taken towards “perestroika” and arms reduction. In addition, in the second half of the 80s, the Soviet Union began to experience economic difficulties. All these factors affected tank building. The T-80, which was considered too expensive a tank for the army, needed to be made cheaper. To solve this problem, design bureaus of the country were involved, such as KB-3 of the Kirov plant, the design bureau of the Omsk machine-building plant and the design bureau of the Malyshev plant in Kharkov. It was planned to re-equip the T-80 from gas turbine engines to diesel engines, which were considered more economical. The Cold War was moving towards its end; the country’s leadership no longer needed high-speed tanks for the “jump to the English Channel”.

Of the three design bureaus, the Kharkovites managed to win this fight. They already had the groundwork for converting the T-80 to a diesel engine; subsequently, T-80 tanks equipped with a diesel engine began to be called T-80UD. The tank was put into service in 1987 and was produced at the Kharkov plant; about 800 units of T-80UD tanks were built, which were mainly used by units located on the territory of the Ukrainian SSR.

After the collapse of the USSR in 1991, the T-80 went mainly to the countries formed on the European territory of the Soviet Union. Such as Ukraine, Belarus and most of Russia. From this very moment, a massive sale of T-80s begins in order to improve the very difficult economic situation of the states formed after the collapse of the USSR. Thus, in 1996, an agreement was concluded between Ukraine and Pakistan for the supply of more than three hundred T-80UD tanks to the Pakistani armed forces. Also, back in 1992, through a number of front companies, the UK acquired five T-80 tanks for careful study; later one vehicle was transferred to the USA for similar tasks.

Russia did not lag behind in terms of selling the T-80. After the collapse of the USSR, the T-80 was presented by the Russian defense industry as the main export tank; it was actively shown at various arms exhibitions, and special modifications were offered for any country that wanted to purchase this equipment. However, the T-80 could not find its buyer for a very long time. Despite the high ratings of the tank's combat performance at various exhibitions and shows, representatives of foreign countries preferred to purchase cheaper and easier to operate T-72s rather than an expensive gas turbine vehicle.

This situation saw positive changes only in 1996. The Republic of Cyprus decided to purchase the T-80U. 41 tanks were ordered, and the contract was fully completed in 1997.

Another country that received T-80 tanks in 1996 was South Korea. However, this contract had a slightly different formula than with Cyprus. Russia, as the legal successor of the USSR, pledged to pay off all debts incurred by the Soviet Union. One of these countries, which remained indebted to the collapsed USSR, was South Korea. To pay off the debt, Russia, experiencing economic difficulties, offered Seoul to give away Russian military equipment, including the T-80. The South Korean authorities agreed to a similar deal and purchased T-80U in the amount of about 43 tanks. In the armed forces of the Republic of Korea, during exercises, the Russian tank often played the role of an adversary to other South Korean MBTs and posed as a North Korean tank.

With the advent of the T-90 tank, a new export item for the Russian defense industry, things went even worse for the T-80, as a vehicle for sales abroad. Another negative factor in the fate of the tank was the deplorable economic situation of the Omsk transport engineering plant of the main supplier of the T-80U.

The nineties were also the years of the first combat use of T-80 tanks. In 1993, during the “October Putsch,” T-80U tanks of the Kantemirovsky division fired at the white house in which opponents of the Yeltsin regime had barricaded themselves. 12 shells were fired, of which two were sub-caliber and ten were high-explosive fragmentation. After tank shots and a fire started in the building, Yeltsin’s opponents began to surrender.

The next combat use of the T-80 was the outbreak of the war in Chechnya. T-80BV acted on the side of the federal forces and fought with militants, including in Grozny. During the fighting, according to various sources, about 25 tanks out of about 150 T-80BVs participating in the conflict were irretrievably lost. During battles, tank losses were often due to poor interaction with other military units, sometimes not very good crew training, command miscalculations, and the militants being seriously equipped with anti-tank weapons. In several cases, tank battles were recorded between the T-80BV and Dudayev's T-72s, in which the tanks of the federal troops often emerged victorious. It is worth noting the sometimes very poor technical condition of the tanks, which led to losses. T-80BVs going into battle sometimes did not have explosives in the remote control units, which actually completely deprived this protection of its meaning. There were moments when tanks were left alone with the enemy without infantry support.

Not the most successful debut in the Chechen War, the high cost of maintenance and operation, as well as the difficult economic situation in the Omsk backwater of transport engineering forced the military leadership to gradually reduce the share of T-80s in the troops. Gas turbine tanks were replaced by simpler and cheaper diesel T-72s. T-80s did not participate in subsequent conflicts waged by the Russian Federation.

Meanwhile, the military did not lose faith in the combat capabilities of the T-80. In the 90s, improvements to the tank continued, the creation of new modifications and work on bugs. All this resulted in the development and design of the Black Eagle tank. In fact, this vehicle was a significant modification of the T-80. The tank has a new turret capable of accommodating a 152mm gun in the future. The turret's armor was strengthened, a new dynamic protection "Cactus" and an active protection system "Drozd-2" were installed on the tank, and a remote-controlled combat module with a "Kord" heavy machine gun was installed. It was planned to install a new engine with a capacity of more than 1,500 horsepower in the promising tank. A prototype of the tank was presented in 1997.

However, the general inclination of the military leadership towards the T-72 tanks, the desire to get a vehicle with an uninhabited fighting compartment and main weapons that could be controlled remotely, put an end to the Black Eagle as a mass-produced tank for the Russian Army. But the developments gained during the development of this vehicle were useful for the subsequent development of Russian tanks and the creation, among other things, of the T-14 Armata tank.

Attempts to improve the combat capabilities of the T-80 tank were also carried out in Ukraine. First of all, the developers were aimed at creating a well-selling vehicle for export based on the T-80 in order to win the market from the Russian T-90 tank, which was in good demand. This activity led to the creation of the T-84 tank in 1994. In fact, the T-84 was a T-80UD with enhanced armor protection, a new dynamic protection “Knife”, and an active protection system “Shtora” or “Varta”. A more powerful engine, up to 1200 horsepower, was installed in the tank.

However, the T-84 never found its buyer; several tanks were subsequently put into service and purchased by the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, but this was not at all what the developers expected. Another attempt to enter the armored vehicles market was the installation of a NATO 120mm cannon on the T-84. This tank was planned to be sold to Turkey in 2000, however, this version of the T-84, called “Yatagan”, did not interest buyers. It became clear that the improved version of the T-80UD was not suitable for foreign sales; large-scale work was required to create a truly promising tank. And it was done.

In 2008, Ukraine presented its new BM Oplot tank. "Oplot" was a noticeably improved version of the T-84. The new tank has a new turret, enhanced armor protection, additional side screens, Doublet dynamic protection, and a seriously improved fire control system. The Thai military was interested in the new tank, as a result of which a contract was signed for the purchase of BM Oplot tanks from Ukraine. A total of 49 vehicles were ordered. However, the difficult economic and then political situation in Ukraine more than once disrupted the supply of tanks to the customer.

At the same time, in the Russian army, T-80s were increasingly abandoned by the troops, leaving for numerous storage bases. The military leadership was also very skeptical about the modernization of these machines, although the Spetsmash Design Bureau offered a variety of options for improving the machines. During the period 2007-2008, ten T-80BVs were upgraded to the T-80U-E1 level (Major overhaul plus increased turret protection to the T-80U level). By the beginning of the tenth years, the main formation that used the T-80U was the 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Division. In 2010, T-80BV tanks replaced the T-55 tanks in service with the 18th Machine Gun and Artillery Division on the Kuril Islands. Also in 2009, a new contact was made for the supply of 41 T-80U to Cyprus; the local military clearly liked this tank, and they wanted to replace the 52 obsolete French AMX-30 tanks that were in service with the tank brigade of the National Guard.

It seemed that the fate of the T-80 was predetermined; in fact, the tanks were put into storage as a mobilization reserve. However, everything changed in 2016. The Ministry of Defense has decided to remove some of the T-80 tanks from mothballing. In 2022, the Ministry of Defense entered into a contract for the overhaul and modernization of T-80BV tanks to the T-80BVM level with the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant. The tank, which had been relegated to the backyard, received a second life, and the plant, which was experiencing a difficult economic situation, received a serious financial boost.

There were very obvious reasons for this rather unexpected decision. With the arrival of the new Minister of Defense Sergei Shoigu, the army began to rapidly expand; the newly formed units needed equipment, including tanks. However, the T-72 did not suit the army in everything; in military units located in low temperature zones, military personnel complained about the T-72’s sensitivity to frost, about the difficult maintenance and operation of these tanks, especially when it came to starting the vehicles. At the same time, the T-80 with its gas turbine engine made it possible to quickly start the vehicle even in 50-degree frost conditions, which significantly reduced the time required to complete the combat mission.

Modification of the T-80BV to the level of the T-80BVM made it possible to significantly improve the characteristics of the vehicle. The tank received a modernized gas turbine engine GTD-1250TF with a power of 1250 horsepower, which also became more economical. According to experts, the fuel consumption of the modernized tank should be approximately at the level of the T-72B3. The T-80BVM also received the modern Sosna-U fire control system. The tank was equipped with a thermal imager, a modern laser rangefinder and a target tracking system. Instead of the Cobra missile launch complex, the tanks were equipped with modern Reflex installations, which made it possible to both increase the missile launch range and use more modern missile weapons. The dynamic protection of the tank was also replaced: instead of the outdated “Contact”, the vehicle was equipped with Relikt ERA units, which are also supposed to be installed on the modernized T-90 tanks.

The need to modernize tanks, in addition to improving their combat qualities, also touched on another side. The Ministry of Defense signed a contract for the modification of vehicles of the T-80BV series. First of all, this is due to the fact that most of the components for this modification are no longer produced in Russia. This applies to fire control systems, automatic loaders, Cobra guided weapons and other things. In fact, the T-80BV tanks in storage, if necessary, had to be repaired with very serious problems, and many similar vehicles were simply doomed to become donors for spare parts. At the same time, major repairs and replacement of most outdated mechanisms and systems during modernization completely solved this problem.

At the same time, the delivery of the new promising T-14 Armata tank into service has been delayed more than once, and the concluded contract for 100 vehicles of this type is clearly not the quantity that can cover the urgent need for parts in armored vehicles. It is also worth noting that the Armata tanks will primarily go to units that consist almost entirely of officers and contract soldiers. The Ministry of Defense clearly does not yet plan to allow conscript soldiers near the newest tank. However, most tank units are still staffed by conscripts, and these formations must be equipped with simple and easily operated equipment, which is the T-80BVM, the gas turbine engine of which does not even require cooling liquids.

At the moment, there are about three thousand T-80 tanks of various modifications at the storage bases of the Russian army; it would be simply stupid for the Ministry of Defense not to take advantage of such a huge supply of combat vehicles to staff its units. Moreover, the problem of why the tank was removed from active units, its gluttony, was solved. At the moment, according to the military, the T-80BVM, in terms of its combat qualities, is actually on the same level as the T-72B3 and T-90M tanks.

It is worth noting that the Russian military noticed the need to modernize the T-80BV after analyzing modern conflicts. Thus, during the fighting in Ukraine, its armed forces suffered serious losses in armored vehicles. To compensate for losses, the Ukrainian Armed Forces were forced to remove tanks from storage bases, including the T-80BV. However, the Ukrainian military encountered a number of problems in restoring these tanks to combat condition.

In addition to the fact that a fair percentage of the tanks had to be disassembled for spare parts to repair more serviceable vehicles, a serious problem arose with the engines, which simply broke down due to their old age. At the same time, the Ukrainian authorities were forced to admit that they were not able to purchase more modern armored vehicles, including their own Oplot combat vehicle. Thus, the developed and advertised main battle tank of Ukraine turned out to be beyond its means. The T-80BVs removed from storage were used to strengthen the Marine Corps units of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and have not yet participated in hostilities in the Donbass; the T-80BVs had to fight in another modern conflict.

In 2012, Belarus sold more than 60 T-80BV tanks from its reserves to the Yemeni army. It is worth noting that these were almost all the T-80 tanks available in Belarus. In Yemen, the tanks were transferred to the Presidential Guard, the most trained army unit. In 2014, an uprising against the current regime began in Yemen; the main force of the uprising was the Houthis.

At the beginning of 2015, during the battles for the country's capital, the city of Sana'a, one of the T-80BVs, at the disposal of the presidential guard, was destroyed by the rebels. After the Houthis captured the capital, they received almost all the T-80BV delivered from Belarus. Subsequently, these tanks participated in several rebel operations against regime supporters and the Saudi coalition that invaded Yemen. During the fighting, several more T-80BVs were lost; soon, due to the complete dominance of enemy aircraft over the battlefield and the difficulty in maintaining tanks, the T-80BVs stopped taking part in combat operations.

The presence of tanks among the Houthis, including the T-80BV, significantly helped them carry out offensive operations, while after the start of air supremacy of enemy aircraft and the destruction of many pieces of equipment by airstrikes, the rebels were forced to adopt mainly defensive tactics. It is worth noting that during the battles, the T-80BV came under fire more than once, including from anti-tank weapons, and often its armor and remote protection coped with the protection of the tank.

The Russian Ministry of Defense, having studied foreign experience in operating T-80BV tanks, concluded that the vehicle can still be used during combat operations and has potential. At the moment, a contract has been concluded for the modernization of 62 T-80BV tanks to the T-80BVM level. It is also worth noting that in addition to modernization, overhaul of T-80BVs being removed from storage is also being actively carried out; these vehicles are being used to equip units in the Far East (about 120 tanks) and the north of the country. During the overhaul, the tanks receive a modern fire control system and, according to some reports, an economical gas turbine engine.

It is also worth noting the fact that the replenishment of troops with T-80 tanks caused a lot of criticism from various experts. In their negative reviews, they indicate that the supply of T-80BVM to the troops is a waste of funds in the form that the logistics of supplying units that will be armed with both T-72B3 and T-80BVM tanks will be disrupted. But it is worth noting that during the modification the tanks will be maximally unified with the vehicles in service with the Russian army, especially since the ammunition for their guns is the same. Plus, the T-80BVM will be sent mainly to the northern regions of the country and will try to replace the T-72, which did not really take root in those difficult conditions.

Another factor for which the T-80BVM is criticized is its ability to start quickly compared to other equipment, which is mainly powered by diesel engines. According to a number of critics, in the event of a surprise attack, the T-80BVM will be the only type of equipment that can quickly leave the territory of the unit and move forward to carry out a combat mission, while the remaining vehicles will remain for a long time and painfully start up, while the tanks will be forced to either conduct combat operations alone, or wait for the rest of the units to gather.

It’s worth saying right away that if such a scenario comes true, the military command will be happy to get their hands on at least some combat-ready equipment in order to cover preparations for the advance of the rest of the military unit. At the same time, modern conflicts have shown that in conditions of battle and a surprise attack, military equipment can be destroyed in the first minutes of a war by air force and missile attacks. Therefore, a quick exit from a place of permanent deployment is vital for all personnel and combat vehicles, and here another question is raised: achieving quick launch and advancement in low temperature conditions should be achieved not only from tanks, but also from other equipment.

At the same time, even if the T-80BVMs are the only vehicles that can leave the unit’s territory in a short time and move forward to carry out a combat mission, they can easily take on board a tank landing force that will support the tanks in a ground battle. By the way, the use of tank landings has been used very successfully since World War II, and over time this tactic has only improved. It is worth taking into account the tactics of operating gas turbine tanks not only in the first minutes of the conflict, but also in subsequent combat operations, in which the T-80BVM will always be able to quickly start up and, accordingly, change positions and move forward to perform tasks faster than its diesel counterparts.

It is also worth noting that the commissioning of the T-80BVM will improve the economic condition of the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant. This, in turn, will help create competition between him and the Ural Carriage Plant, which previously had a monopoly in the supply of tanks for the Russian army and could afford to raise prices for military equipment, which in the early tens resulted in that the Ministry of Defense simply refused to buy domestic tanks.

The tankers themselves are very positive about the idea of ​​supplying the T-80BVM to the troops. Many of them concluded that a better vehicle for the north simply could not be found; operation of the tank in severe frost conditions confirmed its declared characteristics and unpretentiousness.

Some experts compared the T-80BVM with the Leopard 2A4 tanks in service with Norway, indicating that German MBTs are much better than the modernized Russian ones. However, the Norwegian military itself expressed its opinion on this statement. In November 2022, a number of Norwegian officials stated that their equipment, compared to the T-80BVM tanks supplied to the Russian army, was outdated and needed to be replaced with a more modern one. Even the commander of the troops himself advised the Norwegian Minister of Defense to strengthen the country’s armed forces, looking at the successes of the Russian army. Of course, such statements can also be regarded as an attempt to extort money from the country’s leadership for the needs of the army under the pretext of the “Russian threat”, but nevertheless, the T-80BVM made a certain impression on the Norwegian army.

It is also argued that upgrading the T-80BVM is too cheap. But it is worth noting that the T-80 is also not a new tank, and doing something too expensive does not make much sense, since the army should gradually be re-equipped with T-14 Armata tanks, at the same time, using the example of the Ukrainian Oplot BM “You can consider how modifying a tank became so expensive that it simply did not make economic sense for the state to buy it. The T-80BVM modification allows you to quickly re-equip a large percentage of the army with tanks that are quite capable of solving problems in a modern conflict.

It is worth noting that every year the pressure on the Russian north is only growing. NATO armed forces are concentrating their forces in the Baltic states, and Western countries are conducting exercises to conduct combat operations in the low temperatures typical of Russia. Statements have been made more than once about the need for the Russian Federation to give up part of its Arctic territories; NATO troops are actively practicing possible military operations with the Russian army in the low temperatures of the far north in Canada. All this suggests that Russia needs to strengthen its northern territories using all available methods, including T-80BVM tanks, which many have already dubbed not “Channel tanks”, but “Arctic tanks”.

Alexander Dolbysh for ANNA-News

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Victories in the virtual space

Gamers associate the T-80 tank with the confrontation between the USSR and the USA. In most games where these superpowers clash, the main armored force of the Soviet country is this vehicle. New “Free to play” games, such as “Armored Warfare” also promise this example of Soviet equipment at the end of the leveling up branch. It is popular among military strategy developers.

The T-80 became the final chord of Soviet designers who worked on creating the technology for 10 years.

In 2015, the government of the Russian Federation decided to replace this model of equipment with the modernized T-72B-3. The reason for the replacement is the futility of modernizing the tank.

Instead, the troops will also receive the latest Armata tanks. This cannot be said that this is the end of the T-80, because the replacement will occur gradually, and the equipment will serve its homeland for a long time. Especially in the cold regions of Russia, where the gas turbine engine is a good ace in the hole. After all, for a tank, 42 ​​years is the prime of life, and not the end of life.

Where can you see

Object 219A in the Kubinka Museum

T-80B in the Artillery Museum of St. Petersburg

T-80 in Khabarovsk

• Livny, Oryol region, T-80B installed at the intersection of Oktyabrskaya and Gaidara streets.
• Tsivilsk, Republic of Chuvashia T-80UD installed next to the Russia House of Culture:
• Arkhangelskoye village, Moscow region - T-80B, Vadim Zadorozhny Museum of Technology;
• Bryansk - T-80U, Memorial Complex "Partisanskaya Polyana";
• Verkhnyaya Pyshma - T-80UD, Museum of Military Equipment "Military Glory of the Urals";
• Vidnoye, Moscow region - T-80B, installed in front of the obelisk-monument to those killed in the Great Patriotic War;
• Vologda, Vologda region - T-80BV, installed in Victory Park;
• Kazan - T-80, one of the first models, the territory of the former military tank school, since the school was the only one in the former USSR that trained command personnel for this vehicle;
• Kazan - T-80U, Victory Memorial Park in Kazan;
• Kamenka village, Vyborg district, Leningrad region - on a pedestal, near the A-125 highway;
• Kostroma - T-80UD, Victory Park;
• Kubinka - T-80BV and T-80U, Central Museum of Armored Weapons and Equipment in Kubinka;
• Moscow - T-80U, on a pedestal at the military department of the Moscow Institute of Steel and Alloys;
• Moscow - T-80UD, Moscow Suvorov Military School;
• Moscow - T-80U, on the territory of the Russian State Social University;
• Ramenskoye, Moscow region - T-80, City Park of Culture and Leisure;
• St. Petersburg - Military Historical Museum of Artillery, Engineering Troops and Signal Corps;
• St. Petersburg - T-80BV, Oil Road;
• Saratov - T-80BV (or early T-80U), “Saratov State Museum of Military Glory” in Victory Park on Sokolova Mountain;
• Sertolovo (Leningrad Region) - one of the first production T-80s (object 219 joint venture 2, 1976), in front of a military unit on a pedestal;
• Togliatti - Technical Museum named after K. G. Sakharov
• Khabarovsk - Military History Museum of the Eastern (Far Eastern) Military District;
• Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk - Kommunistichesky Avenue 27
• Chelyabinsk - Victory Garden Park
• Cherepovets - T-80B, Victory Park
• village of Sholokhovo (Moscow region) - T-80B, Museum complex of the history of the T-34 tank."
• Belarus:
• Gomel - T-80B, Gomel Regional Museum of Military Glory;
• Loshany village - T-80B, historical and cultural complex “Stalin Line”.
• Kazakhstan:
• Karaganda - military school;
• Ukraine:
• Kyiv - National Defense Academy of Ukraine;
• Kyiv - T-80UD, Museum of the Great Patriotic War.