T-80

"T80" redirects here. For other uses, see T80 (disambiguation).

T-80
T-80BVM, the latest variant of the T-80
TypeMain battle tank
Place of originSoviet Union
Service history
In service1976–present
Used bySee Operators
Wars
Production history
DesignerNikolay Popov, LKZ (T-80)[3] KMDB (T-80UD)
Designed1967–1975
ManufacturerLKZ and Omsk Transmash, Russia
Malyshev Factory, Ukraine[4]
Unit costUS$3 million[5]
Produced1975–2001 (T-80)[6]
1987–present (T-80UD)
No. built5500+ [needs update][4]
VariantsEngineering & recovery, mobile bridge, mine-plough with KMT-6 plough-type system and KMT-7 roller-type system.
Specifications (T-80B / T-80U)
Mass42.5 tons (T‑80B), 46 tons (T‑80U)[4]
Length
  • Gun forward: 9.9 m (32 ft 6 in) T-80B, 9.654 m (31 ft 8.1 in) T-80U
  • Hull: 7.4 m (24 ft 3 in) T-80B, 7 m (23 ft 0 in) T-80U[4]
Width3.4 m (11 ft 2 in) T-80B
3.603 m (11 ft 9.9 in) T-80U[4]
Height2.202 m (7 ft 2.7 in) T-80B, T‑80U[4]
Crew3[4]
Armour
  • T-80B – Hull 440–450 mm vs APFSDS 500–575 mm vs HEAT, Turret 500 mm vs APFSDS 650 mm vs HEAT[7]
  • T-80U – Hull & turret with Kontakt-5 780 mm vs APFSDS 1,320 mm vs HEAT[8]
Main
armament
Smoothbore 125 mm 2A46-2 gun,[9] 36 rounds and 4 9M112 Kobra ATGMs (T-80B)
2A46M-1 with 45 rounds and 6 9M119 Refleks ATGMs (T-80U)[4]
Secondary
armament
7.62 mm PKT coax MG, 12.7 mm NSVT or DShK or PKT antiaircraft MG
EngineSG-1000 gas turbine T-80B, GTD-1250 turbine T-80U, or one of 3 diesel T‑80UD[10]
1,000 hp T-80B, 1,250 hp T‑80U[4]
Power/weight23.5 hp (17.6 kW) / tonne T-80B
27.2 hp (20.3 kW) / tonne T-80U
TransmissionManual, 5 forward gears, 1 reverse T-80B, 4 forward, 1 reverse T-80U[4]
SuspensionTorsion bar[4]
Ground clearance0.38 m (1.2 ft) T-80B, 0.446 m (1.46 ft) T-80U[4]
Fuel capacity1,100 litres (240 imp gal) (internal)
740 litres (160 imp gal) (external)
Operational
range
335 km (208 mi) (road, without external tanks)
415 km (258 mi) (road, with external tanks)[4]
Maximum speed 80 km/h (50 mph) (T-80U)
48 km/h (30 mph) (cross country)[10]

The T-80 is a main battle tank (MBT)[11] that was designed and manufactured in the former Soviet Union and manufactured in Russia. The T-80 is based on the T-64, while incorporating features from the later T-72 and changing the engine to a gas turbine. When it entered service in 1976, it was the first production tank to be powered solely by turbine.[a]

The chief designer of the T-80 was Soviet engineer Nikolay Popov.[13] The T-80U was last produced in 2001 in a factory in Omsk, Russia. In 2023, the CEO of Uralvagonzavod announced that production would restart.[14]

The Ukrainian T-80UD diesel engine variant continued to be produced in Ukraine. The T‑80 and its variants are in service in Belarus, Cyprus, Egypt, Kazakhstan,[15] Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine and Uzbekistan. Ukraine further developed the T‑80UD as the T‑84.

  1. ^ "Last Battle T-80BV in Yemen". soldat. Retrieved 2022-05-06.
  2. ^ Gatopoulos, Alex. "The weapons being sent to Ukraine and why they may not be enough". www.aljazeera.com.
  3. ^ Foss 2005, p. 89-90.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Foss 2005, p. 93-94.
  5. ^ Dejong, Bruce (January 1995). "T-80U Main Battle Tank". Red Thrust Star. US Army. Archived from the original on 2008-02-04.
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference Zaloga90 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Soviet Tank Programs (PDF) (Report). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2014-11-12.
  8. ^ Zaloga 2009, p. 24: Author mentions that Russian sources claim Kontakt-5 and the new turret armour provided an unprecedented amount of protection for the T-80U, equivalent to 780mm against APFSDS and 1,320mm against HEAT in the turret front..
  9. ^ Baryatinskiy 2007, p. 23.
  10. ^ a b Baryatinskiy 2007, p. 95.
  11. ^ "Soviet T-80 (1976)". 18 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2021-04-24. Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  12. ^ Nash, Mark (21 May 2020). "FV200 Turbine Test Vehicle". Tank Encyclopedia. Retrieved 2023-01-15.
  13. ^ "Умер создатель "летающего танка"". Lenta. 6 February 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-02-29. Retrieved 2008-02-28.
  14. ^ Axe, David (10 September 2023). "Russia Might Restart Production Of The T-80 Tank. Don't Expect It To Happen Soon". Forbes. Retrieved 2023-09-17.
  15. ^ Kolekcja Czołgi Świata, p. [page needed].


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