Function: Current Russian front line main battle tank (MBT).





Description: The T-80 MBT is a continuation of the T-64/T-72 series, retaining many similar features of the previous tanks. It is similar to the T-72 in that it retains the low silhouette, centrally mounted round turret with the commander seated to the right of the main gun and the gunner on the left. As with the T-72 the T-80 retains the use of the automatic loader, feeding ammunition from a 27 round circular magazine around the turret ring. Attached to the hull below the front slope is a toothed dozer blade. Beneath the blade are attachment points for the KMT-6 mine plow. The T-80 is the first Soviet design to incorporate a laser rangefinder as well as a gas turbine engine for increased automotive performance. The T-80 is currently in service with the Russian army and is slowly being replaced by the T-90.





General Characteristics, T-80 Main Battle Tank



Manufacturer:

KBTM, Omsk, Russian Federation



XKBM, Kharkov, Ukraine (T-80UD and T-84)





Transmission:

Automatic





Engine:

GTD-1250 gas turbine, 1250 horsepower (T-80U, T-80 originally equipped with the GTD-1000 delivering 1,100 horsepower)





Length. Gun Forward:

31.69 feet (9.66 meters)





Width:

12.00 feet (3.60 meters)





Height:

7.21 feet (2.20 meters)





Combat Weight:

46 tons





Cruising Range:

350 kilometers (600 kilometers with additional fuel tanks)





Speed:

Maximum: 43 mph (70 kph)



Cross Country: 30 mph (48 kph)





Obstacle Crossing:

Trench: 9.35 feet (2.85 meters)

Slope: 32 degrees







Fording:

Without preparation: 5.9 feet (1.8 meters)



With Snorkel: 16.4 feet (5 meters), or (39.4 feet (12 meters) with BROD-M system





Crew:

A three-man crew composed of a driver, gunner, and tank commander





Armament:

Main: 125mm 2A46M-1 main gun



Secondary: One 12.7mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun (commander's station), one 7.62mm PKT coaxial machine gun





Ammunition:

45 125mm Cannon rounds (combination of kinetic energy (SABOT), High Explosive Anti Tank (HEAT) shaped charge, High Explosive-Fragmentation (HE-FRAG), cannon launched AT-8 ATGM)



450 12.7mm machine gun rounds



1,000 7.62mm machine gun rounds





Sensors:

Shtora-1 countermeasures suite (T-80UK, T-80UM1)



Arena active protection system (T-80UM1, T-84)





Introduction Date:

1978











Variants:

T-80: Original production version. Fielded in 1978, equipped with the GTD-1000 gas turbine engine delivering 1100 horsepower. Utilized the same 125mm smoothbore cannon (2A46M-1) as the T-72 series but capable of firing the cannon launched, 9M177 Kobra ATGM (NATO designation AT-8 SONGSTER.) Tank is equipped with a 7.62mm PKT machine gun coaxial mounted on the right side of the cannon and a 12.7mm NSV machine gun mounted in the commanders cupola.



T-80B: First upgrade. Incorporates composite K ceramic armor in turret design to improve defense against kinetic energy (KE) penetrators. T-80BK is the command variant of the B model and has increased communications equipment. T-80BV: B model equipped with first generation reactive armor. At the time of its introduction, the application of reactive armor made the T-80 immune to all NATO ATGMs in production. The T-80BVK was the command variant of the T-80BV.



T-80U: First observed in 1989. Designated the M1989 SMT (Soviet Medium Tank). Modifications include a new turret design with improved frontal armor as well as the application of second generation explosive reactive armor. The AT-8 has been replaced by the cannon launched, laser guided 9M119 Refleks ATGM (NATO designation AT-11 SNIPER). Engine has been upgraded to the more powerful GTD-1250 gas turbine producing 1250 horsepower. The commander's weapon station has been redesigned to allow the firing of the 12.7 NSVT machinegun from within the turret. The T-80UK is the command variant of the T-80U. In addition to additional communications equipment, the T-80UK also fields the Shtora-1 countermeasures suite, an automated system combining an infrared jammer, laser warning system, and grenade discharging system.



T-80UM1: Incorporates new gunner's thermal sight as well as the Shorta-1 countermeasures suite and new Arena active ATGM protection system. Use of the Arena system precludes the need for the Kontakt-5 second generation reactive armor and so it has been removed.



T-80UD: Esentially a Ukrainian built version of the Russian T-80U. Major differences include the replacement of the gas turbine engine with a GTF V-12 diesel engine producing 1000 horsepower and the use of first generation reactive armor in pmace of the second generation Kontakt-5 ERA.



T-84: An improved version of the Ukrainian T-80UD incorporating the 6TD-2 diesel engine generating 1200 horsepower. In addition, the T-84 fields the Shtora-1 countermeasures suite and the ARENA active antimissile defensive system as well as the Ukrainian produced KBA-3 125mm smoothbore cannon and 28 round autoloader.