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| T-80 | |
|---|---|
 T-80B at the Victory Day Parade 2005 |
|
| Type | Main battle tank |
| Place of origin |  Soviet Union |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1976 – present |
| Used by | Belarus, Cyprus, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, Ukraine |
| Wars | First Chechen War, Second Chechen War, 2008 South Ossetia War[1] |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Nikolay Popov, LKZ (T-80),[2] KMDB (T-80UD) |
| Designed | 1967 – 1975 |
| Manufacturer | LKZ and Omsk Transmash, Russia Malyshev Factory, Ukraine[3] |
| Unit cost | USD $2.2 million T80U export, 1994.[5] |
| Produced | 1976 – 1992[4] |
| Number built | 5,404 (as of 2005)[3] |
| Variants | engineering & recovery, mobile bridge, mine-plough with KMT-6 plough-type system and KMT-7 roller-type system. |
| Specifications (T-80B / T-80U) | |
| Weight | 42.5 tonnes T-80B, 46 tonnes T-80U[6] |
| Length | 9.9 m (32 ft 6 in) T-80B, 9.654 m (31 ft 8.1 in) T-80U (gun forward) 7.4 m (24 ft 3 in) T-80B, 7 m (23 ft 0 in) T80U, (hull)[6] |
| Width | 3.4 m (11 ft 2 in) T-80B 3.603 m (11 ft 9.9 in) T-80U[6] |
| Height | 2.202 m (7 ft 2.7 in) T-80B, T-80U[6] |
| Crew | 3[6] |
| Armour | T-80B 550mm turret,500mm hull, T-80U turret 780mm vs APFSDS 1,320mm VS HEAT [7] |
| Main armament |
125 mm 2A46-2 smoothbore gun,[10] 36 rounds T-80B, 2A46M-1 with 45 rounds T-80U 9M112 Kobra ATGM, 4 missiles T-80B, 9M119 Refleks ATGM, 6 missiles T-80U[6] |
| Secondary armament |
7.62 mm PKT coax MG, 12.7 mm NSVT or PKT antiaircraft MG |
| Engine | SG-1000 gas turbine T-80B, GTD-1250 turbine T-80U, or one of 3 diesel T-80UD[8][9] 1,000 hp T-80B, 1,250 hp T-80U[6] |
| Power/weight | 25.9 hp/tonne T-80B 27.2 hp/tonne T-80U |
| Transmission | manual, 5 forward gears, 1 reverse T-80B, 4 forward, 1 reverse T-80U[6] |
| Suspension | torsion bar[6] |
| Ground clearance | 0.38 m (1.2 ft) T-80B, 0.446 m (1.46 ft) T-80U[6] |
| Fuel capacity | 1,100 litres (240 imp gal) (internal) 740 litres (160 imp gal) (external) |
| Operational range |
335 km (208 mi) (road, without external tanks) 440 km (270 mi) (road, with external tanks)[6] |
| Speed | 70 km/h (43 mph) (road) 48 km/h (30 mph) (cross country)[8] |
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Contents
Development history
The project to build the first Soviet turbine powered tank began in 1949. Its designer was A. Ch. Starostienko, who worked at the Leningrad Kirov Plant (LKZ). The tank was never built because available turbine engines were of very poor quality. In 1955 two prototype 1,000 hp (746 kW) turbine engine were built at the same plant under the guidance of G. A. Ogloblin. Two years later a team led by the famous heavy tank designer Ż. J. Kotin constructed two prototypes of the Ob'yekt 278 tank. Both were hybrids of the IS-7 and the T-10 heavy tanks, powered by the GTD-1 turbine engine, weighing 53.5 tonnes and armed with the M65 130 mm tank gun. The turbine engine allowed the tank to reach a maximum speed of 57.3 km/h (35.6 mph) but with only 1950 liters of fuel on board, range was a mere 300 km (190 mi). The two tanks were considered experimental vehicles and work on them eventually ceased. In 1963, the Morozov Design Bureau designed the T-64 and T-64T tanks. They used a GTD-3TL turbine engine which generated 700 hp (522 kW). The tank was tested until 1965. At the same time in Uralvagonzavod a design team under the guidance of L. N. Karcew created the Ob'yekt 167T tank. It used the GTD-3T turbine engine which supplied 801 hp (597 kW).[13]In 1966 the experimental Ob'yekt 288 rocket tank, powered by two aerial GTD-350 turbine engines with a combined power of 691 hp (515 kW), was first built. Trials indicated that twin propulsion was no better than the turbine engine which had been in development since 1968 at KB-3 of the Kirov Plant (LKZ) and at WNII Trans Masz. The tank from LKZ equipped with this turbine engine was designed by Nikolay Popov. It was constructed in 1969 and designated Ob'yekt 219 SP1. It was renamed the T-64T, and was powered by a GTD-1000T multi-fuel gas turbine engine producing up to 1,000 hp (746 kW). During the trials it became clear that the increased weight and dynamic characteristics required a complete redesign of the vehicle's caterpillar track system. The second prototype, designated Ob'yekt 219 SP2, received bigger drive sprockets and return rollers. The number of wheels was increased from four to five. The construction of the turret was altered to use the same compartment, 125 mm 2A46 tank gun, auto loader and placement of ammunition as the T-64A. Some additional equipment was scavenged from the T-64A. The LKZ plant built a series of prototypes based on Ob'yekt 219 SP2. After seven years of upgrades, the tank became the T-80.[14]
Description
The T-80 is similar in layout to the T-64; the driver's compartment is on the centre line at the front, the two man turret is in the centre with gunner on the left and commander on the right, and the engine is rear mounted.[15] Overall, its shape is also very similar to the T-64. The original T-80 design uses a 1,000 horsepower gas turbine instead of a 750 horsepower diesel engine, although some later variants of the T-80 revert to diesel engine usage. The gearbox is different, with five forward and one reverse gear, instead of seven forward and one reverse. Suspension reverts from pneumatic to torsion bar, with six forged steel-aluminium rubber-tyred road wheels on each side, with the tracks driven by rear sprockets.[15] The glacis is of laminate armour and the turret is armoured steel. The turret houses the same 125 mm 2A46 smoothbore gun as the T-72, which can fire anti-tank guided missiles as well as regular ordnance.[15] The tracks are slightly wider and longer than on the T-64 giving lower ground pressure.[15]The main gun is fed by the Korzina automatic loader. This holds up to 28 rounds of two-part ammunition in a carousel located under the turret floor.[16] Additional ammunition is stored within the turret. The ammunition comprises the projectile (APFSDS, HEAT or HE-Frag) plus the propellant charge, or the two part missile.[16] The autoloader is an effective, reliable, combat tested system which has been in use since the mid-1960s. The propellant charge is held inside a semi-combustible cartridge case made of a highly flammable material - this is consumed in the breech during firing, except for a small metal baseplate.[16]
A disadvantage highlighted during combat in Chechnya was the vulnerability of the T-80BV to catastrophic explosion.[16] The reason given by US and Russian experts is the vulnerability of stored semi-combustible propellant charges and missiles when contacted by the molten metal jet from the penetration of a HEAT warhead, causing the entire ammunition load to explode.[16] This vulnerability may be addressed in later models. When Western tank designs changed from non-combustible propellant cartridges to semi-combustible, they tended to separate ammunition stowage from the crew compartment with armoured blast doors, and provided 'blow-out' panels to redirect the force and fire of exploding ammunition away from the crew compartment.[16]
The autoloader takes between 7.1 and 19.5 seconds to load the main weapon, depending on the initial position of autoloader carousel.
The T-80's armor is made of composite armor on the turret and hull, while rubber flaps and sideskirts protect the sides and lower hull. The later T-80 models use explosive reactive armor and stronger armor, like the T-80U and T-80UM1. Other protection systems include the Shtora-1 and Arena APS, as well as the discontinued Drozd APS (though a limited number of T-80Us have them installed).
The latest T-80 variant in service, the T-84 Oplot, has an entirely new turret with armoured ammunition compartment to help prevent accidental detonation.
Production history
The T-64 was the earlier offering of the Morozov Design Bureau (KMDB), a high-technology main battle tank designed to replace the obsolescent IS-3 and T-10 heavy tanks, used in the Red Army's independent tank units. The T-72 was intended to be a tank mass-produced to equip the bulk of the Soviet Motor Rifle units, and for sale to export partners and eastern-bloc satellite states. The mechanically simpler T-72 is easier to manufacture, and easier to service in the field. For many years western analysts denied the usage of gas turbines as main propulsion. From a long distance T-64, T-72 and T-80 look alike even though the T-80 is 90 cm longer than the T-64.[11]
The Leningrad design bureau improved upon the earlier T-64 design, introducing a gas turbine engine in the original model, and incorporating suspension components of the T-72. This gave the tank a high power-to-weight ratio and made it easily the most mobile tank in service, albeit with acute range problems, as the turbine consumed fuel rapidly, even at engine idle. (Morozov's subsequent parallel development of the T-80UD replaced the gas turbine with a commercial turbo-diesel, to decrease fuel consumption and maintenance.) In comparison to its anticipated opponent, the M1 has a larger 1,500 hp (1,120 kW) gas turbine, but weighs 61 tons compared to the T-80s 42.6 tons, so it has a worse hp/t ratio of 24.5 compared to 27.1 and is less maneuverable than the T-80 (with GT). The T-80 can fire the same 9K112 Kobra (AT-8 Songster) anti-tank guided missile through the main gun as the T-64.
The T-80U(M) of the 1990s introduced the TO1-PO2 Agava gunner's thermal imaging sight and 9M119M Refleks-M guided missile, and later an improved 2A46M-4 version of the 125 mm gun and 1G46M gunner's sight was used.
Recently, the Russians seem to be abandoning the T-80s design[citation needed]. Perhaps because of the turbine-powered tank's high fuel consumption, and the poor combat performance of older T-80BV tanks in the early days of the war in Chechnya,[19] the Russian Army decided to standardize on the Uralvagonzavod factory's T-90 tank (derived from the T-72BM, but incorporating some T-80 technology), and have had some success selling it to the Indian Army. All T-72s, T-80s, and even the T-90 will be replaced starting 2025 by a new Russian tank which several designs are under development[citation needed]. The Omsk Tank Plant in Siberia is facing a shortage of domestic orders, unlike the Ukrainians which embraced the T-80 design and has had success updating and selling the tank. The Russians have only sold a small number of T-80 tanks to South Korea and China, and have demonstrated versions intended for export, including the T-80UM1 with active protection systems, and the advanced T-80UM2 Black Eagle concept tank. Although the T-80 production has stopped for the Russian Army, the Omsk plant still makes the tank for export. As of 2011 the Russian military has upgraded some T-80s to prolong their service lives,[20] and the T-80 will serve in the Russian army for years to come.[citation needed]
Ukrainian T-80UD
In parallel with the T-80U and Russia in general, the Morozov Bureau in Ukraine developed a diesel-powered version, the T-80UD. It is powered by the 1,000-hp 6TD-1 6-cylinder multi-fuel two-stroke turbo-piston diesel engine, ensuring high fuel efficiency and a long cruising range. The engine support systems make it possible to operate the tank at ambient fuel temperatures of up to 55°C and to ford to a water depth of 1.8 m. The T-80UD shares most of the T-80U's improvements, but can be distinguished from it by a different engine deck and distinctive smoke-mortar array and turret stowage boxes. It retains the remotely-controlled commander's machine gun. About 500 T-80UD tanks were built in the Malyshev plant between 1987–91. About 300 were still at the Ukrainian factory when the Soviet Union broke up, so the T-80UD tank and its design was far more welcomed in Ukrainian Military service. And is more common in Ukrainian service than Russian. The T-84 and Ukraine's older T-80s will be Ukraine's main battle tank well into the 21st century.[citation needed]A further improvement of the T-80UD is the Ukrainian T-84 main battle tank, which includes the new welded turret, a 1,200-hp (895 kW) 6TD-2 engine, Kontakt-5 reactive armour, the Shtora active protection system, a thermal imaging sight, a muzzle referencing system, and an auxiliary power unit. The T-84U (1999) shows many refinements, including deeper sideskirts, modified reactive armour, a small reference radar antenna near the gunner's hatch (used to track rounds and compensate for barrel wear), and a large armoured box for the auxiliary power unit at the rear of the right fender. Unlike Russia, Ukraine has had much better success selling T-80s and T-84s to foreign customers. Cyprus has bought a number for its small army. Pakistan countering India's adoption of the Russian T-90 has bought Ukrainian T-80UDs for its main armored corps in the Pakistani army. The T-84 Oplot (ten delivered in 2001) introduced turret-bustle ammunition storage, and to offer more sales to international market, the T-84-120 Yatagan has been offered for export, featuring a very large turret bustle and NATO-compatible 120 mm gun. As of 2010 Bangladesh has ordered a major purchase of T-84 Yatagans. In 2011 Azerbaijan announced its intention to buy Ukrainian T-84 Oplots to be Azerbaijan's main battle tank in its Army.
T-80 models
Main article: T-80 models
This section lists the main models of the T-80, built in the Soviet
Union, Russia and Ukraine, with the dates they entered service.Command tanks with additional radio equipment have K added to their designation for komandirskiy ("command"), for example, T-80BK is the command version of the T-80B. Versions with reactive armour have V added, for vzryvnoy ("explosive"), for example T-80BV. Less-expensive versions without missile capability have a figure 1 added, as T-80B1.
- T-80 (1976): Initial model, with 1,000-hp gas turbine engine, laser rangefinder, and no missile capability. This model does not have fittings for explosive reactive armor.
- T-80B (1978): This model had a new turret, fire-control, and autoloader allowing the firing of 9M112-1 Kobra antitank guided missile, and improved composite armour. An improved 1,100-hp engine was added in 1980, a new gun in 1982, and fittings for reactive armour in 1985. Reactive armor adds protection for 400mm equivalent armor to defend against HEAT warheads.
- T-80BV (1985): T-80B with explosive reactive armour.
- T-80A (1982): A move to standardization led to a single new larger and better-armoured turret being adopted for both this tank and the T-64BM, with improved fire-control.
- T-80U (1985): Further development with K5 explosive reactive armour, improved gunsight, and 9K119 Refleks missile system. In 1990 a new 1,250-hp engine was installed.
- T-80UD Bereza (1987): Ukrainian diesel version with 1,000-hp 6TD engine and remote-controlled antiaircraft machine gun.
- T-84 (1999): Further Ukrainian development of T-80UD with 1,200-hp diesel and new welded turret.
- Black Eagle tank (prototype: cancelled): Several Russian prototypes shown at trade shows, with a longer chassis and extra pair of road wheels, and very large turret with separate ammunition compartment.
Service history
Soviet Union
T-80 MBTs were never used in the way in which they were intended (large scale conventional war in Europe). They were deployed during the political and economical changes in Russia in the 1990s; In August 1991 communists and allied military commanders tried to overthrow Mikhail Gorbachev and regain control over the unstable Soviet Union. T-80UD tanks of the Russian 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division drove onto the streets of Moscow but the Soviet coup attempt failed.[23][24]
Russia
While a number of T-80 MBTs were inherited by Ukraine, Belarus and Kazakhstan, Russia had possession of the majority of the tanks.In 1995 the number of T-80 tanks increased to around 5,000 but was reduced in 1998 to 3,500.
The Russian Army currently has 3,044 T-80s and variants in active service and 1,456 in reserve.[20][21][22] There are at least 460 T-80UD in service with 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division and 4th Guards Kantemirowsk Motor Rifle Division.[25] A T-80BV is on display in Kubinka Tank Museum and a T-80U is on display at an open air museum in Saratov. The T-80Us have recently been seen at arms expos in Russia such as VTTV.
During the 1993 Russian constitutional crisis Boris Yeltsin ordered the use of tanks against the Supreme Soviet and the Congress of People's Deputies which opposed him. On 4 October 1993 six T-80UD MBTs from 12th Guards Tank Regiment, 4th Guards Kantemirovskaya Tank Division took positions on a bridge opposite the Russian parliament building, and fired on it.
In July 1998, a T-80 commanded by Major Igor Belyaev was driven into a square in front of the administration building of Novosmolensk and its gun aimed at the building in protest of several months of unpaid wages.[11]
First Chechen War
T-80B and T-80BV MBTs were never used in Afghanistan in the 1980s, but they were first used during the First Chechen War. This first real combat experience for T-80 MBTs was unsuccessful, as the tanks were used for capturing cities, a task for which they were not very well suited. The biggest tank losses were suffered during the ill-fated assault on the city of Grozny. The forces selected to capture Grozny were not prepared for such an operation, while the city was defended by, among others, veterans of the Soviet War in Afghanistan. The T-80 tanks used in this operation either did not have reactive armour (T-80B) or they were not fitted before the start of the operation (T-80BV), and the T-80 crews lacked sufficient training before the war.The inexperienced crews had no knowledge of the layout of the city, while the tanks were attacked by shoulder-launched anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade launchers operated by the defenders hidden in cellars and on top of high buildings. The anti-tank fire was directed at the least armoured points of the vehicles. Each destroyed tank received from three to six hits, and each tank was fired at by six or seven rocket-propelled grenades. A number of vehicles exploded when the autoloader, with vertically placed rounds, was hit: in theory it should have been protected by the road wheel, but, when the tanks got hit on their side armour, the ready-to-use ammunition exploded. Out of all armored vehicles that entered Grozny, 225 were destroyed in the first month alone, representing 10.23% of all the tanks committed to the campaign.[26] The T-80 performed so poorly that General-Lieutenant A. Galkin, the head of the Armor Directorate, convinced the Minister of Defence after the conflict to never again procure tanks with gas-turbine engines.[27] After that, T-80 MBTs were never again used to capture cities, and, instead, they supported infantry squads from a safe distance. Defenders of the T-80 point out that the T-72 performed just as badly in urban fighting in Grozny as the T-80 and that there were two mitigating factors: after the breakup of the Soviet Union, poor funding meant no training for new Russian tank crews, and the tank force entering the city had no infantry support, which is considered to be suicidal by many major military strategists of armored warfare.[25]
Exported T-80s
While other kinds of Soviet equipment, like the T-72, were exported to many countries around the world, T-80, like T-64 before it, had a status of secret weapon which meant that it was not planned to be exported early on.[28] Despite that, Poland was[when?] negotiating with the Soviet Union to buy either T-72S or T-80 MBTs. There were plans to start serial production of T-80 MBTs in Poland but it turned out that Polish industry wasn't yet ready to handle T-80 production. After the political changes of 1989 in Poland and the dissolution of the Soviet bloc, Polish-Soviet talks on purchase of modern tanks came to a halt. This led to Poland developing the PT-91 MBT.United Kingdom
In 1992, the United Kingdom bought a number of T-80U MBTs for defence research and development. They were not bought officially but through a specially created trading company which was supposed to deliver them to Morocco. The price of five million USD offered for each tank ensured a lack of suspicion on the part of the Russians. Britain evaluated the tanks on their proving grounds and transferred one to the US where the Americans evaluated it on the Aberdeen Proving Ground. While evaluating the vehicle, the US and UK are alleged to have noted any weak spots and flaws of the T-80U. In January 1994, British Minister of State for Defence Procurement Jonathan Aitken (answering a Question to the Secretary of State for Defence) confirmed in parliamentary debates that a Russian T-80U tank was imported for "defence research and development purposes".[28][29]People's Republic of China
Some sources considers in late 1993 Russia signed a contract with the People's Republic of China for the sale of 200 T-80U MBTs for evaluation. Only 50 were delivered.[30][31][32] But there is no corresponding materials from China.Pakistan
Ukrainian exports of the T-80UD have been moderately successful. In 1993 and 1995 Ukraine demonstrated the tank to Pakistan, which was looking for a new main battle tank. The tank was tested in Pakistan and in August 1996 Pakistan decided to buy 320 T-80UD tanks from Ukraine for $650 million in two variants: a standard Ob'yekt 478B and export Ob'yekt 478BE.[30][33][34][35] The tanks were all supposed to be delivered in 1997. After the first batch of 15 vehicles were shipped in February 1997, Russia protested that they held the rights to the tank and that Ukraine couldn't export it.[30][33] Nearly 70% of T-80UD components were produced outside of Ukraine (mainly in Russia). Under the guise of keeping good relations with India, one of its most important military customers, Russia withheld 2A46-2 125 mm smoothbore guns, cast turrets and other technology, which forced Ukraine to make its tank industry independent.[35] It developed domestic components, including a welded turret which was in use on the new T-84. Ukraine was able to ship 20 more T-80UD tanks to Pakistan between February and May 1997.[30][33] These 35 tanks were from Ukrainian Army stocks of 52 T-80UDs; they were built in the Malyshev plant several years before but were not delivered to their original destination. Their capabilities were below the standard agreed by both Ukraine and Pakistan.[33] The contract was completed by shipping another 285 Ukrainian T-80UD MBTs between 1997 and early 2002. These had the welded turret and other manufacturing features of the T-84.[30][33]Cyprus
Cyprus is the first foreign country to officially obtain T-80 tanks. Russia sold 27 T-80U and 14 T-80UK for $174 million to Cyprus in 1996. The tanks arrived in two batches. The first shipment consisted of 27 T-80U MBTs arriving in 1996, while the second batch of 14 T-80UK MBTs arrived in 1997. This significantly reinforced the army of this country; their best tank up until that point was the AMX-30B2. New tanks gave the Cypriot National Guard the edge in a possible confrontation with the Turkish Army in Northern Cyprus.[30][36][37] In October 2009 Cyprus ordered an additional batch of 41 used T-80Us and T-80UKs from Russia for €115 million. Deliveries are expected to be completed in the first half of 2011.[38]South Korea
South Korea was given 33 T-80U and 2 T-80UK tanks to pay Russian debts incurred during the days of the Soviet Union. The tanks came in three batches; the first was of six T-80Us in 1996, followed by 27 T-80Us in 1997, and finally two T-80UKs in 2005. Originally, eighty T-80Us were planned.[30][36]United States
The US Government obtained one T-80U from the United Kingdom. It was evaluated on the Aberdeen Proving Ground.[28] In 2003, the Ukraine transferred four T-80UD MBTs to the USA.[39]Failed export attempts
Apart from Cyprus and the People's Republic of China,[30][40] Russia has tried to export T-80 MBTs to Turkey and Greece, who were looking for new tanks. These two attempts have failed.[30]List of operators
Armenia: 45 in service in 2008.[41]
Belarus: There were 95 in service in 2000 and 92 in 2003 and 2005.[42] Currently, 90 are in service.[30]
Cyprus:
27 T-80Us and 14 T-80UKs were ordered in 1996 from Russia;. In 2010, a
further 25 T-80Us and 16 T-80UKs were delivered from Russian surplus.[30][31][36][37]
Egypt: 14 T-80UKs and 20 T-80Us purchased in 1997.[43]
Kazakhstan:[30]
South Korea: 33 T-80Us were ordered in 1995 from Russia and delivered between 1996 and 1997. Two T-80UKs were acquired from Russia in 2005.[30][37][44]
Pakistan: 320 T-80UDs (Ob'yekt 478B and Ob'yekt 478BE) were ordered in 1996 from Ukraine and delivered between 1997 and 2002.[30][33][34][35][37]
People's Republic of China: Ordered 200 T-80Us for evaluation in late 1993. 50 delivered.[30][31][32][40] Tanks were not assigned to combat units.
Russia: 3,144 in active service and around 1,856 in storage in 1995.[21][22] 3,500 in active service in 1998.[22] 3,058 in active service and 1,442 in stock in 2000.[21] 4,500 in both active service and storage in 2005.[21] 3,044 in active service and 1,456 in storage in 2008.[20][22] Currently around 1,400 are in active service and less than 3,100 are in storage.[20]
Ukraine: 345 were in service in 1995, 273 in 2000, and 271 in 2005.[45]
Yemen: Bought 31 from Russia in 2000.[46]
Former operators
- Soviet Union: 1,900 in service in 1985, 4,000 in 1990,[21] and 4,839 during the breakup of the USSR.[22] All were passed on to successor states.
See also
Tanks of comparable role, performance and era
- Challenger 1: Approximate British equivalent
- Challenger 2: Approximate British equivalent
- M1 Abrams: Approximate American equivalent
- Leopard 2: Approximate German equivalent
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