Tank T-80 | |
|---|---|
| Country | URSS |
| Type | Main battle tank |
| In service | 1976–present |
| Built | 5500+ |
The T-80 is a main battle tank (MBT) designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union. When it entered service in 1976, it was the second MBT in the world to be equipped with a gas turbine engine after the Swedish Strv 103 and the first to use it as a primary propulsion engine. The T-80U was last produced in a factory in Omsk, Russia, while the T-80UD and further-developed T-84 continue to be produced in Ukraine. The T-80 and its variants are in service in Belarus, Cyprus, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Pakistan, Russia, South Korea, and Ukraine. The chief designer of the T-80 was the Soviet engineer Nikolay Popov.
Source: T-80 on Wikipedia
| T-80B Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Unknow |
| Localisation | Unknow |
| Photos | 180 |
| T-80B Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographers | A.Pulin, A.Tihonov |
| Location | Unknow |
| Photos | 40 |
| T-80B Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Vladimir Yakubov |
| Localisation | “Stalin Line” Museum, Zaslavl |
| Photos | 43 |
| T-80U Walk Around | |
|---|---|
| Photographer | Юрий Пашолок |
| Localisation | Unknow |
| Photos | 340 |
See also:
The T-80 is a formidable **third-generation Main Battle Tank** of Soviet origin, first entering service in 1976. It holds the distinction of being the **world’s first production tank to be powered primarily by a gas turbine engine**, a feature that grants it exceptional acceleration and high top speed, especially in comparison to its contemporaries. The T-80 was developed from the T-64 and was intended to be a highly mobile, premium tank, contrasting with the mechanically simpler, mass-produced T-72.
Propulsion: The Gas Turbine
The T-80’s defining characteristic is its power source, the **GTD-1000T** series gas turbine engine, later upgraded to the more powerful **GTD-1250** in the T-80U variant. This engine technology provides several advantages but also carries drawbacks:
- High Mobility: The high power-to-weight ratio allows for rapid acceleration and a top road speed of up to 70 km/h.
- Engine Noise: The turbine runs significantly quieter than a diesel engine at speed, but it has a very high-pitched, distinctive whine.
- Drawbacks: The gas turbine is known for **extremely high fuel consumption**, particularly at idle, and is mechanically more complex and costly to maintain than traditional diesel engines.
Firepower and Autoloader
The tank’s offensive capability is centered around its large-caliber gun and missile system, operated by a small, three-person crew (Commander, Gunner, Driver) thanks to its mechanical loader.
- Main Gun: A smoothbore 125 mm 2A46 series cannon, capable of firing a wide range of ammunition, including APFSDS (armor-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot) and HEAT (high-explosive anti-tank) rounds.
- Gun-Launched Missile System: The main gun can fire **Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs)**, such as the **9M119 Refleks** (NATO designation AT-11 Sniper), which significantly extends the tank’s effective range against armored targets.
- Automatic Loader: The autoloader system stores ammunition in a rotating carousel beneath the turret, allowing for a high rate of fire without a dedicated loader.
- Secondary Armament: Typically includes a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
Armor and Protection
Protection levels have been continually enhanced, moving from standard composite armor to advanced Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) packages.
- Composite Armor: The hull and turret feature **laminate composite armor** for protection against various anti-tank threats.
- Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA): Modern variants, notably the **T-80U** and later models, are covered with **Kontakt-5 ERA**. This second-generation ERA is highly integrated and designed to defeat both chemical energy and kinetic energy penetrators. The latest **T-80BVM** variant utilizes the even newer **Relikt ERA**.
- NBC Protection: Standard equipment includes an **overpressure NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) protection system** for crew survival in contaminated environments.
Key Variants
- T-80B: Introduced improved composite armor and the ability to fire the Kobra ATGM.
- T-80U: A major modernization with the 1,250 hp GTD-1250 engine, new turret, advanced fire control, and Kontakt-5 ERA.
- T-80UD: A Ukrainian variant that replaced the gas turbine with a **diesel engine** (the 6TD two-stroke diesel), addressing the turbine’s logistical issues.
- T-80BVM: The latest Russian upgrade package for existing T-80BVs, incorporating the **Relikt ERA** and a modernized fire control system.
Views : 8855