It is a further development of the T-80B tank. Improvements have affected all the main combat and operational properties. First of all, the survivability of the tank has been significantly increased due to changes in the design of armor barriers, the inclusion of built-in dynamic protection, and a slight increase in the mass of material released for armor. The capabilities of both long-range and close-range fire combat have been improved thanks to the use of a new guided weapon system, improved weapon characteristics and a fire control system. Mobility indicators have increased due to the use of a more powerful gas turbine engine (919 kW), improved transmission and motion control drives.

The tank was put into service in 1985. Since 1987, the production of a modification with a diesel engine, which received the T-80UD index, has been mastered in Kharkov. The use of a two-stroke diesel engine led to design changes in the transmission and motion control drives. There are other design differences, for example, in the installation of an anti-aircraft machine gun. The main characteristics remained unchanged.

In order to improve the mine resistance of the tank, the driver's seat is not attached to the bottom, but is suspended from the roof (turret sheet). On the left behind the seat, a piller is installed, which increases the rigidity of the structure.

In the fighting compartment, in contrast to the T-80BV tank, an additional seven shots are placed (non-mechanized ammo rack). The relative position of the instruments has changed somewhat due to the introduction of duplicated fire control and the use of a thermal imager.

Fuel tanks are located in the control compartment, in the fighting compartment and in the MTO. The capacity of internal fuel tanks is 1090 liters. Another 680 liters of fuel is placed in five external tanks. Three additional barrels of 200 liters each can be installed on the tank. Thus, the transportable fuel supply reaches 2370 liters.

To supply consumers with electricity and recharge the battery when the main engine is off, to supply electricity together with the battery when starting and cranking the main engine, the tank has a gas turbine power unit with a generator with a capacity of 18 kW. It is located in the stern of the machine in the bunker on the left fender. The power unit control panel is located in the control room.

The main armament is a 125-mm modernized 2A46M-1 smoothbore gun - a launcher.

In the cradle new design to reduce the influence of the gap between the pipe and the guides of the cradle on the accuracy of shooting, three backlash-selecting devices are mounted.

To align the zero line of sight without the crew leaving the tank, there is a built-in control device, consisting of a rear sight on the muzzle of the barrel, a telephoto lens and a prism between the protective glass and the head of the rangefinder sight.

Ammunition for the gun consists of 45 rounds of separate-sleeve loading. It includes a shot with a 9M119 guided missile, which has a cumulative warhead. The main part of the ammunition is placed in the rotating conveyor of the loading mechanism (28 shots). Other artillery rounds are in non-mechanized stacks in the hull and turret (seven shells and charges in the control compartment, the rest in the fighting compartment).

The fire control complex provides for the search for targets and tracking them by the commander and gunner, automatic input of corrections for deviations from normal firing conditions, guidance and stabilization of the gun and the machine gun coaxial with it, launch and automatic guidance of the missile, target designation from the commander. Functionally, it combines the gun and coaxial machine gun control complex; guided weapon system.

The cannon and coaxial machine gun control equipment includes a gunner's information-computing day sighting system, a weapon stabilizer, a commander's sighting and observation system, and a gunner's night sighting system.

The sight-rangefinder - guidance device has independent stabilization of the field of view in two planes and a pancratic magnification system from 3.6 to 12 times. It provides guidance and stabilization of the information laser beam, measurement and indication of the range to targets, and generation of control signals for the gun and turret drives.

An electronic ballistic computer generates corrections for the range to the target, its flank movement, the speed of the tank itself, the deviation of air and charge temperature, bore wear, Atmosphere pressure, side wind, angle of inclination of the axis of the trunnions of the gun.

The armament stabilizer includes an improved small-sized electro-hydraulic drive for vertical guidance of the gun and an electric machine drive for the turret.

The gunner's night sighting system includes a thermal imaging sight, which can be used by the tank commander with the help of his video viewing device, and a parallelogram drive with a device for correcting the position of the illuminator.

The sighting and observation complex of the PNK-4S commander provides observation of the battlefield, priority duplicated control of the cannon and coaxial machine gun, firing from the cannon day and night artillery shells, target designation.

Combined day-night sight TKN-4S commander has an independent stabilization of the field of view in the vertical plane. The sight includes two daytime optical channels (single and 7.5x magnification) and a passive-active night channel.

As an auxiliary weapon, the tank has a 7.62 mm PKT machine gun coaxial with a cannon and a 12.7 mm NSVT anti-aircraft machine gun.

The 9K119 guided weapon system consists of equipment installed in the tank and a guided missile shot. A semi-automatic system is used to guide the missile. remote control by the laser beam. Rocket firing range - up to 5000 meters.

The hull has a welded structure, with large angles of inclination of the bow parts. The upper frontal sheet is combined, with an angle of inclination of 68 degrees from the vertical. The tower is cast, in the frontal sector it has combined armor protection.

Dynamic protection is made in the built-in version. Such a scheme provides an increase in security, both from cumulative and kinetic projectiles.

Protection of the crew from the damaging factors of WMD is provided by a collective protection system similar to the system of the T-80BV tank. The machine is equipped with individual anti-radiation vests. The tank is equipped with a high-speed PPO 3ETs13 "Hoarfrost" system.

The tank is equipped with a gas turbine engine GTD-1250, made according to a three-shaft scheme, with two independent compressors and a free power turbine. Engine power 919 kW (1250 hp). Diesel is considered the main fuel. In addition, it is allowed to use low-octane gasolines, jet fuels. The transmission has, in comparison with the T-80BV tank, some differences due to the increased engine power and the use of a hydraulic brake.

The chassis is the same as that of the T-80BV tank.

The main modifications of the T-80 tank

T-80 (1976)- basic pattern.

T-80B (1978)- a modernized gun was installed, an improved FCS was installed, a KUV was introduced, protection characteristics were improved. Since 1980, the GTD-1000TF engine with a power of 1100 hp.

T-80BV (1985)- installed hinged dynamic protection.

T-80U (1985)- installed a modernized gun, a new FCS with duplication from the commander, introduced new complex guided weapons with missile guidance on a laser beam, gas turbine engine GTD-1000TF with a power of 1100 hp. (or GTD-1250 with a power of 1250 hp), protection characteristics have been improved. Since 1992, a thermal imager has been installed on the tank.

T-80UD (1987)- a diesel engine 6TD with a power of 1000hp was installed, dynamic protection in a built-in design.

Combat and technical characteristics of the T-80U tank

Combat weight .............................. 46 t Crew .............. ................. 3 pers. Height on the roof of the tower ................... 2202 mm Cannon ........................ ........... 125-mm smoothbore - launcher Ammunition ............................................ 45 rounds Types of ammunition ........................ BPS, OFS, BKS, guided missile Guided weapons complex ........ 9K119 Guided missile .. ................... 9M119 with laser beam control UR launch range ............................ .100-5000 m Probability of hitting UR................ 0.8 on a tank-type target when firing from a place and on the move Rangefinder ........... ................... Laser Stabilizer ............................... vertically electro-hydraulic, horizontally electromechanically ..... yes Loading .............................. automatic Duplicated fire control ........ .. from the tank commander Machine guns ................................. one 12.7 mm, one 7.62- mm Armor protection... ...................... combined dynamic protection ................ built-in Smoke grenade launchers. .................... 8 pcs. Maximum speed ........................ 70 km/h Highway range .................................. 400 km Engine ............................... gas turbine, three-shaft Engine power ........... ........... 919 kW (1250 hp) Transmission ............................... mechanical planetary Suspension ............................. torsion bar Caterpillar .............. ................... with RMSH with rubber-coated treadmill Depth of the overcome water obstacle .. 5 m (with preparation)

It so happened that almost all MBT (main battle tanks) of the world have a diesel engine. There are only two exceptions: T-80U and Abrams. What considerations were guided by Soviet specialists when creating the famous "eighties", and what are the prospects for this machine at the present time?

How it all began?

For the first time, the domestic T-80U saw the light of day in 1976, and in 1980 the Americans made their Abrams. Until now, only Russia and the United States are armed with tanks with a gas turbine power plant. Ukraine is not taken into account, because only the T-80UD, the diesel version of the famous "eighties", is in service there.

And it all started in 1932, when a design bureau was organized in the USSR, which belonged to the Kirov Plant. It was in its bowels that the idea of ​​​​creating a fundamentally new tank equipped with a gas turbine power plant was born. It was from this decision that it depended what type of fuel for the T-80U tank would be used in the future: conventional diesel or kerosene.

The famous designer Zh. Ya. Kotin, who worked on the layout of the formidable ISs, at one time thought about creating even more powerful and better armed vehicles. Why did he turn his attention to the gas turbine engine? The fact is that he planned to create a tank weighing in the range of 55-60 tons, for the normal mobility of which a motor with a capacity of at least 1000 hp was required. from. In those years, such diesel engines could only be dreamed of. That is why the idea arose of introducing aviation and shipbuilding technologies (that is, gas turbine engines) into tank building.

Already in 1955, work began, two promising samples were created. But then it turned out that the engineers of the Kirov plant, who had previously created only engines for ships, did not fully understand the technological task. The work was curtailed, and then completely stopped, since N. S. Khrushchev completely "ruined" all the development of heavy tanks. So at that time, the T-80U tank, whose engine is unique in its own way, was not destined to appear at that time.

However, indiscriminately blaming Nikita Sergeyevich in this case is not worth it: at the same time, promising diesel engines were demonstrated, against which the frankly raw gas turbine engine looked very unpromising. But what is there to say, if you "register" on production tanks this engine succeeded only by the 80s of the last century, and even today many military personnel do not have the most rosy attitude towards such power plants. It should be noted that there are quite objective reasons for this.

Continuation of work

Everything changed after the creation of the world's first MBT, which was the T-64. Soon, the designers realized that an even more advanced tank could be made on its basis ... But the difficulty lay in the stringent requirements put forward by the country's leadership: it must be as unified as possible with existing vehicles, not exceed their dimensions, but at the same time be able to be used as a means for "jerk to the English Channel".

And then everyone again remembered the GDT, since the native power point T-64 even then did not meet the requirements of the time. It was then that Ustinov decided to create the T-80U. The main fuel and engine of the new tank were supposed to contribute to its highest possible speed characteristics.

Difficulties encountered

The huge problem was that the new power plant with air purifiers had to somehow fit into the standard MTO T-64A. Moreover, the commission demanded a block system: in other words, it was necessary to make the engine so that when overhaul you could take it out and replace it with a new one. Without spending, of course, a lot of time on it. And if everything was relatively simple with a relatively compact gas turbine engine, then the air cleaning system gave the engineers a lot of headaches.

But this system is extremely important even for a diesel tank, not to mention its gas turbine counterpart on the T-80U. Whatever fuel is used, the blades of the turbine plant will instantly stick to slag and fall apart if the air entering the combustion chamber is not properly cleaned of impurities that pollute it.

It should be remembered that all engine designers strive to ensure that the air entering the cylinders or the working chamber of the turbine is 100% free of dust. And it is not difficult to understand them, since the dust literally devours the insides of the motor. In fact, it acts like a fine emery.

Prototypes

In 1963, the notorious Morozov created a prototype T-64T, on which a gas turbine engine with a very modest power of 700 hp was installed. from. Already in 1964, designers from Tagil, who worked under the direction of L. N. Kartsev, created a much more promising engine that could already produce 800 “horses”.

But the designers, both in Kharkov and in Nizhny Tagil, faced a whole range of complex technical problems, due to which the first domestic tanks with gas turbine engines could appear only in the 80s. In the end, only the T-80U received a really good engine. The type of fuel used to power it also set this engine apart from earlier prototypes, as the tank could use all types of conventional diesel fuel.

It was not by chance that we described the dust aspects above, since it was the problem of high-quality air purification that became the most difficult. The engineers had a lot of experience in developing turbines for helicopters ... but the engines of the helicopters worked in a constant mode, and the issue of dust pollution of the air at the height of their work did not arise at all. In general, the work was continued (oddly enough) only at the suggestion of Khrushchev, who was raving about rocket tanks.

The most "viable" project was the "Dragon". For him, an engine of increased power was vital.

Experimental facilities

In general, there was nothing surprising in this, since increased mobility, compactness and a lowered silhouette were important for such machines. In 1966, the designers decided to go the other way and presented to the public an experimental project, the heart of which was two GTD-350s at once, giving out, as you can easily understand, 700 hp. from. The power plant was created in NPO them. V. Ya. Klimov, where by that time there were enough experienced specialists involved in the development of turbines for aircraft and ships. It was they who, by and large, created the T-80U, the engine of which for its time was a truly unique development.

But it soon became clear that even one gas turbine engine is a complicated and rather capricious thing, and even their pairing has absolutely no advantages at all over the usual monoblock circuit. And therefore, by 1968, an official decree was issued by the government and the Ministry of Defense of the USSR on the resumption of work on a single version. By the mid-70s, a tank was ready, which later became known to the whole world under the designation T-80U.

Main characteristics

The layout (as in the case of the T-64 and T-72) is classic, with a rear MTO, the crew is three people. Unlike previous models, here the driver was given three triplexes at once, which significantly improved visibility. Even such an incredible luxury for domestic tanks as heating the workplace was provided here.

Fortunately, there was plenty of heat from the hot turbine. So the T-80U with a gas turbine engine is quite justifiably a favorite of tankers, since the working conditions of the crew in it are much more comfortable when compared to the T-64/72.

The body is made by welding, the tower is cast, the angle of inclination of the sheets is 68 degrees. As in the T-64, combined armor was used here, made up of armor steel and ceramics. Thanks to rational tilt angles and thickness, the T-80U tank provides increased chances crew survival in the most difficult combat conditions.

There is also a developed system for protecting the crew from weapons of mass destruction, including nuclear ones. The layout of the combat compartment is almost completely similar to that of the T-64B.

Engine room features

The designers still had to arrange the gas turbine engine in the MTO longitudinally, which automatically resulted in a slight increase in the dimensions of the machine compared to the T-64. The gas turbine engine was made in the form of a monoblock weighing 1050 kg. Its feature was the presence of a special gearbox that allows you to remove the maximum possible from the motor, as well as two gearboxes at once.

For power, four tanks were used at once in the MTO, the total volume of which is 1140 liters. It should be noted that the T-80U with a gas turbine engine, the fuel for which is stored in such volumes, is a rather "gluttonous" tank, which consumes 1.5-2 times more fuel than the T-72. And therefore the sizes of the tanks are appropriate.

GTD-1000T was created using a three-shaft scheme, has one turbine and two independent compressor units. The pride of engineers is the adjustable nozzle assembly, which allows you to smoothly control the turbine speed and significantly increases its operational life of the T-80U. What fuel is recommended to use in this case to extend the durability of the power unit? The developers themselves say that high-quality aviation kerosene is the most optimal for this purpose.

Since there is simply no power connection between the compressors and the turbine, the tank can confidently move on soils even with very poor bearing capacity, and the engine will not stall even if the vehicle stops abruptly. And what does the T-80U "eat"? The fuel for his engine can be different ...

Turbine plant

The main advantage of the domestic gas turbine engine is its fuel omnivorousness. It can work on any type of diesel fuel, low-octane gasoline intended for cars. But! T-80U, the fuel for which should only have a tolerable fluidity, is still very sensitive to "unlicensed" fuel. Refueling with non-recommended fuels is possible only in a combat situation, as it entails a significant reduction in the life of the engine and turbine blades.

The engine is started by spinning the compressors, for which two autonomous electric motors are responsible. The acoustic visibility of the T-80U tank is significantly lower than its diesel counterparts, both due to the characteristics of the turbine itself and due to a specially located exhaust system. In addition, the vehicle is unique in that both the engine and the engine itself are used during braking, due to which a heavy tank stops almost instantly.

How is it done? The fact is that when you press the brake pedal once, the turbine blades begin to rotate in the opposite direction. This process gives a huge load on the material of the blades and the entire turbine, and therefore it is controlled by electronics. Because of this, if you need to brake hard, you should immediately fully depress the gas pedal. At the same time, hydraulic brakes are immediately activated.

Thanks to the automatic control system, blade wear was reduced by at least 10%, and with proper work of the brake pedal and gear shifting, the driver can reduce it by 5-7%. By the way, what is the main type of fuel for this tank? The T-80U should refuel under ideal conditions, but high-quality diesel fuel will also do.

Air purification systems

A cyclone air purifier was used to ensure 97% removal of dust and other foreign matter from the intake air. By the way, for Abrams (due to normal two-stage cleaning), this figure is close to 100%. It is for this reason that fuel for the T-80U tank is a sore subject, since it is consumed much more when compared to its American competitor.

The remaining 3% of dust settles on the turbine blades in the form of caked slag. To remove it, the designers provided an automatic vibration cleaning program. It should be noted that special equipment for underwater driving can be connected to the air intakes. It allows you to overcome rivers up to five meters deep.

The transmission of the tank is standard - mechanical, planetary type. Includes two boxes, two gearboxes, two hydraulic drives. There are four speeds forward and one reverse. The track rollers are rubberized. The tracks also have an internal one. Because of this, the T-80U tank has a very expensive undercarriage.

The tension is carried out by means of worm-type mechanisms. The suspension is combined, it includes both torsion bars and hydraulic shock absorbers on three rollers.

Weapon characteristics

The main gun is a 2A46M-1 cannon with a caliber of 125 mm. Exactly the same guns were placed on the T-64/72 tanks, as well as on the notorious Sprut self-propelled anti-tank gun.

Armament (as on the T-64) was fully stabilized in two planes. Experienced tankers say that the range of a direct shot at a visually observed target can reach 2100 m. Standard ammunition: high-explosive fragmentation, sub-caliber and cumulative shells. And the automatic loader can simultaneously hold up to 28 shots, and several more can be located in the fighting compartment.

Auxiliary armament was a 12.7-mm Utes machine gun, but the Ukrainians have long been putting any similar weapons, focusing on the requirements of the customer. A huge drawback of the machine gun mount is the fact that only the tank commander can shoot from it, and for this he in any case has to leave the armored space of the vehicle. Since the initial ballistics of the 12.7 mm bullet is very similar to that of the projectile, the most important purpose of the machine gun is also to zero the gun without spending the main ammunition.

ammo rack

The mechanized ammo rack was placed by the designers around the entire perimeter of the habitable volume of the tank. Since a large part of the entire MTO of the T-80 tank is occupied by fuel tanks, the designers, in order to preserve the volume, were forced to place only the shells themselves horizontally, while the propellant charges stand vertically in the drum. This is a very noticeable difference between the "eighties" and the T-64/72 tanks, in which shells with expelling charges are located horizontally, at the level of the rollers.

The principle of operation of the main gun and loader

When an appropriate command is received, the drum begins to rotate, simultaneously bringing the selected type of projectile to the loading plane. After that, the mechanism is stopped, the projectile and expelling charge are sent into the gun with the help of a rammer fixed at one point. After the shot, the sleeve is automatically captured by a special mechanism and placed in the vacated cell of the drum.

The loading "carousel" provides a rate of fire of at least six to eight rounds per minute. If the automatic loader fails, you can load the gun manually, but the tankers themselves consider such a development unrealistic (too complicated, dreary and long). The tank uses the TPD-2-49 model sight, which is stabilized in the vertical plane regardless of the gun, allowing you to determine the distance and aim at the target at ranges of 1000-4000 m.

Some modifications

In 1978, the T-80U tank with a gas turbine engine was somewhat modernized. The main innovation was the appearance of the 9K112-1 Cobra missile system, which was fired with 9M112 missiles. The missile could hit an armored target at a distance of up to 4 kilometers, and the probability of this was from 0.8 to 1, depending on the characteristics of the terrain and the speed of the target.

Since the rocket completely repeats the dimensions of a standard 125-millimeter projectile, it can be located in any tray of the loading mechanism. This ammunition is “sharpened” exclusively against armored vehicles, the warhead is only cumulative. Like a conventional shot, structurally, the rocket consists of two parts, the combination of which occurs during the standard operation of the loading mechanism. It is induced in semi-automatic mode: the gunner must firmly hold the capture frame on the attacked target for the first few seconds.

Guidance is either optical or by a directional radio signal. To maximize the probability of hitting the target, the gunner can choose one of three missile flight modes, focusing on the combat situation and the surrounding area. As practice has shown, this is useful when attacking armored vehicles protected by active countermeasure systems.

Main battle tank (MBT) is a term given to a combat vehicle capable of combining high maneuverability, security 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 machine where the designers used a gas turbine plant as an engine, which was ahead of its time. According to the Western Military District, there are now about 4,000 pieces of equipment in the army of the Russian Federation. 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 of the last century. It was then that the designer Alexander Starosenko designed the first tank with a gas turbine engine instead of a standard diesel engine. Unfortunately, the project was not launched, but it was not forgotten either. Seven years later, in 1955, the designers Chistyakov and Ogloblin at the Leningrad plant named after Kirov designed and produced the "Object 278", with the GTD-1 engine.

Its power was one thousand horsepower. This car, which had a mass of 53.6 tons, developed a serious speed for its weight - as much as 57.3 km / h. But again, failure - the versions with a diesel engine of the "Object" released a little earlier were rejected by Khrushchev, and the tank again went into the shadows, this time for three years.

In 1963, together with the new medium tank T-64, its gas turbine version was designed under the code name T-64T.

The design continued to be modified until 1976. As a result, little was left of the "sixty-four". In addition to the engine, the undercarriage, the shape of the hull, even the turret were redone. The designers left only the gun, automatic loader and ammunition.

And in the summer of 1976, the USSR army received an order for a completely new main battle tank called the T-80. The technique 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 "eighties" began.

Design features and changes

Although the T-80 was, in fact, a converted "sixty-four", there are plenty of changes in its design, and it concerns not only the engine. The layout was left the same - classic, the crew consists of three people. But the driver got three viewing devices at once, although he previously had only one.

Unlike its predecessors, the designers added the possibility of heating its place with warm air from the turbine compressor.

The body of the T-80 was still welded. It was also decided not to change the angle of inclination of its frontal part - it remained equal to 68 °. The protection of the crew is differentiated, the frontal parts of the hull of the equipment consist of multi-layer combined armor. Materials - steel together with ceramics. The rest of the armor is steel, with various angles of inclination and thickness. The sides are covered with special protective screens made of reinforced rubber, this solution has improved protection against cumulative projectiles.

Inside the equipment there is a polymer lining that performs several functions. When armor is pierced by kinetic shells, the lining reduces the spread of fragments inside the vehicle, thereby increasing the protection of the crew. The second function is to reduce the impact of gamma radiation. To prevent exposure to radioactive areas of the terrain, a special plate was installed under the driver's seat by the designers. The mass of the tank varies depending on the 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 zones. After modernization, there is the possibility of attaching dynamic protection "Contact-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.

Armament T-80

The tank has a 125 mm 2A46-1 smoothbore gun, later 2A46-2 / 2A46M-1, capable of firing guided missiles type "Cobra", "Invar", "Reflex-M". Direct fire range - 4000 meters, missiles fly up to 5000 meters. Ammunition contains sub-caliber, high-explosive fragmentation and of course cumulative shells, with a separate case charge. The total number varies from tank modifications (38-45 charges).

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

The T-80 mechanized combat stowage carousel holds 28 rounds, the average rate of fire is 6-9 rounds. On serial samples, the gun received a thermal casing. The tank is equipped with a twin caliber 7.62 mm. On the turret of the commander there is an anti-aircraft 12.7 mm "Utes", a firing range of 1500 meters for air and 2000 meters for ground targets.

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

Type	T-80	T-80B	T-80U	T-80UD
plant-designer	Kirov Heavy Tank Building Plant			Kharkov Heavy Tank Building Plant
The tank entered the troops	1976	1978	1986	1987
Mass of equipment	42	42,5	46	46
Main dimensions
Length, (mm)	6781	6983	7013	7021
Width, (mm)	3526	3583	3604	3756
Height, (mm)	2300	2220	2216	2216
Clearance, (mm)	450			527
The presence and type of dynamic protection of the machine
dynamic armor	Not	"Contact-1"	"Contact-5"	"Cactus"
Active protection	Not			"Curtain"
Armor	Cast, welded, combined
Armament T-80
main gun	2A46	2A46-2 2A46M-1	2A46M-1 2A46M-4	2A46-1
Firing range, m	0-4000
Tank ammunition	40	38	45	45
The crew of the T-80	3
Engine
Type	Gas turbine (GTE)			Diesel
Power, hp	1000	1110	1200	1000
Maximum speed on asphalt	70			60
Country road speed	40-50
Engine power	23,8	25,7	21,73	21,6
Fuel reserve, l	1845
Fuel consumption l/km	3,65
Suspension	Torsion

Engine and transmission

The main difference between the T-80 and its predecessors and contemporaries is a gas turbine engine. The designers had to increase the length of the hull due to its longitudinal arrangement. The mass of the engine is 1050 kilograms, and the maximum speed is about 26 thousand revolutions per minute. The engine compartment has four fuel tanks with a total capacity of 1140 liters. The main advantage of a gas turbine engine is its multi-fuel capability.

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

To facilitate the start of the gas turbine engine on the T-80, the designers installed an automatic engine 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 in 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 road wheels. New tracks have got rubberized tracks. Some experts consider telescopic shock absorbers to be the scourge of the tank, but replacing them is not difficult even in the field. Thanks to these changes, the undercarriage of the T-80 is considered the best in its class.

Comparison with the MBT of a potential enemy

By right, the main competitor of the T-80 is the American main one. This is quite logical, because the machines entered service with their countries at about the same time. The American competitor is only 4 years younger than the domestic tank.

An interesting fact is that both machines 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 visible on the battlefield. Although, with 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 declared data, the degree of air cleaning of the M1A1 engine is one hundred percent, while the T-80 has 1.5% less. But in the desert, Abrams is somehow more difficult to operate. The American engine stalls due to a clogged filter. The domestic analogue feels great in any weather and climatic conditions.

The mass of the M1A1 is 60 tons, the cruising range is 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 due to the lower fuel consumption of Abrams. It is corrected by installing additional tanks on the T-80 hull, unfortunately, this does not allow increasing the ceiling speed to 60 km / h.

The armament of the American is slightly different from the Soviet competitor.

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

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

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

It was the "eighties" who fired on the building of the "White House" in Moscow.

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

Poor crew training, lack of dynamic protection, the use of vehicles in urban and mountainous conditions led to losses. The command drew 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.

Victories in the virtual space

The T-80 tank is associated among gamers with the confrontation between the USSR and the USA. In most games where these superpowers clash head-on, this machine is the main armored force of the country of the Soviets. New "Free to play" games such as "Armored Warfare" also promise this copy at the end of the upgrade branch Soviet technology. It is popular with developers of military strategies.

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

In 2015, the government of the Russian Federation decided to replace this model of equipment with. The reason for the replacement is the futility of upgrading the tank.

Instead, the troops will also receive latest tanks"Armata". It cannot be said that this is the end of the T-80, because the replacement will take place 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. Still, for a tank, 42 ​​years is the prime of life, and not the end of life.

Video

The main battle tank T-80 is made according to the classic layout scheme. In front of the body, strictly along the longitudinal axis, there is a control compartment. The fighting compartment, where the main and auxiliary weapons are installed and the places of the commander (to the right of the gun) and the gunner (to the left of the gun), are equipped, is located in the middle part of the hull in a rotating turret. The aft part of the tank is occupied by the engine-transmission compartment, where a gas turbine engine with service systems and transmission units are installed, isolated from the first two compartments. Thanks to the use of compact components and assemblies, as well as their very dense layout, it was possible to ensure a low silhouette of the machine and optimal weight.

The issue of crew security and internal equipment tank from being hit by anti-tank weapons and weapons of mass destruction.

The armor of the hull and turret is differentiated in thickness and composition in accordance with the probabilistic laws of shelling the vehicle in the directions and power of the anti-tank weapons used. Taking into account the same laws, the most rational angles of inclination are given to the armor parts. To increase resistance against cumulative ammunition, the frontal parts of the hull and turret are protected by composite armor, which includes, in addition to steel, non-metals.

A set of non-metallic elements contributes to the "break" of the cumulative jet and the loss of its energy. The sides of the hull are covered with anti-cumulative shields, which are solid (along the entire length of the side) screens made of reinforced rubber with armor plates (the front half of the length of the screen). Such a barrier causes a premature detonation of the cumulative ammunition and a significant loss of jet energy before reaching the main armor of the side of the tank.

To provide protection against high-precision weapons that hit the tank, as a rule, from the upper hemisphere to the engine compartment area (all of them are mainly with thermal homing heads), the exhaust manifold guide grille was made in a box shape. This made it possible to somewhat remove the exit point of hot gases from the aft armor plate and actually "deceive" the homing aids. In addition, the set of underwater tank driving equipment (OPVT) available on the machine was placed at the stern of the tower, thus covering a significant part of the MTO roof.

The inner walls of the fighting compartment and the control compartment were covered with a layer of lining made of polymer material. It performs a double protective function. When kinetic and armor-piercing high-explosive anti-tank ammunition enters the tank, it prevents small armor fragments that form on the inner surface of the armor from scattering inside the hull. In addition, thanks to specially selected chemical composition, this lining significantly reduces the effect of gamma radiation on the crew. For the same purposes, a special plate and an insert in the driver's seat (protecting it from radiation when overcoming contaminated terrain) serve the same purposes.

Protection against neutron weapons is also provided. As is known, these particles with zero charge are most effectively retained by hydrogen-containing materials. Therefore, the lining, which was mentioned above, is made of just such a material. The fuel tanks of the engine power supply system are located outside and inside the vehicle in such a way as to surround the crew with an almost continuous anti-neutron belt.

Also, for protection against weapons of mass destruction (nuclear, chemical and bacteriological and for extinguishing fires arising in the vehicle, a special semi-automatic collective protection system (SKS) installed in the tank is intended. It includes: a radiation and chemical reconnaissance device (PRKhR), switching equipment ZETs-11 –2, a filter-ventilation unit (FVU), a sub-pressure meter, an engine stop mechanism (MOS), closable seals with actuators, and permanent hull and turret seals.

Front armor plate of the T-80 hull with driver's periscopes Periscopes and driver's hatch


Gunner's forward periscopes Side periscope gunner


Installation of gunner's sights Commander's cupola with a machine gun on the T-80 and T-80B


Aft part of the tower Aft turret and gunner's hatch


Side rubber screens with internal steel plates Side rubber screens with external steel plates


GTE exhaust guide grate Exhaust box hanger assembly


Hinge OPVTna T-80
Hinge OPVT on the T-80U (option)

The system operates in two modes: automatic and manual - by commands from the control panel (in exceptional cases, to extinguish fires by command from the PI-5 panel).

In the automatic (main) mode, when radioactive or chemical air contamination is detected outside the tank (using the PRHR device in the constant air monitoring mode), a command is sent from the sensors of the system to the actuators of the closing seals and the filter-ventilation unit is turned on, creating an excess pressure of purified air in the habitable compartments . At the same time, sound and light alarms are activated, notifying the crew of the nature of the contamination of the area. The efficiency and reliability of the system's operation have been proven during special tests with simulations of situations of air contamination that are close to realistically possible.

Air sampler, from PRHR kit
Air intake FVU

The fire-fighting equipment is connected to the CPS through the ZETs-11-2 switching equipment and can operate automatically or from the buttons on the consoles of the driver and commander. In automatic mode, the equipment is triggered by a signal from the temperature sensors of the ZETs-11-2 equipment. At the same time, the supercharger is turned off and the HVU valves are closed and the MOD is activated. As a result, air access to the MTO is stopped. Then the squib cartridge of one of the three cylinders with a fire extinguishing composition is blown up and through the sprayer it is filled with the corresponding (place of fire) compartment of the tank. After extinguishing the fire, the HVU supercharger automatically turns on with the opening of the valves, which contributes to the rapid removal of combustion products and fire extinguishing composition from the habitable compartments of the tank. In this case, an electrical signal is removed from the MOD, which makes it possible to start the engine.

The listed design solutions serve to protect the crew and internal equipment of the tank in case of hit by various anti-tank weapons. In order to reduce the likelihood of their hitting, thermal smoke equipment was installed on the T-80. Thus, the camouflage properties of the vehicle were increased, which, combined with its low silhouette and high dynamic qualities, makes it much more difficult for the enemy to accurately aim.

Installation of anti-aircraft 12.7 mm machine gun NS VT on T-80 and T-80B Nest coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun remote control drive anti-aircraft machine gun on the T-80U
Drive and link collector of an anti-aircraft machine gun

WEAPON SYSTEM

As the main armament, the D-81 (2A46) 125 mm caliber smoothbore gun with an automatic loader, which had proven itself on the T-64A, stabilized in two planes, was used. The range of a direct shot from it with a sub-caliber projectile ( starting speed 1800 m / s) was 2100 m. A PKT tank machine gun of 7.62 mm caliber, also used on previous machines, is paired with a cannon. Anti-aircraft machine gun NSVT caliber 12.7 mm mounted on the turret of the commander's cupola. The TPD-2-49 optical stereoscopic rangefinder sight with independent stabilization of the vertical field of view allowed the gunner to quickly and with high accuracy determine the range to the target within 1000–4000 m. To determine shorter ranges, there was a rangefinder scale in the field of view of the sight. Measurement data was automatically entered into the sight (the aiming mark was raised or lowered). Also, corrections for the speed of the tank were automatically introduced (mechanism HELL) and the type of projectile used (ballistic mechanism). In one block with a sight, a weapon guidance control panel with buttons for determining the range and firing was made. The night sights of the T-80 commander and gunner were borrowed from the T-64A.

GTD-1000 with units of power plant systems, left view
GTD-1000, front view of the input device tank rack Two independent shafts with centrifugal compressors and their turbines
Flow part of GTD-1000, longitudinal section
Combustion chamber, compressor turbines and RSA GTD-1000

In general, the tower of the first models of the T-80 tank was largely similar to that installed on the T-64A (including aiming and observation devices, as well as a fire control complex). The difference was only in the capacity of the mechanized ammo rack of the automatic loader. Here it was possible to place only 28 shots instead of 30 for the T-64.

POWER PLANT AND ITS SYSTEMS

The T-80 power plant consists of a GTD-1000T gas turbine engine (with a capacity of 736 kW (1000 hp)), with its servicing systems, and a set of special equipment. The engine is made according to a three-shaft scheme with two independent turbochargers and a free power turbine. In the car, it is located longitudinally (with the power turbine back) and is attached at three points. Unlike all previous tanks, the front engine attachment point of the T-80 is located not on the bottom, but on the upper armor plate of the hull. The other two supports are similar to the supports on the T-64A - in the yokes at the junction with the gearboxes.

The systems serving the engine (fuel, lubrication, air cleaning, air) are made in the same unit with it (with the exception of fuel and oil tanks and some pumps) and are structurally very different from those used in tanks with diesel engines. Thus, the fuel system of this tank, in addition to traditional functions (storage, transportation, fuel purification and its supply to the combustion chamber), also controls the engine start panel, protects it from operating at modes exceeding the maximum gas temperature and turbocharger and power turbine speeds, provides the operation of the hydraulic mechanism of the drive of the adjustable nozzle apparatus, periodically removes fuel from the engine flow path.

Reinforcement on the front of the MTO roof for engine mounting
Attachment of "boxes" OPVT on the T-80 Attachment of "boxes" OPVT on the T-80U (option)

In total, there are 13 tanks in the fuel system (in the outer and inner groups). There are 5 tanks on the right and left fenders (2 on the right and 3 on the left). Inside the vehicle, tanks are installed almost along the entire perimeter of the hull, encircling the fighting compartment. The front left and front right tanks and a tank rack are installed in the front part. Ammunition is placed in the rack tank (a variant of the so-called wet ammo rack). Further, clockwise, there are the middle right (in the fighting compartment), the right, aft and supply tanks (in the engine compartment) and the middle left (in the fighting compartment). Thus, the most efficient use

track roller
Object 172M
Object 167


Tank T-80 GTD-1000


Target shot Overcoming the water barrier wade


Main battle tank T-80


Track roller and balancer, view from under the bottom of the hull Support rollers and balancers travel stops


Drive wheel "asterisk"


Track links
"Restrictor" that prevents foreign objects from entering the gap between track and hull

almost the entire reserved volume of the tank (with the exception of the crew necessary for combat work) and a high degree of protection against damaging effects neutron weapons.

The engine control system also differs significantly from the systems of known diesel engines. It consists of a mechanical drive for fuel supply and a hydraulic servomotor of an adjustable nozzle apparatus (RSA). The fuel supply can be controlled by the pedal or the handle of the manual feed sector. However, the use of these drives is limited, as a rule, only to set a certain mode of fuel supply. The control of the acceleration and deceleration of the engine is carried out using the PCA. It is a rotary vanes in the flow part of the engine in front of the impeller of a free turbine. Due to the rotation of the PCA blades, the vehicle is braked by the engine, the speed of the free turbine (through a gearbox connected to the transmission) is controlled during the movement of the tank, and the turbine rotor is not carried out at the time of gear shifting.

Due to the absence of a rigid connection between the transmission and the engine shaft (there is only a gas connection between the rotor of the free turbine and the second turbine), stopping the impeller of the free turbine (due to the high resistance to the movement of the tank) does not lead to engine stop.

Idler wheel "Head" of the track tensioner drive
Hinge on the tank devices for self-digging

One of the most important elements of the T-80 power plant is the air cleaning system. This is explained by the fact that the gas turbine at maximum power consumes a lot of air (up to 4 kg / s), its flow rate is very high. Naturally, the engine is very sensitive to the presence of dust in the air entering it. Therefore, a high-efficiency air cleaning system is installed in the T-80 tank. A compromise solution is implemented in its design: a high efficiency of air purification from mechanical particles is achieved with a minimum inlet resistance. The system includes: air intake shutters for the roof of the engine compartment with a protective mesh, an air cleaner unit and oil coolers; fan blowing units; two fans for dust extraction and oil cooling; two air ducts for ejection of cooling air and dust; engine bulkhead hatch; air filters of the nozzle apparatus of the high-pressure turbine and pressurization of the support cavities. The air cleaner unit (single-stage inertial type) and radiators is installed transversely in the engine compartment and is attached to the front support of the monoblock. All fans are engine driven and mounted on the front drive box. The air cleaning system operates in two modes: movement on land and movement with OPVT. In the first case, air is taken from the atmosphere above the air cleaner louvers and, having passed through the cyclones, enters the engine flow path. When installing the OPVT, special casings, an air supply pipe and a gas exhaust pipe are attached to the inlet shutters. Instead of the cover of the air cleaner housing, a mesh is installed. In this mode, the air flow is taken through the air supply pipe and firstly enters under the left casing and, through the connecting pipe, under the right one, and then into the air cleaner unit, similarly to work when driving on land. In this case, the resistance at the air inlet increases slightly. To compensate for these losses, a charge is used from the cooling air and dust selection system, which enters the MTO (the exhaust air ducts are closed) and is taken back into the air cleaner and then into the engine flow path.

To ensure the normal functioning of the engine and its servicing systems in various operating conditions, special equipment is included in the T-80 power plant. It includes: dust blowing and vibration cleaning systems; a device for spraying fuel with compressed air and blowing nozzles, thermal smoke equipment.

The dust blowing system is designed to remove dust deposits from the interblade channels of the impellers of the engine compressors when operating in conditions of high dust content in the air. For this purpose, compressed air from air cylinders is used. The system operates in two modes - automatic and manual. A vibration cleaning system is used to clean the body and blades of the nozzle apparatus of the high-pressure compressor turbine from glassy deposits and loess dust melted in the combustion chamber.

The device for atomizing fuel and purging injectors is designed to improve the atomization of diesel fuel and direactive mixtures (ensuring multi-fuel and easier start-up) when starting the engine, as well as for purging injectors after it has stopped. Thermal smoke equipment provides the setting of camouflage smoke screens during combat operations. Since fuel from the engine power system is used as a smoke-generating substance, the equipment can act repeatedly.

Hanging a log for self-pulling Knots for hitching a mine trawl

In the course of long-term tests over the entire set of road-ground and climatic conditions, as well as during the period of military operation, on long marches and during exercises and tactical exercises, the high efficiency and reliability of the gas turbine power plant were proved, reserves for its further improvement were identified, which were implemented on subsequent models of the T-80.

TRANSMISSION AND CHASSIS

The transmission of the T-80 tank is two-block mechanical, with a hydraulic servo control system. It consists of two onboard planetary gearboxes, structurally combined into one unit with onboard gearboxes. Gearboxes are similar to those on the T-64, but differ from them in the number of gears (4 instead of 7). This reduction was facilitated by the favorable torque characteristics of the engine, which significantly expanded the range of application of each gear. Thanks to this, it was possible, while maintaining acceptable dimensions of the boxes, to significantly strengthen their elements, which, in turn, contributed to an increase in the reliability and durability of the units. The rectilinear movement of the tank is ensured by the synchronous operation of both blocks, and the turn is carried out by turning on the box of the lagging side of the transmission, reduced by one gear level. Therefore, a turn with a minimum design radius equal to the track width of the tank is possible, like the T-64, only in 1st or reverse gear. However, depending on the position of the control lever, the following are provided: machine turns with a free radius (at the beginning of the lever travel), depending on road and ground conditions, since at this moment the gear is simply switched off in the lagging side box; smooth turns (with further movement of the lever) due to slipping of the engagement clutches and a smooth decrease in the turning radius from the value of the free one; turns with the estimated radius in gear (with the lever fully depressed).

There is no clutch mechanism in the traditional sense in the transmission of the T-80 tank. Its role is performed by the RSA mentioned above. When shifting gears, the PCA pedal is moved all the way. In this case, the blades of the nozzle apparatus are rotated by 70–80° from the position corresponding to the maximum traction power of the turbine, which actually leads to its stop (zero power position). Moreover, it is possible to move the selector lever only when the PCA pedal is depressed, since in the initial position it mechanically and electrically blocks the gearshift hydraulic servo drive. Thus, the guaranteed protection of the turbine rotor against runaway is ensured. By the way, the absence of such a mechanism in the GTD-ZT engine of object 167-T led to the destruction of the turbine blades during testing.

Rear tow hook Tow hook lock

Gearbox control drives of the same type as on the T-64. Their driving elements are the gearshift lever, two steering control levers and the brake pedal located in the control compartment, while the actuating devices are hydraulic servo drives. The driver, acting on any setting control, applies the forces necessary to turn the small spool in the distribution mechanisms. This requires so little effort that it was necessary to install additional loaders on some controls (for example, in the steering drive).

To ensure shockless and smooth gear shifting, the hydraulic control system has a special smoothness box. Due to its presence, the processes of relieving oil pressure in the clutch boosters of both boxes (when the gear is turned off) and its increase are automatically adjusted in time.

The machine is braked at the moment the pedal is pressed, which through a mechanical drive acts on the hydraulic booster control valve, the piston of the latter, moving under pressure, turns on the stopping brakes of the gearboxes. The parking brake (mountain) has a mechanical servo drive.

The caterpillar mover of the T-80 tank (as applied to one side) consists of a small-sized caterpillar with a rubber-metal hinge and a rubber-coated treadmill, six dual road wheels with external shock absorption in the form of rubber arrays, five rubber-coated support rollers, a drive wheel with removable rims and a guide wheel with tension mechanism.

As already noted, the increase in the dynamic characteristics of the tank due to the installation of a more powerful engine than that of the T-64 and T-72 led to the need to improve the chassis. However, its design, similar to the T-72, was too heavy, similar to the T-64 - simply could not withstand the loads. The designers found a compromise. The track rollers were made somewhat smaller in diameter than those of the T-72, and the caterpillar track (the inner surface of the tracks) was covered with rubber shoes.

The caterpillar of the machine is a small-linked lantern gear (the transmission of force from the drive wheel is carried out through brackets fixed at the ends of the fingers) consists of 80 tracks with a rubber-metal hinge. Each track consists of two stamped links, two pins are pressed into the eyes, and rubber pads are vulcanized onto the upper part. The tracks are interconnected in the middle part with ridges and shoes, which are bolted together. Staples (the so-called binoculars) are put on the fingers of adjacent tracks along the edges. Caterpillar tracks are symmetrical and can be put on from any side.

The drive wheel consists of a two-piece welded hub, two removable gear rims and a restrictive disc. The toothed rims have 12 teeth each, the working sections of the profiles of which are reinforced with wear-resistant surfacing. As the teeth wear, the drive wheels are swapped or replaced with gear rims. The track roller T-80 is dual-slope, with removable disks, made of aluminum alloy. The outer surface of the discs is vulcanized with massive rubber tire. Support rollers are single-sided, also equipped with a rubber tyre.

The steering wheel of the machine consists of two cast discs welded together with windows for the exit of dirt and snow and stiffeners. In the bores of the axles of the guide wheels there is a gearbox and an electrospeedometer sensor (on the right) and a gearbox with a tachogenerator to ensure the operation of the IM mechanism (on the left). The track tensioning mechanism is single-worm with globoid gearing, directly perceives the forces acting on the idler wheel.

The suspension of the car is individual. As elastic elements long, full-width tank hull torsion bars are used, providing a large dynamic travel of the road wheels. On the 1st, 2nd and 6th suspension units, powerful double-acting hydraulic telescopic shock absorbers are installed. In general, the chassis of the T-80 satisfies the requirements of marching conditions and provides high maneuverability on weakly bearing and loose soils in combat conditions. The design of the tank turned out to be quite light ("openwork") and reliable, having a reserve for increasing the mass of the tank.

OPTIONAL EQUIPMENT

The machine has several sets of special equipment designed to increase the autonomy of the machine in combat conditions. These include OPVT (it was discussed above), equipment for self-digging and equipment for self-extraction. The self-digging equipment is a blade with four struts and guides, which is installed on the lower front armor plate of the tank hull. With its help, the machine can independently, without the involvement of special engineering tools, open a shelter for itself in a short time.

The self-extraction kit is even simpler. This is a log, two cables with loops and brackets with bolts and nuts. Using this simple set, the tank crew is able, without involving evacuation means, to ensure the independent exit of the vehicle in case of its one or two tracks getting stuck on the ground with poor grip.

In addition, the T-80 has special devices for installing the KMT-6 anti-mine trawl, with which you can make rut passages in minefields.

T-80UD on the streets of Moscow, August 1991 (photo by D. Grinyuk)

The T-80 is a prime example of how heavily armored tanks can hide significant weaknesses. At one time, the T-80 was considered by the Russian military establishment as a premium tank, but a large number of them were lost in battles with equipped light weapons partisan formations during the first Chechen war. His reputation was lost forever.

However, it was originally assumed that a completely different fate would await him. The T-80 tank was the last main tank developed in the Soviet Union. It was the first Soviet tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine, and as a result, it was able to move on the roads at a speed of 70 kilometers per hour, and also had an effective power-to-weight ratio of 25.8 horsepower per ton.

This made the standard T-80B the fastest tank produced in the 1980s.

The fighting prowess of the Chechens - and the failed Russian tactics - is more responsible for the loss of T-80 tanks than its own characteristics. However, he had a significant drawback. Ultimately, the T-80 was too expensive and, in addition, it consumed too much fuel. After some time, the Russian military made a choice in favor of the more economical T-72 tank.

The T-80 was a further development of its predecessor, the T-64 tank. Being the most modern model of the late 1960s and early 1970s, the T-64 tank represented a departure from the Soviets' penchant for making simple armored vehicles like the T-54/55 and T-62.

So, for example, the T-64 was the first Soviet tank in which the functions of the loader were transferred to an automatic system, and as a result, its crew was reduced from four to three people. The second trend-setting innovation of the T-64 was the use of composite armor, which used layers of ceramic and steel, and as a result, protection was improved compared to using steel sheets alone.

In addition, the T-64 was equipped with light steel road wheels of small diameter compared to the large rubber-coated rollers T-55 and T-62.

The first mass-produced T-64A model was produced with the 125 mm 2A46 Rapira cannon, which became so popular that it was installed on all subsequent Russian tanks, up to the T-90. Surprisingly, in the end, the weight of the T-64A was only 37 tons, which is relatively small for a tank of this size.

But as remarkable as these innovations were, it must be admitted that the T-64 had a capricious 5TDF engine and an unusual suspension - and the engine and suspension often broke down. As a result, the Soviet Army deliberately sent these tanks to areas close to the factory in Kharkov where they were made.

But that's not all. There were rumors that the new automatic loading system was capable of drawing in and injuring the hands of crew members who were located too close to it. This is a very likely scenario given the small interior space of the T-64.

Simultaneously with the attempts to cope with the problems of automating the T-64, the Soviets began to think about the development of a new tank with a gas turbine engine. Gas turbine engines are highly responsive and have a good power-to-weight ratio, they are able to start quickly in winter without preheating - this is important in the harsh Russian winters - and, in addition, they are light.

On the downside, they consume a lot of fuel and are more susceptible to dirt and dust, which is a result of their higher air intake compared to conventional diesel engines.

The original basic model of the T-80 tank was adopted only in 1976, much later than planned. The Soviet tank industry was busy fixing the shortcomings of the T-64 tanks and moving towards the production of the T-72, which was a cheaper fallback. At the same time, the Soviets were producing more T-55 and T-62 tanks for their Arab allies, who had lost hundreds of armored vehicles in the 1973 Yom Kippur War.

Early models of the T-80 also had their problems. In November 1975, Andrey Grechko, then Minister of Defense, stopped further production of these tanks due to their excessive fuel consumption and insignificant increase in firepower compared to the T-64A. And only five months later, Dmitry Ustinov, Grechko's successor, allowed the production of this new tank to begin.

The production of the original T-80 lasted two years - not so long, since it was surpassed by the T-64B tank, which had new system fire control, which allowed him to fire 9M112 Cobra missiles from the main gun. Even more important was that the T-80 was almost three and a half times more expensive than the T-64A.

The main model was replaced in 1978 by the T-80B tank. It was considered the most modern "premium" tank in the East, and therefore most of the T-80B was sent to the highest-risk garrison - To the Group Soviet troops in Germany.

For its high speed, it was nicknamed the "Channel tank". In Soviet war games, it was assumed that T-80s could reach the shores of the Atlantic Ocean in five days - provided they did not experience fuel problems.

The new Soviet tank borrowed something from the T-64. In addition to sub-caliber ammunition, shaped charges and anti-personnel fragmentation shells, its 125 mm 2A46M-1 smoothbore gun was capable of firing the same 9K112 Cobra missiles.

Since guided anti-tank missiles were considered significantly more expensive than conventional tank rounds, this tank's ammunition load included only four missiles and 38 rounds. The missiles were designed to shoot down helicopters and hit installations equipped with ATGM systems outside the firing range of conventional T-80B tank projectiles.

A 7.62-mm PKT machine gun coaxial with a cannon and a 12.7-mm NSVT "Utes" on the commander's turret completed the anti-personnel armament of this tank.

While the T-80 already boasted modern composite armor, it was further protected by the Kontakt-1 dynamic system. Equipped with active armor at the same horizontal levels as latest models T-72A, T-80 tanks began to be designated as T-80BV.

In 1987, instead of the T-80B, the T-80U began to be produced, although total they have not surpassed their predecessors.

The T-80U tank was equipped with the Kontakt-5 dynamic protection system. It was an improved version of the Contact-1 system, which consisted of additionally installed containers with explosives. Whereas the Kontakt-5 system had a set of factory-made containers directed outward to maximize the angle of reflection of the projectiles. The "Kontakt-1" system was effective only in the case of the use of cumulative projectiles, while the "Kontakt-5" system also protected against the kinetic energy of sub-caliber ammunition.

Inside the T-80U, instead of the 1A33 fire control system, which was equipped with the T-80B models, more modern system 1A45. Engineers have replaced the Cobra missiles with laser-guided 9K119 Reflex missiles, a more reliable weapon with greater range and greater lethality. The T-80 was loaded with seven more shells for the 125mm gun than the T-80B.

However, the T-80U tank was not produced for long. His GTD-1250 power plant still consumed too much fuel and was difficult to maintain. Instead, they began to produce a diesel model T-80UD. It was the last version of the T-80 tank produced in the Soviet Union. It was also the first model to be seen in action outside of the training center... if by "in action" we mean the tank gun fire on the Russian Parliament in October 1993 during the constitutional crisis.

In December 1994, the war against the separatists in Chechnya was the first time the T-80 was used in a situation where shells were flying in both directions ... and this was a disaster of epic proportions for the T-80.

When the rebels in Chechnya declared independence, Russian President Boris Yeltsin ordered the troops to return this former Soviet republic into Russia by force. The created group included T-80B and T-80 BV. The crews had no special training on T-80 tanks. They did not know about his gluttony and sometimes completely burned the fuel supply at idle.

The advance of the Russian armed forces towards the Chechen capital city of Grozny was more like a bloody massacre organized for the interventionists - about a thousand soldiers died and 200 pieces of equipment were destroyed between December 31, 1994 and the evening of the next day. The most modern Russian tanks T-80B and T-80BV in the Russian strike force suffered terrible losses.

Although the T-80s are protected from direct frontal hits, many tanks were destroyed in catastrophic explosions, and their turrets flew off after numerous volleys fired by Chechen rebels from RPG-7V and RPG-18 grenade launchers.

It turned out that the loading system of the T-80 "Basket" had a fatal flaw in the design. In the automatic loading system, the finished projectiles were in a vertical arrangement, and only the road wheels partially protected them. An RPG shot fired from the side and directed above the road wheels caused detonation of the ammunition and led to the collapse of the tower.

In this regard, the T-72A and T-72B were similarly punished, but they had a slightly higher chance of surviving a flank attack because their autoloader system used a horizontal position of ammunition that was below the level of the road wheels.

The second main drawback of the T-80, like the previous ones Russian tanks, was associated with the minimum levels of vertical guidance of the gun. It was impossible to fire a cannon at the rebels who fired from upper floors buildings or basements.

In fairness, it should be said that, most likely, poor crew training, insufficient training and disastrous tactics were the cause of large losses. Russia was in such a hurry to start fighting that the T-80BV tanks entered Grozny without filling the dynamic protection containers with explosives, which made it useless. It was even said that the soldiers were selling explosives in order to increase their salaries in this way.

The Soviet army had long forgotten the hard lessons of urban fighting during World War II. During the Cold War, only special forces units and the Berlin garrison were trained for urban combat. Without expecting significant resistance, Russian troops entered Grozny, while the soldiers were in infantry fighting vehicles and armored personnel carriers. Their commanders were losing their bearings because they didn't have the right maps.

Insofar as Russian soldiers they didn’t really want to get out of their armored personnel carriers and clear the buildings room by room, their Chechen opponents - they knew the weaknesses Russian armored vehicles, because they served in the army during the Soviet Union - they got the opportunity to turn tanks and armored vehicles into crematoria.

It is easy for the Russian command to blame the Chechen disaster on design errors in the creation of the T-80 and not pay attention to rough operational planning and tactical miscalculations. But ultimately, it was the lack of money that caused the cheaper T-72s to replace the T-80s, becoming the preferred choice for Russian exports and for the post-Chechen war effort.

When the Soviet Union collapsed, Russia lost the plant in Kharkov, which became the property of Ukraine. The plant in Omsk, where the T-80U was produced, turned out to be bankrupt, while the Leningrad LKZ no longer produced the earlier T-80BV model.

It no longer made financial or logistical sense for Russia to have three types of tanks - T-72 (A and B), T-80 (BV. U and UD) and T-90. All these models had one 125-millimeter 2A46M gun and missiles of the same characteristics, launched through the gun barrel. But they all had different engines, fire control systems and chassis.

To put it simply, these tanks had common capabilities, but differed in spare parts, instead of having common spare parts and different capabilities. Since the T-80U was much more expensive than the T-72B, it was logical that cash-strapped Russia chose the T-72.

However, Moscow continued to experiment with the T-80 by adding an active defense system that used millimeter-wave radar to track incoming missiles before the active defense system went off. As a result, the T-80UM-1 Bars appeared in 1997, but it was not put into production, probably due to budgetary constraints.

Russia did not use the T-80 in the second Chechen war in 1999-2000 and did not use them during the brief conflict with Georgia in 2008 - as far as we know. So far, T-80 tanks have not participated in the war in Ukraine.