The Russian Army has quickly elevated the variety of T-80 important battle tanks in lively service, because the automobile’s distinctive capabilities together with its significantly excessive mobility have been more and more extremely valued. Whereas throughout the 2010s the variety of operational T-80s was lower considerably, primarily because of the sort’s far larger operational prices than the rival T-72 which noticed numbers in service elevated, the demonstration of the worth of the T-80’s better mobility in excessive depth fight is believed to have been a major issue main the Army to hunt to discipline extra of the autos. Consequently the newest and most generally fielded variant, the T-80BVM, is at the moment operated by 23 items, in comparison with simply 4 items earlier than the outbreak of full scale struggle in 2022.
The T-80 not solely has a far larger ahead pace, but in addition a considerably larger reverse pace, decrease engine sound signature, and higher cold-start functionality than different Russian tanks together with the T-72 and T-90. The tank was in manufacturing at two of the Soviet Union’s three largest tank factories throughout the Eighties, however fell out of favour after the state’s disintegration as lowered prices had been prioritised over efficiency. The tank was produced at very low ranges all through the Nineties, primarily to keep away from mass unemployment in areas related to its manufacture, earlier than manufacturing resulted in 2001. The tank’s excessive efficiency within the Ukrainian theatre is believed to have been a major issue influencing the choice introduced September 2023 to restart T-80 manufacturing, which is anticipated to start close to the top of the last decade.
Regardless of a scarcity of manufacturing for near 1 / 4 of a century, the Russian defence sector has been capable of proceed delivering T-80BVM tanks to frontline items by modernising Soviet-built T-80B and T-80BV tanks at the moment in storage. Upgrades embrace combine of the 2A46M-4 important gun, a brand new 1,250hp engine offering 25 p.c extra energy, entry to a variety of latest munitions, and integration of Relikt explosive reactive armour and thermal sights, amongst different enhancements. The T-80 is one in all two tank varieties to make use of a gasoline turbine engine, alongside the American M1 Abrams, though with a weight of near 80 tons, in comparison with round 45 tons for the T-80, the Abrams’ power-to-weight ratio is much inferior. The T-80’s a lot decrease weight is achieved regardless of many variants reaching larger ranges of armour safety than the Abrams, and regardless of the tank carrying a bigger important gun than its American rival, main its design to be assessed to be essentially the most environment friendly of the Chilly Warfare period.
Russian Army personnel have persistently praised the tank’s excessive efficiency, with a Russian Army commander engaged in fight with Ukrainian items, together with German-supplied Leopard tanks, having significantly highlighted in late 2023 its wonderful mobility relative to the Leopards. “The identical Leopards are drowning within the mud, they’re continually, continually drowning. We will observe from drones how they’re being taken out [of the mud]. Our automobile has a gasoline turbine engine, it’s not afraid of mud or slush, it flies over all potholes. That is the distinction that permits our tank items to function in any climate, assist infantry and overcome enemy trenches and dugouts with out slowing down,” he said. Though the T-80’s excessive manufacturing and sustainment prices imply it’s not anticipated to be in-built comparable numbers to the considerably cheaper T-90M, a resumption of manufacturing is anticipated to make sure that the proportion of the fleet geared up with the autos continues to develop.
