page_title: T-80
section_title: T-80 models
hierarchical_section_title: T-80 / Production history / T-80 models
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Танк Т-80У на танковом биатлоне в Алабино в 2013 году.English: T-80U
context_page_description: The T-80 is a third-generation main battle tank 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.
context_section_description: 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, coincidence rangefinder, and no missile capability. This model does not have fittings for explosive reactive armour. The turret is from the T-64A, and thus retains the use of the old coincidence rangefinder. Characteristics of this type are the V shaped water deflector on the front glacis, coincidence rangefinder in front of the commander's cupola, and Luna searchlight mounted in the same position as a T-64. Around 250 were produced, as the tank's armour was essentially obsolete when introduced. Turret vs APFSDS – 380 mm, hull vs APFSDS – 500 mm (without reactive armour). This was, in effect, a pre-production model. It reportedly was fitted with an early version of the Shtora APS.
  T-80B (1978): This model had a new turret, laser rangefinder, fire-control, and autoloader allowing the firing of 9M112-1 Kobra antitank guided missile (80% probability of destroying an armored target while stopped and on the move), 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 armour added protection of 400 mm equivalent armour to defend against HEAT warheads. The longest sighting range for T-80B kinetic energy ammunition and for "cumulative" ammunition – 4,000 m, high-explosive fragmentation – 5,000 m (using the "side level" – 10,000 m). A night sight TPNZ-49 in active mode reached 1,300 and a passive – 850 m. "Reflex" guided missile complex with laser beam allowed it to launch missiles at any tank speed.
  T-80BV (1985): T-80B with explosive reactive armour Kontakt-1
   T-80UM: Russian version, with new Buran thermal imaging sight in place of the Luna IR.
  Object 219A: Early T-80U (Object 219AS) variant. It has the T-80U's turret, but not the Kontakt-5 ERA. Instead, it uses the old Kontakt-1/3 system; some 219As did not have ERA at all. Often misnamed T-80A.
  T-80U (1985): Further development with a better turret, Kontakt-5 explosive reactive armour, improved gunsight, and 9M119 Svir missile system. In 1990 a new, 1,250-hp, engine was installed. Overall protection with Kontakt-5 against APFSDS/HEAT is 780/1,320 mm RHAe. 9K119M with antitank guided missile 9M119M installed since 1990. Some of the tanks in commander version (T-80UK) equipped with Shtora-1 APS, and thermal imaging night sight TO1-PO2T (detection range / target classification range = 6,400/4,600 meters at night). Basic thermal night sight of the T-80U is within the limits of 1,750/1,500 meters.
  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
  T-80BVD (2002): KMDB's upgrade standard for Ukrainian T-80BVs. Changes include the 6TD diesel engine, remote-controlled commander's machine gun, and better optics. None were produced.
  T-80UM2/Black Eagle (prototype: cancelled): Several Russian prototypes were shown at trade shows, with a longer chassis and extra pair of road wheels, and very a large turret with separate ammunition compartment.
  T-80BVM (2017):  Installed "Relikt" ERA, PNM Sosna-U gunner sight (as in the T-90, T-72B3), the improved 125mm gun 2A46M-4, the upgraded gas turbine engine and the upgrades of various other systems. The Russian armed forces have received all the modernized T-80BVM tanks under the contact with the Rostec corporation, signed in 2017, Rostec said on 12 December 2019. A new contract for 50 tanks was signed in August 2020.
caption: T-80U
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