T-80

The **T-80** is the current main battle tank (MBT) of the Mouse Island Defense Forces. This Russian-made tank was used by the MIDF to replace their aging Centurion tanks fleet. Mouse Island currently have 50 T-80 tanks: namely the T-80U and T-80UK. Mouse Island deployed 25 of the T-80U and T-80UK tanks into the Kingdom of Fantasy.

The T-80U and T-80UK was the first tank to be seen in combat during the Battle of Desert of Eyes and Ears.

### Secondary armament

1. Commander's cupola-mounted 12.7 mm DsHKM Heavy Machine Gun2. Coaxial 7.62 mm PKT

### Engine

GTD-1250 gas turbin (1250 Horsepower produced)

## About the T-80U tank

The T-80U (U stands for Uluchsheniye, meaning "improved") is an improved version of the Russian-made T-80 MBT that entered into service with the Russian army in 1985. It features a classical layout with a crew of three including a driver located in the middle of the front hull, a commander on the right, and a gunner on the left in the turret. Engine and transmission are in the rear of the hull.

A development of the T-80A, it was powered from 1990 by a 1,250 hp (919 kW) GTD-1250 gas turbine, for improved range. The latter was derived from the GTD-1000T and GTD-1000TF engines used by the main production T-80s. This new gas turbine was multifuel, accepting high-octane aviation gasoline as well as diesel and low-octane gasoline.

It was also very reliable, stable for a better service life. It also had a built-in automatic system of dust deposits removal but still retains a relatively high fuel consumption. The main gun was provided with the 2A46 fire control system in an improved turret. For amphibious crossings, it was given the new Brod-M deep wading equipment.

The T-80U also uses the Shtora-1, an electro-optical APS that specializes in disrupting semiautomatic command to line of sight (SACLOS) anti-tank guided missiles, laser rangefinders and target designators.

## About the T-80UK tank

The T-80UK is the command version of the T-80U tank. It is equipped with additional R-163-50K and R-163-U radios, TNA-4 land navigation system, two TShU-1-7 Shtora countermeasures system. electronic fuze-setting device that permits use of "Ainet" shrapnel round, a meteorological sensor, laser warning receivers, "Agava-2" thermal sight which provides a 2,600-meter night acquisition range, fire control and APU.

This tank can be easily recognized by EO boxes on the front of turret on either side of the main armament and multiple radio antennas.

## Description

### Mobility

Both T-80U and T-80UK features the GTD-1250 gas turbine engine that produces 1250 Horsepower. Both of these gas turbine engines are strong enough to make the tank reaching a top speed of 70km/h to 80 km/h. Even though so, these engines also cause the tanks to have a sluggish reverse speed; 11km/h, which can be considered as 'slow' by some people.

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-aluminum rubber-tyred road wheels on each side, with the tracks driven by rear sprockets. The tracks are slightly wider and longer than on the T-64, giving them a lower ground pressure.

### Armament

Both T-80UK and T-80U in the service of MIDF uses the 125 mm 2A46-2 smoothbore gun, with the ability to fire anti-tank guided missiles and regular ammunitions. 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 whereas the additional ammunitions are stored within the turret.

The T-80U could carry 45 ammunitions, comprising of Mouse Island-made 125 mm APFSDS, HEAT and HE-Frag plus the propellant charge, or the two-part missile. In addition, the autoloader system is an effective, reliable, combat tested system that has been in use since the mid-1960s.

The autoloader takes between 7.1 and 19.5 seconds to load the main weapon (28 rounds), depending on the initial position of autoloader carousel.

The tanks' secondary armament comprises of the 12.7 mm DsHKM Heavy Machine Gun on the commander's cupola and a coaxial 7.62 mm PKT Machine Gun.

## Trivia

* Back during the Soviet Union era, the T-80 tanks were never exported; it was exported only after the collapse of the Soviet Union, when the T-80 was henceforth produced in Russia.
* The T-80 is the third tank in the world to be featured with a gas turbine engine with the second goes to the American-made M1 Abrams. The first goes to the Swedish Stridsvagn 103 (Better known as the 'S-tank' by many).
* Surprisingly, the Arena and Shtora-1 APS used on the T-80Us have the ability to counter against magical energy fireballs.
* The T-80 tanks was dubbed as 'Armoured Battering Rams' and 'Steel Elephants' by the Fantasians.
* The Shtora-1 APS equipped on the T-80UK tanks caused them to be called as 'The Soul-eating Iron Beast' by the Fantasian due to its likeliness of glowing red eyes. For them, it's like the tank was starring deep into their soul.
* According to Queen Blossom herself, the interior of the tank was the narrowest place she had ever entered in her entire life. This due to the fact that the interior has been criticized by many, including the Mousian Army themselves, as cramped.

## Gallery

T-80UAutoloader system in workDriver's stationCommander's stationGunner's station. Note that there are three High Explosive Fragmentation rounds and two Propellant ChargesTaking a shotA size comparison between a T-80U tank and a Centurion tank. Note that the T-80U is much more shorter than the Centurion