The T-80s future in the Russian Army

Military units of the Air Defense Forces on the Kuril Islands received modernized T-80BV tanks


TASS, January 11. Military units of the Eastern Military District (VVO) in the Kuril Islands received a batch of modernized T-80BV tanks, which are called "flying" due to technical features, the district's press service reported on Tuesday.

"In 2021, a batch of modern modernized T-80BV tanks entered service with the military units of the army corps of the Eastern Military District (VVO) stationed in the Kuril Islands. A distinctive feature of the T-80 family tanks is a single gas turbine power plant, for which it was named" flying "tank" - said in the message.

This car is capable of accelerating to speeds of over 70 km / h. The technique has proven itself well when operated in extreme arctic conditions, which largely corresponds to the harsh winters of the island region. In addition, due to the installed modern equipment, including multi-channel gunner sights, weapon stabilizers, observation devices, radio stations, as well as modular dynamic protection, the effectiveness of the use of tank units in solving combat training tasks is significantly increased.

Before the arrival of modern combat vehicles in the compound, tank crews mastered the equipment on simulators, and after its introduction into operation, practical driving exercises were carried out with control firing.

https://tass-ru.translate.goog/armiya-i-opk/13392633?_x_tr_sl=ru&_x_tr_tl=en&_x_tr_hl=en

They would look even better in Alaska!

Dammit, where's the Arctic cammo?

That paintjob was dope as f*ck

Would have been a very drab video then - at least now we can see them!

Exactly. This is the special PR unit.

Last year, the military unit of the VVO in Primorye was replenished with T-80BVM gas turbine tanks

In 2021, a batch of modern modernized T-80BVM tanks entered service with the military unit of the Eastern Military District (VVO) stationed in Primorye.

Tanks, a distinctive feature of which is a single gas turbine power plant, are capable of accelerating to speeds of more than 70 km/h. This sample has proven itself well during operation in Arctic extreme conditions.

Also, due to the availability of modern equipment, including a multi-channel gunner's sight "Sosna-U", a modified gas turbine engine, an armament stabilizer and a driver's observation device, which significantly increases the effectiveness of the T-80BVM in solving combat training tasks of varying degrees of complexity.

Before putting modern tanks into operation and conducting practical driving exercises with the performance of control shooting, each crew mastered the technique of driving and shooting on simulators.

https://function.mil.ru/news_page/country/more.htm?id=12405364@egNews

NOTE: last year the Army was to receive 80 T-80BVM and the 64th in Khabarovsk received one battalion. Apparently the other went to one of the 5th Army units in Primorye. That would be either the 60th Motor Rifle brigade or 127th Motor Rifle division.

For the Tank connoisseur, looking if anyone knows how many T-80UE-1 tanks were built? The Russian military will mention the following types of T-80's:

- T-80BVM's (latest version around 140 examples)
- T-80BV modernized (not sure what the modernized part is but 150-160 were done before they started the BVM version)
- T-80U (last USSR version built, around 200 active)
- T-80UE-1 (mixed in with the T-80U units, research reveals it to be a T-80BV chassis with a T-80UD turret)

Curious to see if anyone know how many were produced.

EDIT: finally got a descent hit. The T-80UE-1 was the first attempt to upgrade the T-80BV by switching out the turret according to this article and up to 100 were built which would lower the number of active T-80U's.

http://bastion-karpenko.ru/t-80u-e1/

franco wrote:

Curious to see if anyone know how many were produced.

Not very helpful but you may find it interesting? As you've mentioned the T-80UE-1 is closely linked to the T-80UD that served in the Russian Army only until around 1995 due to spares shortage. Many of these tanks were cut up for scrap but the very valuable turrets were carefully preserved. Apparently 460 T-80UD's serviced with the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division and 4th Guards Kantemirowsk Motor Rifle Division, which is quite substantial number of the more than 800 tanks that were produced by the Malyshev plant in 1987-1991 in Ukraine. Some sources say 500 but I think the 800+ figure is more correct. This excludes the number built for Pakistan. Another interesting point is that some of these T-80UD's together with a number of BTR-70's were used as the "enemy" during Zapad 2021.

Anyway they do have a substantial number of preserved turrets available from the redundant T-80UD's which is a significant step up for the T-80BV's. The T-80UE-1 upgrade also includes an upgrade to the T-80BV's chassis as well as improved sensors and communication equipment and a PSU, which makes this a very potent beast but not quite up to the same standard as the T-80BVM.

This tread could be renamed to "T-80 Arctic MBT" because it's pretty clear that it will have a future in Russian Army

PapaDragon wrote:
This tread could be renamed to "T-80 Arctic MBT" because it's pretty clear that it will have a future in Russian Army

Ur right the T-80 is useful for artic conditions and as u say that's what it's mainly getting used for while T-72 and T-90 for everything else. And it makes sense.

The big issue is what will they use all the other 1,000's of T-80 laying around, nobody wants them. Even converting them to a diesel engine, the tank including conversion would still be more expensive than the latest T-72. It's a pity they couldn't find a market, sad to think they are rusting away. Could have been a useful robotic tank

There is currently about 500 T-80's in Russian service and about 3000 in reserve (storage) so they are not exactly rusting away. Another 7000 T-72's and about 200 T90's also make up the rest of the reserve tank force. Quite a useful bunch in case of emergency

I am more concerned if there's gonna be enough ammo for all those tanks.

What is the reasoning for not upgrading T-80U to similar standard as is BVM (meaning Relikt, Sosna-U, new gun, etc.) , instead of BV?

T-80U still has Kontakt-5, Buran sight, if i understand it correctly. Wasn't it better to upgrade U rather than BV version?

caveat emptor wrote:What is the reasoning for not upgrading T-80U to similar standard as is BVM (meaning Relikt, Sosna-U, new gun, etc.) , instead of BV?

Because T-80U have enough protection for all NATO rounds right now...

Turret protection with K5 ERA is:
vs HEAT 960-1450mm (frontal)
vs APFSD 860mm (NATO for now do not have APFSDS which can pen turret of T-80U)

Hull protection with K5 ERA is:
vs HEAT 1080mm
vs APFSDS 780mm (still enough for any APFSDS NATO have it)

In future they will get this modernization, but first they need to upgrade BVs...

Mir wrote:[

Not very helpful but you may find it interesting? As you've mentioned the T-80UE-1 is closely linked to the T-80UD that served in the Russian Army only until around 1995 due to spares shortage. Many of these tanks were cut up for scrap but the very valuable turrets were carefully preserved. Apparently 460 T-80UD's serviced with the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division and 4th Guards Kantemirowsk Motor Rifle Division, which is quite substantial number of the more than 800 tanks that were produced by the Malyshev plant in 1987-1991 in Ukraine. Some sources say 500 but I think the 800+ figure is more correct. This excludes the number built for Pakistan. Another interesting point is that some of these T-80UD's together with a number of BTR-70's were used as the "enemy" during Zapad 2021.

Russia do not operate anymore with T-80UDs. They are all in reserve...

They have only T-80U tank in 4th Kantemirovskaya division with T-80U and T-80UE-1 (this tank was made in late 1990s, when they put turret from T-80UD and used body of T-80BV late versions, and have some minor upgrades, FCS was one of this upgrades) and operate with ~190+/- T80U/UE-1s..

2nd Tamanskaya division operate with T-90A tanks witch replace T-80BVs...

Today Russia have:
~190 T-80U/UE-1 tanks 4th Guard
~160 T-80BV late version with 50 of them with GDT 1250 engine rest have GDT1100F1
~64 T-80BVMs and +50 more in 2021-2022 + maybe more BVMs after this contract, but i think they will modernized T-80U/UE-1s They have less then 500 this produced from 1986-1995 they will not modernized T-80UDs witch they have around 800 in reserve becasue this tank have 6TD engine Ukrainian...so its NO, NO for upgrade..

This is active for now less then 500 T-80s any version...

Isos wrote:Future upgrade will focus on top attack munitions and all around direction in general that are more likely than tank vs tank situations and frontal apfsds hits.

T-90, leopards, abrams... they all got destroyed recently fairly easily and it wasn't from the front and it wasn't with apfsds  

APS is needed if you want to protect your tank against ATGMS or similar missiles...so this is path they all go with next gen upgrade for old tanks...

We have Drozd 2 on T-80UE-1Ms as they call it. T-14 have radars and Afganith APS...

galicije83 wrote:

Mir wrote:[

Not very helpful but you may find it interesting? As you've mentioned the T-80UE-1 is closely linked to the T-80UD that served in the Russian Army only until around 1995 due to spares shortage. Many of these tanks were cut up for scrap but the very valuable turrets were carefully preserved. Apparently 460 T-80UD's serviced with the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division and 4th Guards Kantemirowsk Motor Rifle Division, which is quite substantial number of the more than 800 tanks that were produced by the Malyshev plant in 1987-1991 in Ukraine. Some sources say 500 but I think the 800+ figure is more correct. This excludes the number built for Pakistan. Another interesting point is that some of these T-80UD's together with a number of BTR-70's were used as the "enemy" during Zapad 2021.

Russia do not operate anymore with T-80UDs. They are all in reserve...

They have only T-80U tank in 4th Kantemirovskaya division with T-80U and T-80UE-1 (this tank was made in late 1990s, when they put turret from T-80UD and used body of T-80BV late versions, and have some minor upgrades, FCS was one of this upgrades) and operate with ~190+/- T80U/UE-1s..

2nd Tamanskaya division operate with T-90A tanks witch replace T-80BVs...

Today Russia have:
~190 T-80U/UE-1 tanks 4th Guard
~160 T-80BV late version with 50 of them with GDT 1250 engine rest have GDT1100F1
~64 T-80BVMs and +50 more in 2021-2022 + maybe more BVMs  after this contract, but i think they will modernized T-80U/UE-1s They have less then 500 this produced from 1986-1995 they will not modernized T-80UDs witch they have around 800 in reserve becasue this tank have 6TD engine Ukrainian...so its NO, NO for upgrade..

This is active for now less then 500 T-80s any version...

80 BVM's were delivered in 2021, two battalions out East and appears the 200th now has a 41-tank battalion

galicije83 wrote:

Russia do not operate anymore with T-80UDs. They are all in reserve...

Yes as I've mentioned - the Russians withdrew the T-80UD in 1995 as they ran out of spares.

They have only T-80U tank in 4th Kantemirovskaya division

Yes but before that the T-80UD's served with the 2nd Guards Tamanskaya Motor Rifle Division and 4th Guards Kantemirowsk Motor Rifle Division before it was withdrawn in 1995...

T-80UE-1 (this tank was made in late 1990s, when they put turret from T-80UD and used body of T-80BV late versions, and have some minor upgrades, FCS was one of this upgrades) and operate with ~190+/- T80U/UE-1s..

Production of the T-80UE-1 only started in 2005...