The T-80 Main Battle Tank is an advanced version of the T-64 and T-72 series, incorporating a gas turbine engine that allows for speeds up to 40 miles per hour.

Key Insights

Some view the T-80 Main Battle Tank (MBT) as simply another variant of the T-72, with some even suggesting the "T-72" is an export model, while the T-80 represents the true T-72 used by the Soviet armed forces.

The T-80 stands out as a faster and more heavily armored tank than the T-72. Powered by a gasoline turbine engine, it reaches speeds exceeding 40 miles per hour, and it is equipped with the Kobra missile system, allowing it to launch anti-tank missiles through its 125mm smoothbore gun.

Soviet analysts developed a program to enhance the armor of the T-64/T-72/T-80 series of MBTs after evaluating the T-72's performance in battle during the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, particularly when used by Syrian forces.

The laminate armor on the hull was found to be too susceptible to the Merkava's 105mm main gun. In response, extra laminate armor incorporating ceramic composites, alongside reactive armor, was added to the T-80 and other Soviet tanks used by Soviet forces in East Germany and Czechoslovakia.

By 1989, more than half of the T-64/T-72/T-80 MBTs stationed in Eastern Europe were equipped with reactive armor. This shift rendered up to 80 percent of one-man anti-tank weapons used by U.S. and NATO forces ineffective.

Reactive armor consists of steel boxes filled with explosives and mounted on the tank's hull and turret. When an anti-tank round hits the reactive armor, the explosives inside disrupt the round's gas jet. This type of armor is also believed to be capable of deflecting solid-shot projectiles in a similar manner.

The Soviets classified the improved T-72 as the T-72 1981/3, though some Western sources label it as the T-74, while NATO designates it as the T-80.

For more detailed information on the T-80 Main Battle Tank's equipment, please proceed to the next page.

T-80 Main Battle Tank Equipment

There were four main versions of the T-80 Main Battle Tank's equipment. One featured fabric skirt armor over the tracks, while another added side armor to protect the rear deck from aerial threats like aircraft or missiles.

A third version was equipped with appliqué armor and radiation shields on the turret roof, alongside reactive armor on the turret front and eight smoke grenade launchers mounted on the left side of the turret.

The fourth version, informally dubbed the "Dolly Parton" by NATO due to its distinctive thick mantlet armor, also featured attachment points for additional reactive armor.

With the addition of supplementary armor, the T-80's total weight is estimated to have increased to 49.6 tons. Despite these changes, the T-80 remains largely similar to the T-72, to the point where even experts often confuse the two.

NATO estimated that by the late 1980s, a third or more of the Soviet tanks in the Warsaw Pact were from the T-64/T-72/T-80 series, potentially totaling up to 32,000 tanks by the end of 1987, though this figure might be an overestimate.

By late 1988, the T-80 was known to be stationed with both the 8th Guards Army and the 1st Guards Tank Army.

Many Western tank experts consider the autoloading system of the 120mm main gun to be the Achilles' heel of the T-80, as well as the T-64/T-72/T-80 series as a whole. The autoloader introduces two primary challenges.

One of the main issues with the T-80's autoloader is its mechanical complexity. It can hold up to 24 rounds, with eight stored in a carousel or magazine.

The upper carousel ring holds the semi-combustible cases, while the warheads are stored in the lower ring, accessible by the gunner. Any failure or damage to this system would render the tank ineffective in battle.

Another factor to consider is the impact on crew fatigue. While combat and driving take up only a small portion of their responsibilities, the bulk of a crew's time is spent on routine maintenance tasks.

With only three crew members available to handle maintenance, work hours are longer, and rest periods are shorter. Additionally, tank commanders are frequently called away for meetings, which increases the workload on the remaining crew.

Refer to the next page for detailed specifications of the T-80 Main Battle Tank.

T-80 Main Battle Tank Specifications

The T-80 Main Battle Tank was the final stage in the evolution that began with the T-64 and progressed through the T-72. Below, you'll find the specifications for the T-80 Main Battle Tank.

Year of Service: 1980

Origin: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics

Category: Main Battle Tank

Dimensions: Length: 6.9 meters (22.6 feet); Width: 3.6 meters (11.8 feet); Height: 2.37 meters (7.7 feet)

Combat Weight: 41,000 kilograms (45.2 tons)

Engine: Gas turbine engine producing 985 horsepower, capable of using multiple fuel types

Armament: One 125mm 2A46 smoothbore main gun; one 7.62mm PKT machine gun; one 12.7mm DShKM machine gun

Crew: 3 personnel

Top Speed: 64 kilometers per hour (40 miles per hour)

Operational Range: Not specified

Obstacle/Grade Capability: Not specified