Fact File: Ivan's Top of the Line-the T-80 MBT

[Matt Wiser]

The most advanced Soviet tank to see service during the war...

The T-80 tank in World War III


First produced in 1976, and seen by the West in 1980, the T-80 was the most advanced Soviet tank to see combat service in the war. Intended as the T-64's successor, the T-80 was just entering service in GSFG and the Northern Group of Forces (Poland) when some of those units deployed to North America, while several independent tank regiments from the USSR itself also deployed. The T-80 saw service mostly in the Southern Theater, though at least two Regiments and one tank division were also equipped with the T-80. The tank also saw service in the Second Russian Civil War, and in the fall of the Rump USSR. The T-80 is still produced in both the Russian Republic and at the Malyshev Tank Factory at Kharkov in the Ukraine today, and is the standard MBT of both the Russian and Ukrainian Armies. This work covers the T-80's wartime service and some of the postwar use.


T-80: Initial production variant from 1976; 1,000 hp gas turbine engine (the first used in a Soviet tank), 125-mm gun, laser rangefinder and no ATGM capability. Most upgraded to B standard.

T-80B Improved model from 1980. AT-8 Songster ATGM fired through main gun, new turret with composite armor, improved fire-control, 1100 hp engine.

T-80BK: Command version of T-80B; two radios, land navigation system, no ATGM capability.

T-80BV: T-80B with Reactive Armor; very few in North America were equipped due to supply shortages.

T-80BVK: Command version of BV.

T-80A: Improved version from 1982. New turret and improved armor. AT-11 Sniper ATGM in place of AT-8. 1100 hp gas turbine engine, main gun ammo capacity increased from 38 rounds to 45.

T-80AK: Command version; no ATGM capability.

T-80U: First produced 1986. New turret, improved armor protection based on wartime experience from both Afghanistan and North America, with emphasis on mine protection and protection from HEAT rounds. AT-11 ATGM capability, new 1100 Hp multi-fuel gas turbine engine. Few arrived in North America. First seen with an independent tank regiment at the Battle of Wichita, 1987.

T-80UK: Command version of U. Two radios, land navigation system, no AT-11.

T-80UD: Produced 1985: Diesel engine in place of gas turbine. Main production at Kharkov in the Ukraine. Standard MBT of Ukrainian Army today, upgraded to UDM standard with French made fire-control system and thermal sight.


Users:

Soviet Army: Mainly used by several Cat A tank divisions from both Poland and East Germany, as well as independent tank regiments at Army and Front level. First deployed to North America 1987. Last encountered during the war at Brownsville Pocket (20th Tank Division).

Postwar Users:

Russian Republic: Still produced at LKZ plant in St. Petersburg. Standard Russian Republic MBT for tank divisions. Combat in both the Second Russian Civil War and Fall of Rump USSR.

Rump Soviet State: Several divisions and independent tank brigades equipped after the Civil War. All destroyed or captured during fall of Rump USSR, 2010.

Ukraine: Produced at Malyshev Tank Factory in Kharkov. T-80UD still primary MBT of Ukrainian Army. Combat in both Second Russian Civil War and in 2010.

Mexico: A number of T-80s of varying types were left behind in Mexico by Soviet forces after the Armistice. Main user was the Presidential Guard Division in Mexico City. No combat as far as is known during the Baja War in 2010.

Captured Vehicles:

Several specimens were found at Wichita either slightly damaged, or abandoned by crews. Others fell into Allied hands when the Northern Theater ended in October, 1989. Captured specimens were sent to both Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD as well as Fort Knox, KY. All passed to museums in the U.S., Camada, and Britain.

[Wolfman]

We didn’t turn them against their former users?

[Matt Wiser]

Captured T-72s were easier to maintain.

[Poohbah]

Captured T-72s were easier to maintain.

Fifth Tanks' maintenance chief in 1989 was of the opinion that the T-80 design was simply a bridge too far Russian industrial engineering. When everything worked, it was great, but there was always something deadlines.

[jemhouston]

How well did the missiles actually work? I've heard conflicting reports.

[Poohbah]

How well did the missiles actually work? I've heard conflicting reports.

The big problem with Songster is that you have to halt the tank for 9-10 seconds.

[jemhouston]

How well did the missiles actually work? I've heard conflicting reports.

The big problem with Songster is that you have to halt the tank for 9-10 seconds.

AKA Dead Tank

[Poohbah]

How well did the missiles actually work? I've heard conflicting reports.

The big problem with Songster is that you have to halt the tank for 9-10 seconds.

AKA Dead Tank

There's a reason we say "the quick and the dead."

[Johnnie Lyle]

How well did the missiles actually work? I've heard conflicting reports.

The big problem with Songster is that you have to halt the tank for 9-10 seconds.

Why bother, when you can just fire 125mm out of the main gun?

[Poohbah]

How well did the missiles actually work? I've heard conflicting reports.

The big problem with Songster is that you have to halt the tank for 9-10 seconds.

Why bother, when you can just fire 125mm out of the main gun?

Range limits. Songster was lethal out to 4,000 meters, the 125mm was dubious beyond 2,000 against Chobham.

[Johnnie Lyle]

The big problem with Songster is that you have to halt the tank for 9-10 seconds.

Why bother, when you can just fire 125mm out of the main gun?

Range limits. Songster was lethal out to 4,000 meters, the 125mm was dubious beyond 2,000 against Chobham.

Do you really want to engage American armor in a long-range slow firefight? Honestly reads like you are playing to our strengths, especially our superior air, arty and combined arms.

A short range ambush or firefight sounds a lot more effective.

[Poohbah]

Why bother, when you can just fire 125mm out of the main gun?

Range limits. Songster was lethal out to 4,000 meters, the 125mm was dubious beyond 2,000 against Chobham.

Do you really want to engage American armor in a long-range slow firefight? Honestly reads like you are playing to our strengths, especially our superior air, arty and combined arms.

A short range ambush or firefight sounds a lot more effective.

Ivan did a LOT of really bad analysis of battlefield trends in the 1950-75 period. Then again, so did we. What we did was figure out what advances needed to happen to make the gre-whiz ideas work, while Ivan patted himself on the head for his cleverness in answering questions no one had actually asked...

[jemhouston]

It helped the Russians took out OSD in the opening hours of the war. Most of the replacement took themselves out of running by pre-war saying "The US has nothing to fear from the Russian Build up in Mexico."

[Poohbah]

It helped the Russians took out OSD in the opening hours of the war. Most of the replacement took themselves out of running by pre-war saying "The US has nothing to fear from the Russian Build up in Mexico."

When Mondale said "You can call me Olaf if Mexico ever joins the Warsaw Pact" in August 1984, only to have it happen in October, that was that for his campaign. Two weeks before the election the "Students for Mondale" chapter at UC Irvine hosted a party to celebrate (a) their disbandment and (b) consume copious amounts of alcohol to drown their sorrows. The secret password to get in? "Olaf sent me."

[jemhouston]

It helped the Russians took out OSD in the opening hours of the war. Most of the replacement took themselves out of running by pre-war saying "The US has nothing to fear from the Russian Build up in Mexico."

When Mondale said "You can call me Olaf if Mexico ever joins the Warsaw Pact" in August 1984, only to have it happen in October, that was that for his campaign. Two weeks before the election the "Students for Mondale" chapter at UC Irvine hosted a party to celebrate (a) their disbandment and (b) consume copious amounts of alcohol to drown their sorrows. The secret password to get in? "Olaf sent me."

This didn't help Mondale any https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RtXmnU ... e=emb_logo

The fact Mondale burst out laughing along with the moderator sealed his defeat.

Do you think if Reagan had gotten out of DC in time, he would survived the war? Bush aged 20 years during the war.

[Poohbah]

It helped the Russians took out OSD in the opening hours of the war. Most of the replacement took themselves out of running by pre-war saying "The US has nothing to fear from the Russian Build up in Mexico."

When Mondale said "You can call me Olaf if Mexico ever joins the Warsaw Pact" in August 1984, only to have it happen in October, that was that for his campaign. Two weeks before the election the "Students for Mondale" chapter at UC Irvine hosted a party to celebrate (a) their disbandment and (b) consume copious amounts of alcohol to drown their sorrows. The secret password to get in? "Olaf sent me."

This didn't help Mondale any https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RtXmnU ... e=emb_logo

The fact Mondale burst out laughing along with the moderator sealed his defeat.

Do you think if Reagan had gotten out of DC in time, he would survived the war? Bush aged 20 years during the war.

I dunno. Some men thrive on stress--look at Churchill. Would Reagan have been like that? Who knows?

I do wonder about some of the folks we also lost. Ashton Carter at Brookings, for example, was a pretty sharp guy who everyone said could both raise a BS flag on your pet idea and do it with the kind of grace and gentle manners such that you would never take it personally.