The Tank T-80 is a development of the T-64, on which for the first time in the USSR was adopted a propulsion by Gas turbine. T-80 was developed at the end of the years 1970, and started to be deployed massively starting from 1983.

Product parallel to the more rustic T-72, it incorporated, like its predecessor, the last evolutions as regards Blindage and of armament of Soviet industry, and was allotted to the units of elite of the Red Army .

After the disintegration of the the USSR, its development was continued only in Ukraine through T-84, on the territory of which, the factory of origin of the tank was located at Karkhov. The Russia, preferring to be equipped with a derivative with T-72, T-90, less expensive to produce and maintain, whose design was carried out in the the Ural.

History of the production

T-80 was often confused with the T-72, because of their external resemblance, so much so that those Ci wondered why Soviet had allotted two designation to the same tank. However a study of the two tanks quickly brings an answer to this question, the two tanks is mechanically very different and is resulting from two research departments different, KMDB for T-80 and Uralvagonzavod for T-72. It have in fact only general appearance in common, T-80 being the continuation of the development of the T-64, complementary to T-72. T-64 was the tank combining the most advanced technologies Soviet and intended to equip the units armor-plated with elite of the Red Army (battalions of tank independent before equipped with heavy tanks of the type T-10 and armor-plated divisions), T-72 being him a tank designed for the mass production and the equipment the large one of the units of the latter (mechanized division of infantry) and the units of the satellite countries.

The improvement of T-64 was carried out while replacing, the original diesel 5TD by a Gas turbine, following the example of American with their M1 Abrams, then under development. The adoption of such an engine gave to the tank an exceptional ratio power by mass, even more than for M1, considering the mass and the obstruction of T-80, which often been worth the nickname of flying tank to him . The assembly of such an engine was not without posing serious concern, because the first Soviet gas turbines missed reliability and asked for many hours of maintenance. Even if it were mainly solved, by the arrival of turbine GTD1250, on T-80U , one developed in parallel a version T-80UD equipped with the diesel 6TD, the descendant of the 5TD.

Thereafter, after the bursting of the Soviet Union, it is this alternative, less greedy while carburizing and easier to maintain, which will be used as a basis for the descent of the tank, Ukrainian T-84 . The Russia preferred to be based on T-72, in which it will incorporate technologies resulting from T-80, to give rise to T-90.

Features

Like all the Soviet tanks, T-80 subscribes to a certain form of ethics of the development of the armoured tanks, then into force of this with dimensions of the iron curtain, aiming at making the tanks most compact possible. This orientation present of the unquestionable advantages, T-80, represents a target much smaller than M1 Abbrams, 1/2 or 3/4 according to the aspect, it allow also an amazing mobility with a quite lower mass, from which rises an important specific power.

It has its disadvantages however, with stations of combat of very low volume, obliging to select crews of small size. The use of an automatic system of loading which allowed this reduction in size, with the passage of the crew from four to three members, reveals also problematic, the shooting is slower and the storage of the ammunition under the turret in the carousel of food can be disastrous for the survival of the crew in the event of penetration of the shielding, going as far as making eject the turret in the air.

Another problem caused by the low height of the tank, the Culasse of the gun cannot go up well high and limit the field of fire of this last in depression.

Alternatives

  • T-80 first version of production, primarily T-64 with a turbine GTD-1000 of 1000 cv.
  • T-80B new shielding out of ceramics
  • T-80BV T-80B equipped with reactive shielding
  • T-80U version of 1985, new turret, harnesses GTD-1250 of 1250 cv, reactive shielding Kontakt-5, possibility of drawing from missiles AT-11 Sniper.
  • T-80UK version of command of U, equipped with the equipment with against electro-optical measurement Shtora.
  • T-80UD T-80U equipped with the engine 6TD of 1000cv, exported with the Pakistan.
  • T-80UDK version of command of the UD, equipped with the equipment with against electro-optical measurement Shtora.
  • Russian T-80UM version equipped with a system of vision for Intensification of light Buran, instead of the Luna infra-red.
  • T-80UM1 "Snow Leopard" (Bars) prototype Russian equipped with the defense system Arena.
  • T-80UM2 "Black Eagle" (Chorny Oriol) prototype Russian, frame lengthened with an additional wheel of road, new turret separating crew and ammunition, ammunition store equipped with panels to evacuate the breath, new autochargor, reactive shielding Kaktus, improvement of the system of aiming.
  • T-84 development of the T-80UD by the Ukrainians, driving 6TD-2 of 1200 cv, gun of 125 mm KBA-3.

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • T-80u (www.army-technology.com)

Random links:Gas field | The Tracking memory | François Louis Dedon-Duclos | Sunrise Over Sea | Julien Collet

© 2007-2008 speedlook.com; article text available under the terms of GFDL, from fr.wikipedia.org