Difference between revisions of "T-80B"

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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_80b}}
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{{About
 +
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
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| usage = other versions
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| link = T-80 (Family)
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}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=ussr_t_80b
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|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
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}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert the screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, they will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
−
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Object 219R) was one of the spearhead MBTs of the Soviet Union built by the Leningrad Kirov Plant and Omsk Transmash. The Soviet Union had been developing gas turbine engines for tanks as early as 1955, and previous efforts before the T-80 became valuable experience for future engines. After the development of the costly T-64 series MBT, there were plans from other tank design bureaus and factories to upgrade the T-64A with a gas turbine engine and new suspension that could withstand the operational needs of the tank. This led to the Object 219 prototypes, and later tests with the second certified prototype (Object 219 Sp2) alongside the Object 172M (T-72) and [[T-64A (1971)|T-64A]] showed superiority in terms of mobility. The Object 219 almost failed to join the Soviet Army due to its high fuel consumption and low reliability, but changes in leadership saved the project, where the soon-to-be T-80 would become the spearhead of the Soviet Army while the T-72 would serve as the economical alternative to previous fleets of tanks. The T-80B series received technological upgrades based on the T-64B, including improved FCS for gun-launched ATGMs, as well as the new "K" ceramic composite armour for better protection. Starting its production in 1976, the T-80B, alongside the later T-80BV with revised protection and Kontakt-1 ERA, has served as the spearhead of the Soviet armoured corps with fleets of T-80U as well. The tank is still serving the Russian Army, accompanied with its latest upgrade [[T-80BVM]] with overhaul upgrades on protection and FCS.
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{{break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating|1}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].
 
  
−
The T-80B is visually similar to the [[T-64B]], it retains the same rounded turret, sloped frontal armour and skirted sides, as well as the same jacketed 125 mm smoothbore gun. The turret bears different kit, however, such as the use of rounded storage bins and a snorkel tube. The same NSVT 12 mm machine gun is fitted, but this time it is used with 150-round boxes instead of the 100-round boxes found on the T-64B. The T-80B retains the same rubber-mesh screens covering the upper portion of the tracks. The frontal glacis has an additional 30 mm plate of HHRA welded onto it. This replaces the regular V-shaped “splash plate” found on the T-64B. The primary difference between the T-80B and its predecessor is the significantly improved engine which offers increased mobility.
+
Introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]], the T-80B is visually similar to the [[T-64B]], retaining the same rounded turret, sloped frontal armour, and skirted sides, as well as the same jacketed 125 mm smoothbore gun. The turret bears different kit, however, such as the use of rounded storage bins and a snorkel tube. The same NSVT 12.7 mm machine gun is fitted, but this time it is used with 150-round boxes instead of the 100-round boxes found on the T-64B. The T-80B retains the same rubber-mesh screens covering the upper portion of the tracks. The frontal glacis has an additional 30 mm plate of HHRA welded onto it. This replaces the regular V-shaped "splash plate" found on the T-64B. The primary difference between the T-80B and its predecessor is the significantly improved engine which offers increased mobility.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' -->
 
The T-80B encounters the same weaknesses and strengths as the T-64 line does - extremely strong turret cheeks, an average upper front glacis with a large weak spot around the driver's port, and a lack of composite on the lower front plate. It's also vulnerable to the same incoming fire as the T-64B - turret shots will often disable the gun breech; penetrating shots on the hull will often detonate the ammunition in the carousel.
 
The T-80B encounters the same weaknesses and strengths as the T-64 line does - extremely strong turret cheeks, an average upper front glacis with a large weak spot around the driver's port, and a lack of composite on the lower front plate. It's also vulnerable to the same incoming fire as the T-64B - turret shots will often disable the gun breech; penetrating shots on the hull will often detonate the ammunition in the carousel.
  
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=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
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The T-80B has a turbine engine which produces significantly more power than the T-64B's diesel - top speed and maneuverability are both improved thanks to this but the most significant change is the acceleration - the T-80B is able to achieve reasonable speeds both off- and on-road and maintain them much better than the T-64B. More importantly, the reverse speed is nearly doubled from the measly 4km/h on the T-64B to 7km/h - still not ideal but a big improvement.
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{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}
 +
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
  
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Thanks to the improvements, the T-80B is a much better match for the Abrams/Challenger/Leopard series - it's still not the fastest but it's a much closer race.
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{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,705|rbMinHp=973|AoAweight=0.5|weight=43|abReverseSpeed=12.2}}
 +
 
 +
The {{PAGENAME}} has a turbine engine which produces significantly more power than the T-64B's diesel - top speed and manoeuvrability are both improved thanks to this but the most significant change is the acceleration - the {{PAGENAME}} is able to achieve reasonable speeds both off- and on-road and maintain them much better than the T-64B. More importantly, the reverse speed is nearly tripled from the measly -4 km/h on the T-64B to -11 km/h, still not ideal but a big improvement.
 +
 
 +
Thanks to the improvements, the {{PAGENAME}} is a much better match for the Abrams/Challenger/Leopard series - it's still not the fastest but it's a much closer race.
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
 
=== Main armament ===
 
=== Main armament ===
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''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''
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{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
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<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
 +
{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="5" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
 +
|-
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! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
 +
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 +
!Autoloader
 +
|-
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! ''Arcade''
 +
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
 +
|-
 +
! ''Realistic''
 +
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Ammunition ====
 +
{{:2A46M-1 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM22, 9M112, 3BM42}}
 +
 
 +
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
 +
<!-- '''Last updated:''' -->
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
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! Full<br>ammo
 +
! Ammo<br>part
 +
! 1st<br>rack empty
 +
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 +
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 +
! 4th<br>rack empty
 +
! 5th<br>rack empty*
 +
! 6th<br>rack empty*
 +
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 +
|-
 +
| '''38''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles''<br />''Propellants'' || 38&nbsp;''(+0)''<br />38&nbsp;''(+0)'' || 36&nbsp;''(+2)''<br />37&nbsp;''(+1)'' || 35&nbsp;''(+3)''<br />30&nbsp;''(+8)'' || 30&nbsp;''(+8)''<br />29&nbsp;''(+9)'' || 29&nbsp;''(+9)''<br />1&nbsp;''(+37)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+37)''<br />N/A|| No
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes''':
  
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=== Additional armament ===
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* The {{PAGENAME}} main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. Such ammo stowage carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
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''Some tanks are armed with several guns in one or more turrets. Evaluate the additional weaponry and give advice on its use. Describe the ammunition available for additional weaponry. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage. If there is no additional weaponry remove this subsection.''
+
* The 6th projectile rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
 +
* The 5th propellant rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
  
 
=== Machine guns ===
 
=== Machine guns ===
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''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft, but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''
+
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
 +
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
 +
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 +
{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
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! colspan="5" | [[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
 +
|-
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! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
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| Pintle || 300 (150) || 700 || -5°/+75° || ±180°
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|-
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|}
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
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! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
 +
|-
 +
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
 +
|-
 +
| Coaxial || 1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
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<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
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The T-80B should be played like a T-64B, using your powerful gun and decent armor to pick off enemies in the distance. When needed, the T-80B can perform flanking runs with its decent speed. However the T-80B should not be played like an M1 Abrams, as the tank will explode when anything penetrates your armor.
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The T-80B should be played like a T-64B, using your powerful gun and decent armour to pick off enemies in the distance. When needed, the T-80B can perform flanking runs with its decent speed. However, the T-80B should not be played like an M1 Abrams, as the tank will explode when anything penetrates your armour.
  
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When playing in large maps such as "Kursk" and "Maginot Line" use the mobility of the T-80B to get into a hull-down position and make use of the T-80B's armament as well as its phenomenal turret armor to pick-off faraway enemy tanks. When playing in small maps such as "Normandy" and "Poland", use the mobility of the T-80B to flank enemy tanks as you would with the "M1 Abrams" or similar western MBT.
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When playing in large maps such as "Kursk" and "Maginot Line" use the mobility of the T-80B to get into a hull-down position and make use of the T-80B's armament as well as its phenomenal turret armour to pick-off faraway enemy tanks. When playing in small maps such as "Normandy" and "Poland", use the mobility of the T-80B to flank enemy tanks as you would with the "M1 Abrams" or similar western MBT.
  
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Some threats to be worried about:
+
Make sure to always keep your front facing the enemy, when any top BR vehicle gets a glance at your side the round will penetrate through the fairly weak side armour and have a good chance at hitting your ammo rack or your engine which will result in a loss of the vehicle or a critical hit to the vehicle's powerplant. The T-80B has fairly poor gun handling compared to its western counterparts in both the gun elevation and traverse speeds, which can get you destroyed or severely damaged in close range engagements.
  
−
* [[Type 90]] can penetrate any part of your tank and any plausible range. So don't get hit by it. The same goes for AMX-40
+
Some common threats which you can meet:
−
* An ATGM will result in a ammo detonation or crew kill. It is extremely important to get the Kontact-1 ERA modification as soon as possible, because those ERA blocks will save you from helicopters. If you do not have the ERA modification, pay attention to the skies, try to maintain some sort of cover, as you will usually have 1-3 seconds of reaction time from detecting an ATGM and getting hit by one.
+
* [[M1 Abrams]] / [[IPM1]] - Your turret is quite resistant even to the top rounds, the hull also can block some shots but due to weakspots it is not recommended to rely on it. If encountered from the front, aim for the turret ring.
 +
* [[Type 90 (Family)|Type 90]] can penetrate any part of your tank and any plausible range. So don't get hit by it. The same goes for the [[AMX-40]].
 +
* An ATGM will result in an ammunition detonation or crew kill. It is extremely important to get the Kontakt-1 ERA modification as soon as possible because those ERA blocks will save you from helicopters. If you do not have the ERA modification, pay attention to the skies, try to maintain some sort of cover, as you will usually have 1-3 seconds of reaction time from detecting an ATGM and getting hit by one.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
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<!--''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
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<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
 +
 
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Very good composite armour.
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* Very good composite armour
−
* Powerful main gun with great stabilizers and accuracy.
+
* Powerful main gun with great stabilizers and accuracy
 
* Very good mobility
 
* Very good mobility
 
* Small vehicle
 
* Small vehicle
 
* Decent reverse speed of 12 km/h
 
* Decent reverse speed of 12 km/h
−
* Autoloader like the T-64.
+
* Autoloader like the T-64
 
* Good chemical munitions protection with the ERA upgrade
 
* Good chemical munitions protection with the ERA upgrade
 +
* Has access to thermal vision
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Same autoloader as the T-64, same rate of fire and weakspot.
+
* Same autoloader as the T-64, same rate of fire and weak spot
−
* 3 crew member makes it hard to survive on the battlefield.
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* 3 crew member makes it hard to survive on the battlefield
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* Bad gun depression, the generic trouble of Soviet tanks.
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* Bad gun depression, the generic trouble of Soviet tanks
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* Not a very fast turning turret.
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* Not a very fast turning turret
−
* Lower frontal hull armour devoid of composite armour.
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* Lower frontal hull armour devoid of composite armour
−
* Breech is easily damaged.
+
* Breech is easily damaged
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''
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<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 +
 
 +
The T-80B is an improved variant of the T-80 main battle tank that debuted in 1978. It received a laser rangefinder, a new fire-control system, and a new autoloader; these modifications allowed the firing of 9M112-1 Kobra anti-tank guided missiles. The ATGMs could be launched at any speed, and they were fired out of the gun barrel. The T-80B also featured new composite armour. In 1980, the T-80B received a new 1,100 hp engine. In 1982 a new gun was fitted, and fittings for ERA were added in 1985. The ERA increased protection against chemical warheads significantly, at an estimated 400 mm of additional chemical protection.
 +
 
 +
The T-80B was not used in Afghanistan during the 1980s in order to keep it a secret from the Western nations. Its first combat usage was during the First Chechen War. They were used to capture cities, and they often suffered casualties because of how dangerous urban environments are for tanks. Many T-80B tanks were lost during the attack on Grozny, where more than 450 Chechen rebels were killed. Throughout 3 months of combat, 84 T-80 tanks were used. The 133rd Tank Battalion used 53 T-80s and lost 12. The 3rd Tank Battalion used 31 T-80s and lost 6. During that operation, the T-80Bs were crewed with insufficiently trained crews, and the T-80B was not equipped with ERA. The tanks were not prepared for their enemies, some of whom were veterans from the Soviet-Afghan War.
 +
 
 +
During the war, T-80s fought several tank-to-tank battles. During December of 1994 and January of 1995, Russian T-80 tanks destroyed six rebel tanks. Two T-80s were damaged; one was destroyed by a 125 mm anti-tank round and another was damaged by 3-4 rounds but repaired. One rebel tank was destroyed in August 1995.
 +
 
 +
During the operation in Grozny, the Russian tank crews had no knowledge of the city's layout. The rebels attacked the tanks with RPGs from cellars and the tops of buildings. The anti-tank attacks were aimed at the weakest points in the armour, and each tank had three to seven RPGs fired at it. A number of tanks exploded with hits to the ammunition in the autoloader. The T-80's performance in these situations prompted General-Lieutenant A. Galkin, the head of the Armored Directorate, to convince the Minister of Defense to never again produce a tank with a gas turbine engine.
 +
 
 +
After those operations, the T-80 was never again used to capture cities, but instead to support the infantry at long range. It was pointed out that the T-72 performed just as badly in those situations, and additionally the tanks had been deployed without supporting infantry to cover them. The crews were also insufficiently trained. It has been said that these factors influenced the outcome of the operations more than the characteristics of the tank.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
<!--''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''-->
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<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
−
[https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=ussr_t_80b '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-80B from live.warthunder.com.]
+
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_80b '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-80B from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|Q6sYNcaVVO0|'''The Shooting Range #88''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 07:34 discusses the T-80.|Kn5rIoPjHuA|'''The Shooting Range #118''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the T-80B.|CJ9sCL1BGy4|'''M1 Abrams vs T-72A vs T-80B''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 76: Line 177:
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
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<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on tank;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''-->
 
  
−
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5713-development-char-25t-and-t-80b-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Char 25t and T-80B]
+
* [[wt:en/news/5713-development-char-25t-and-t-80b-en|[Devblog] Char 25t and T-80B]]
−
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5844-development-explosive-reactive-armor-for-the-t-80b-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Explosive Reactive Armor for the T-80B]
+
* [[wt:en/news/5844-development-explosive-reactive-armor-for-the-t-80b-en|[Devblog] Explosive Reactive Armor for the T-80B]]
  
 +
{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
 
{{USSR medium tanks}}
 
{{USSR medium tanks}}
  
 
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]
 
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Latest revision as of 15:41, 1 November 2024

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the Soviet medium tank T-80B. For other versions, see T-80 (Family).
T-80B
ussr_t_80b.png
GarageImage T-80B.jpg
GarageImage T-80B AddArmour.jpg
T-80B
USSR flag.png USSR
VII Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
10.7 10.7 10.7
Class:
Research:300 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:830 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The T-80B (Object 219R) was one of the spearhead MBTs of the Soviet Union built by the Leningrad Kirov Plant and Omsk Transmash. The Soviet Union had been developing gas turbine engines for tanks as early as 1955, and previous efforts before the T-80 became valuable experience for future engines. After the development of the costly T-64 series MBT, there were plans from other tank design bureaus and factories to upgrade the T-64A with a gas turbine engine and new suspension that could withstand the operational needs of the tank. This led to the Object 219 prototypes, and later tests with the second certified prototype (Object 219 Sp2) alongside the Object 172M (T-72) and T-64A showed superiority in terms of mobility. The Object 219 almost failed to join the Soviet Army due to its high fuel consumption and low reliability, but changes in leadership saved the project, where the soon-to-be T-80 would become the spearhead of the Soviet Army while the T-72 would serve as the economical alternative to previous fleets of tanks. The T-80B series received technological upgrades based on the T-64B, including improved FCS for gun-launched ATGMs, as well as the new "K" ceramic composite armour for better protection. Starting its production in 1976, the T-80B, alongside the later T-80BV with revised protection and Kontakt-1 ERA, has served as the spearhead of the Soviet armoured corps with fleets of T-80U as well. The tank is still serving the Russian Army, accompanied with its latest upgrade T-80BVM with overhaul upgrades on protection and FCS.

Introduced in Update 1.81 "The Valkyries", the T-80B is visually similar to the T-64B, retaining the same rounded turret, sloped frontal armour, and skirted sides, as well as the same jacketed 125 mm smoothbore gun. The turret bears different kit, however, such as the use of rounded storage bins and a snorkel tube. The same NSVT 12.7 mm machine gun is fitted, but this time it is used with 150-round boxes instead of the 100-round boxes found on the T-64B. The T-80B retains the same rubber-mesh screens covering the upper portion of the tracks. The frontal glacis has an additional 30 mm plate of HHRA welded onto it. This replaces the regular V-shaped "splash plate" found on the T-64B. The primary difference between the T-80B and its predecessor is the significantly improved engine which offers increased mobility.

General info

Survivability and armour

ERA
Effective action against the cumulative ammunition
Composite armour
Balanced protection against all types of ammunition
Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
ESS
Creation of a smoke screen in the direction of movement of the vehicle
Self-entrenching equipment
Creation of ramparts and trenches in soft ground
Armourfront / side / back
Hull105 / 80 / 50
Turret180 / 160 / 65
Crew3 people
Visibility79 %

The T-80B encounters the same weaknesses and strengths as the T-64 line does - extremely strong turret cheeks, an average upper front glacis with a large weak spot around the driver's port, and a lack of composite on the lower front plate. It's also vulnerable to the same incoming fire as the T-64B - turret shots will often disable the gun breech; penetrating shots on the hull will often detonate the ammunition in the carousel.

As with the T-64B, the T-80B is best used in hull-down positions where only the turret is exposed - and unlike the T-64B, it has an acceptable reverse speed for utilising cover.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB78 / 13 km/h
RB and SB70 / 11 km/h
Number of gears9 forward
1 back
Weight42.5 t
Engine power
AB2 099 hp
RB and SB1 100 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB49.4 hp/t
RB and SB25.9 hp/t
Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock AoA Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 78 12.2 42.5 0.5 1,705 2,099 40.12 48.81
Realistic 70 11 973 1,100 22.89 25.58

The T-80B has a turbine engine which produces significantly more power than the T-64B's diesel - top speed and manoeuvrability are both improved thanks to this but the most significant change is the acceleration - the T-80B is able to achieve reasonable speeds both off- and on-road and maintain them much better than the T-64B. More importantly, the reverse speed is nearly tripled from the measly -4 km/h on the T-64B to -11 km/h, still not ideal but a big improvement.

Thanks to the improvements, the T-80B is a much better match for the Abrams/Challenger/Leopard series - it's still not the fastest but it's a much closer race.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 889 → 7 035 Sl icon.png
RB3 765 → 6 810 Sl icon.png
SB4 404 → 7 966 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications248 800 Rp icon.png
407 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training240 000 Sl icon.png
Experts830 000 Sl icon.png
Aces2 100 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 140 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
150 / 200 / 250 % Sl icon.png
238 / 238 / 238 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Mobility Protection Firepower
Mods new tank traks.png
Tracks
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank suspension.png
Suspension
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank break.png
Brake System
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank filter.png
Filters
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods dozer blade.png
Dozer Blade
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank transmission.png
Transmission
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
440 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank engine.png
Engine
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
440 Ge icon.png
Mods tank tool kit.png
Improved Parts
Research:
3 300 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods tank reinforcement ussr.png
Crew Replenishment
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods extinguisher.png
Improved FPE
Research:
3 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods smoke screen.png
Smoke grenade
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods tank additional armor.png
Kontakt-I
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
ESS
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
440 Ge icon.png
Mods thermal sight.png
NVD upgrade
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
440 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank horizontal aiming.png
Horizontal Drive
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
350 Ge icon.png
Mods tank cannon.png
Adjustment of Fire
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods tank laser rangefinder.png
Laser rangefinder
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods new tank vertical aiming.png
Elevation Mechanism
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_ATGM_ammo_pack
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
20 000 Sl icon.png
410 Ge icon.png
Mods art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
440 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
125mm_ussr_3BM42_APDS_FS_ammo_pack
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
440 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Laser rangefinder
Reduces the error and increases the maximum measurable distance of the rangefinder
Thermal imager
Allows to see thermal radiation in the infrared range day and night

Main armament

125 mm 2A46M-1 cannon
Two-plane stabilizer
Reduces the swing of the gun in two planes while moving
Autoloader
Automatically feeds projectiles into the breech. The speed does not depend on the skills of the loader
Ammunition38 rounds
First-order28 rounds
Reload7.1 s
Vertical guidance-5° / 15°
Main article: 2A46M-1 (125 mm)
125 mm 2A46M-1 Turret rotation speed (°/s) Reloading rate (seconds)
Mode Capacity Vertical Horizontal Stabilizer Stock Upgraded Full Expert Aced Autoloader
Arcade 38 -5°/+15° ±180° Two-plane 22.8 31.6 38.4 42.5 45.2 7.10
Realistic 14.3 16.8 20.4 22.6 24.0

Ammunition

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
3BK18M HEATFS 550 550 550 550 550 550
3OF26 HE 42 42 42 42 42 42
3BM22 APFSDS 425 420 415 405 393 380
9M112 ATGM 650 650 650 650 650 650
3BM42 APFSDS 457 454 445 431 419 406
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
3BK18M HEATFS 905 19 0.05 0.1 2.79 65° 72° 77°
3OF26 HE 850 23 0.3 0.1 5.24 79° 80° 81°
3BM22 APFSDS 1,760 4.83 - - - 76° 77° 80°
3BM42 APFSDS 1,700 4.85 - - - 78° 80° 81°
Missile details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
(m/s) 		Range
(m) 		Projectile
mass (kg) 		Fuse delay
(m) 		Fuse sensitivity
(mm) 		Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (kg) 		Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
9M112 ATGM 400 5,000 27.5 0.05 0.1 5.72 80° 82° 90°

Ammo racks

Ammo racks of the T-80B
Full
ammo 		Ammo
part 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty* 		6th
rack empty* 		Visual
discrepancy
38 Projectiles
Propellants 		38 (+0)
38 (+0) 		36 (+2)
37 (+1) 		35 (+3)
30 (+8) 		30 (+8)
29 (+9) 		29 (+9)
1 (+37) 		1 (+37)
N/A		 No

Notes:

  • The T-80B main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. Such ammo stowage carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
  • The 6th projectile rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
  • The 5th propellant rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.

Machine guns

12.7 mm NSVT machine gun
Ammunition300 rounds
Belt capacity100 rounds
Reload5.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
Vertical guidance-5° / 75°
7.62 mm PKT machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition1 250 rounds
Belt capacity250 rounds
Reload8.0 s
Fire rate700 shots/min
Main articles: NSVT (12.7 mm), PKT (7.62 mm)
12.7 mm NSVT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Pintle 300 (150) 700 -5°/+75° ±180°
7.62 mm PKT
Mount Capacity (Belt) Fire rate Vertical Horizontal
Coaxial 1,250 (250) 700 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The T-80B should be played like a T-64B, using your powerful gun and decent armour to pick off enemies in the distance. When needed, the T-80B can perform flanking runs with its decent speed. However, the T-80B should not be played like an M1 Abrams, as the tank will explode when anything penetrates your armour.

When playing in large maps such as "Kursk" and "Maginot Line" use the mobility of the T-80B to get into a hull-down position and make use of the T-80B's armament as well as its phenomenal turret armour to pick-off faraway enemy tanks. When playing in small maps such as "Normandy" and "Poland", use the mobility of the T-80B to flank enemy tanks as you would with the "M1 Abrams" or similar western MBT.

Make sure to always keep your front facing the enemy, when any top BR vehicle gets a glance at your side the round will penetrate through the fairly weak side armour and have a good chance at hitting your ammo rack or your engine which will result in a loss of the vehicle or a critical hit to the vehicle's powerplant. The T-80B has fairly poor gun handling compared to its western counterparts in both the gun elevation and traverse speeds, which can get you destroyed or severely damaged in close range engagements.

Some common threats which you can meet:

  • M1 Abrams / IPM1 - Your turret is quite resistant even to the top rounds, the hull also can block some shots but due to weakspots it is not recommended to rely on it. If encountered from the front, aim for the turret ring.
  • Type 90 can penetrate any part of your tank and any plausible range. So don't get hit by it. The same goes for the AMX-40.
  • An ATGM will result in an ammunition detonation or crew kill. It is extremely important to get the Kontakt-1 ERA modification as soon as possible because those ERA blocks will save you from helicopters. If you do not have the ERA modification, pay attention to the skies, try to maintain some sort of cover, as you will usually have 1-3 seconds of reaction time from detecting an ATGM and getting hit by one.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very good composite armour
  • Powerful main gun with great stabilizers and accuracy
  • Very good mobility
  • Small vehicle
  • Decent reverse speed of 12 km/h
  • Autoloader like the T-64
  • Good chemical munitions protection with the ERA upgrade
  • Has access to thermal vision

Cons:

  • Same autoloader as the T-64, same rate of fire and weak spot
  • 3 crew member makes it hard to survive on the battlefield
  • Bad gun depression, the generic trouble of Soviet tanks
  • Not a very fast turning turret
  • Lower frontal hull armour devoid of composite armour
  • Breech is easily damaged

History

The T-80B is an improved variant of the T-80 main battle tank that debuted in 1978. It received a laser rangefinder, a new fire-control system, and a new autoloader; these modifications allowed the firing of 9M112-1 Kobra anti-tank guided missiles. The ATGMs could be launched at any speed, and they were fired out of the gun barrel. The T-80B also featured new composite armour. In 1980, the T-80B received a new 1,100 hp engine. In 1982 a new gun was fitted, and fittings for ERA were added in 1985. The ERA increased protection against chemical warheads significantly, at an estimated 400 mm of additional chemical protection.

The T-80B was not used in Afghanistan during the 1980s in order to keep it a secret from the Western nations. Its first combat usage was during the First Chechen War. They were used to capture cities, and they often suffered casualties because of how dangerous urban environments are for tanks. Many T-80B tanks were lost during the attack on Grozny, where more than 450 Chechen rebels were killed. Throughout 3 months of combat, 84 T-80 tanks were used. The 133rd Tank Battalion used 53 T-80s and lost 12. The 3rd Tank Battalion used 31 T-80s and lost 6. During that operation, the T-80Bs were crewed with insufficiently trained crews, and the T-80B was not equipped with ERA. The tanks were not prepared for their enemies, some of whom were veterans from the Soviet-Afghan War.

During the war, T-80s fought several tank-to-tank battles. During December of 1994 and January of 1995, Russian T-80 tanks destroyed six rebel tanks. Two T-80s were damaged; one was destroyed by a 125 mm anti-tank round and another was damaged by 3-4 rounds but repaired. One rebel tank was destroyed in August 1995.

During the operation in Grozny, the Russian tank crews had no knowledge of the city's layout. The rebels attacked the tanks with RPGs from cellars and the tops of buildings. The anti-tank attacks were aimed at the weakest points in the armour, and each tank had three to seven RPGs fired at it. A number of tanks exploded with hits to the ammunition in the autoloader. The T-80's performance in these situations prompted General-Lieutenant A. Galkin, the head of the Armored Directorate, to convince the Minister of Defense to never again produce a tank with a gas turbine engine.

After those operations, the T-80 was never again used to capture cities, but instead to support the infantry at long range. It was pointed out that the T-72 performed just as badly in those situations, and additionally the tanks had been deployed without supporting infantry to cover them. The crews were also insufficiently trained. It has been said that these factors influenced the outcome of the operations more than the characteristics of the tank.

Media

Skins
Videos
The Shooting Range #88 - Pages of History section at 07:34 discusses the T-80.
The Shooting Range #118 - Metal Beasts section at 00:35 discusses the T-80B.
M1 Abrams vs T-72A vs T-80B - War Thunder Official Channel

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Leningrad Kirov Plant (Ленинградский Кировский Завод)
Medium Tanks 
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UK · T-80BVM
Heavy Tanks 
KV-1  KV-1 (L-11) · KV-1 (ZiS-5) · KV-1E · KV-1S
KV-2  KV-2 (1939) · KV-2 (1940) · KV-2 (ZiS-6)
Other  SMK · KV-220 · IS-7 · Object 279
Captured 
KV  ▀KV-IB · ▀KW I C 756 (r) · ▀KW II 754 (r)
Other  T-28 (Sweden)
Export  T-80U (Sweden)
See Also  Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant

USSR medium tanks
T-28  T-28 (1938) · T-28 · T-28E
T-34-76  T-34 (Prototype) · T-34 (1940) · T-34 (1941) · T-34 (1st Gv.T.Br.) · T-34 (1942) · T-34E STZ · T-34E
T-34-57  T-34-57 · T-34-57 (1943)
T-34-85  T-34-85 (D-5T) · T-34-85 · T-34-85E
T-34-100  T-34-100
T-44  T-44 · T-44-100 · T-44-122
T-54  T-54 (1947) · T-54 (1949) · T-54 (1951)
T-55  TO-55 · T-55A · T-55AM-1 · T-55AMD-1
T-62  T-62 · T-62M-1
T-64  Object 435 · T-64A (1971) · T-64B
T-72  T-72A · T-72AV (TURMS-T) · T-72B · T-72B (1989) · T-72B3 · T-72M2 Moderna
T-80  T-80B · T-80U · T-80UD · T-80UK · T-80UM2 · Т-80U-Е1 · T-80BVM · Object 292
T-90  Т-90А · T-90M
Trophies/Lend-Lease 
Germany  ▂T-III · ▂T-V
Great Britain  ▂МК-IX "Valentine"
USA  ▂M3 Medium · ▂M4A2

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