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.