The T-80UD is a version of the main battle tank T-80U, which is fitted with a diesel engine instead of the high-performance gas turbine. Since 1976 the originalT-80 tank was built with a gas turbine. Essentially, the gas turbine was a revamped helicopter power plant. It had several advantages including compact dimensions and high power output, and the ability to start when the temperature is as low as -40 ° C. Nevertheless, there were a range of disadvantages for the gas turbine engine, including high fuel consumption, costly output and troubled maintenance. Soviets began developing a T-80U version, fitted with a more traditional diesel engine, in the mid-1970's.The resulting T-80UD was launched in 1985 and went into service in 1987 with the Soviet Army. Except for the powerplant the T-80UD is identical to the T-80U. The T-80UD started manufacturing in Ukraine in 1987. Of these MBTs some 500-800 were built. It was intended to become the Soviet Army's main MBT, however its production ceased in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. Today, these tanks are in combat with Russia and Ukraine. In the late 1990s a number of Ukrainian T-80UDs had been shipped to Pakistan. Russian Army planned to retire allT-80 series tanks by 2015 because of expensive maintenance.The T-80UD's armor protection requires a composite shield with reactive armor blocks embedded in it.The T-80UD is equipped with a fully stabilized 125 mm smoothbore pistol, which is fitted with an autoloader style carousel. It also fires laser-guided anti-tank missiles on 9M119 Refleks(AT-11 Sniper) in the same way as ordinary projectiles. Missiles have a maximum range of 5 km, and can hit low-flying helicopters as well. This holds a total of 45 rounds including APFSDS, HEAT, and HE-FRAG. The autoloader carries 28 rounds. Remaining explosives are contained within the hukk. Effective fire range with round APFSDS is 2 000-3 000 m day and 2 000-2 600 night. The penetration of the Armor is about 590-630 mm at a range of 2 000 m.

Description

The T-80 is identical in configuration to theT-64; the driver's compartment is in the center line at the front, the two-man turret is in the center with the gunner at the left and the commander at the right, and the engine mounted at the rear. Overall, its design is also very similar to theT-64. The originalT-80 design uses a 1,000 horsepower gas turbine instead of a 750-horsepower diesel engine, though some laterT-80 models have returned to diesel engine use. The gearbox is special, with five forward gear and one back gear instead of seven forward gear and one reverse gear. For six forged steel-aluminum rubber-tyred road wheels on each side, the suspension reverses from pneumatic to torsion bar.The glacis is reinforced laminate and the turret is steel armored. The turret houses the same 125 mm 2A46 smoothbore weapon as the T-72 which can fire anti-tank guided missiles and standard ordnance.The tracks are slightly wider and longer than on the T-64 and the ground pressure is lower.The main arm is fed by automatic loader Korzina. This can carry up to 28 rounds of two-part ammunition in a carousel below the turret floor.Additional explosives are stored inside the turret. The ammunition contains the projectile (APFSDS, HEAT or HE-Frag) plus the propellant charge, or the two-part missile.The autoloader is an inexpensive, reliable, combat-tested device in use since the mid-1960's. The propellant charge is carried inside a semi-combustible cartridge case made of highly flammable material–this is consumed during firing in the breech, with the exception of a small metal base plate

Production history

Several Western observers had initially confused theT-80 with the SovietT-72. They are the products of various design offices; the T-80 is from Kirov Factory's (LKZ) SKB-2 design office in Leningrad, while the T-72 is from the Nizhny Tagil factory in Uralvagonzavod. In superficial appearance they are identical, but the T-80 is based on the earlierT-64, though adding features from theT-72, which was a complementary design.The T-64 in turn was an earlier high-technology main battle tank, designed by the Morozov Design Bureau (KMDB) to replace the T-54, T-55 and T-62 MBTs, used before in the Soviet Union. From a long distance, the T-64, T-72 and T-80 look alike even though the T-80 is 90 cm longer than the T-64. Despite the similarities, the T-80 and T-72 are mechanically very different. The T-72 is mechanically simpler, easier to manufacture, and easier to service in the field. As such, the T-72 was intended to be a tank mass-produced to equip the bulk of the Soviet motor rifle units, and for sale to export partners and Eastern-bloc satellite states.