With the continuing addition of upgraded T-80BVMs to its T-80 fundamental battle tank assortment, the Russian Army continues to fortify its navy armaments. The Omsktransmash Transport Engineering Plant has been accountable for these deliveries.
The press division of Uralvagonzavod, Russia’s solely tank-manufacturing company, confirmed the latest supply on February 14: “The Defence Ministry just lately obtained a contemporary batch of T-80BVM tanks from Omsktransmash. The revamped T-80BVM tanks characteristic upgraded reactive armor, drastically heightening safety for the crew. Moreover, upon exiting the Omsk Transport Engineering Plant premises, the tanks are fitted with an additive turret safety module, beforehand revealed on the Army 2023 navy discussion board.”
Uralvagonzavod and Omsktransmash have been the dominant factories among the many 4 that Russia inherited following the Soviet Union‘s dissolution, with the previous producing the T-72 and the by-product T-90, and the latter specializing in the extremely succesful T-80 that served the Soviet Army.
Nonetheless, the next lack of demand for the T-80, primarily attributable to its elevated manufacturing and operational prices, led to Omsktransmash shedding its monetary stability shortly, forcing a takeover by its rival in 2004.
The Russian Army has quickly expanded its tank divisions since late 2022, a transfer focused at catering to the wants of the Ukrainian entrance and combating the rising NATO forces encompassing Russia’s jap, western, and northern boundaries. As a results of this navy technique, there was a rush to retrieve and improve Soviet-made tanks saved away.
These dated autos have undergone modernization, outfitted with modern fireplace controls, armor, and weaponry. The Defence Ministry most well-liked extra cost-friendly tanks just like the T-72s and T-90s, inflicting a massive variety of T-80s to stay saved when Russia-Ukraine tensions erupted into an outright conflict in February 2022 attributable to their excessive operational bills.
The comparatively inexpensive tanks, nevertheless, don’t pack the supplemental mobility and excessive local weather adaptability that the T-80 affords, due to its gasoline turbine engine. Regardless of rising the T-80’s upkeep necessities, such engines drastically improve mobility, a characteristic shared solely with the American M1 Abrams. However the T-80, being smaller than the Abrams, boasts an unmatched power-to-weight ratio, all whereas accommodating a bigger caliber gun.
A Russian military commander, who was battling Ukrainian Army models inclusive of Leopard tanks equipped by Germany, praised the revamped T-80s in January throughout a native media interview: “We now have a completely completely different car. It possesses a wholly new communication system that’s impervious to jamming, extremely environment friendly, and produces distinctly clear audio with out breakages.” “The tank additionally comes with a utterly new safety system,” he emphasised. “Armor modules have been added to the tank, reinforcing its potential to endure hits from drones and anti-tank missiles.”
The Russian Defence Ministry appears to be reconsidering its earlier judgments on the T-80’s cost-effectiveness. State media reported in September that Omsktransmash had began remanufacturing the tank mannequin, which will probably be used along with the newly constructed T-90M and cutting-edge T-14 tanks at Uralvagonzavod.
The anticipations are excessive that the newly produced fashions will exhibit considerably enhanced designs over the latest T-80BVMs, presumably mirroring how the T-72 was extensively renovated to create the T-90 within the early Nineteen Nineties.
150 T-80BVM tanks a yr
Proof from Russian social media means that Omsktransmash is actively manufacturing 152 models of the T-80BVM Mannequin 2023, with a important variety of them already destined for deployment. In line with experiences from the West again in September, this meeting is a phase of a bigger technique to refurbish almost 180 T-80 tanks from navy reserves. The plan is to roll out these up to date variations periodically all through 2023 and 2024.
Up to now, Omsktransmash was recognized to churn out almost 40 tanks annually. Nonetheless, their capability extends to the annual modernization of as much as 400 models. Ties have been famous between this surge in manufacturing and the present unrest in Ukraine. The revitalization course of sees Armored Restore Vegetation taking older T-80 models underneath their wing. They’re then superior to the T-80BVM mannequin courtesy of the expert crew at Omsktransmash.
Model 2023
Unveiled in 2023, the T-80BVM mannequin contains a sequence of upgrades designed to enhance the tank’s protection capabilities. These updates embrace enhanced wire cage armor on each the turret and the hull to fortify the tank in opposition to threats like RPGs and drone assaults. Engineers have additionally added a removable wire cage to the highest turret to make transport simpler. New ‘cape’ covers have been designed to lower visibility. Intriguingly, adjustments within the dynamic safety system, now encased in metallic, have been discovered on the tank’s sides and turret from unveiling to deployment in Ukraine.
A formidable addition to this tank is the Volnorez anti-drone jamming system, outfitted with antennas to counter drone assaults from all instructions. The normal Sosny-U sights have been changed by the superior 1PN96MT thermal imaging sight, designed to improve goal acquisition precision.
Appreciable enhancements have additionally been made to the tank’s reverse velocity, which now surpasses 20 km/h, decisively forward of the prior restrict of 11 km/h. Nonetheless, the specifics of those modifications stay extremely confidential.
The T-80BVM, an developed model of the erstwhile Soviet-era T-80BV, has undergone quite a few updates to fulfill trendy warfare calls for. Outfitted with Relikt explosive reactive armor, it’s powered by a gasoline turbine engine. By way of firepower, the tank comes armed with a 125 mm 2A46M-4 smoothbore gun able to firing a broad vary of projectiles.
The 2023 mannequin of the T-80BVM has been engineered for superior off-road efficiency with the combination of an upgraded torsion bar and strengthened working gear. One other enhancement consists of the automated observe pressure system being included into the design.
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