Russian T80 how bad is it?

Hit one above the read wheels using an RPG and it blows the turret off...nationalinterest.org...

All tanks suck at urban combat. They're not really designed for it. The T-80 got caught up in the corruption after the fall of the Soviet Union. It's got its issues, but nothing that can't be overcome.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

With all due respect...what a lazy thread. What was the point of posting it? Can you perhaps flesh it out a little for us? Elaborate in some way. I swear the quality of posts on this site has declined considerably.

This is a lazy thread, about an old tank that was poorly operated in battle.

This is what I find scary. War has changed so much that superpowers can't get lasting victories in Afghanistan or shut down the ISIS. The kind of small, cheap and powerful weapons we have seen proliferate since the end of WW2 might see the rise of a modern day Genghis Khan style army that conquers much more advanced nations because they are more aggressive and willing to fight and die. On the other hand these type of weapons can be used against totalitarian governments to keep us free. There is good and bad in anything I guess.

I just wanted to put out where to hit it to those who might face it.
I couldn't care less about what else anyone's concerns might be,much less the entertainment value.
It's no surprise considering Russia's new whizbang T14 is being paraded out.
I wonder how east IT would be to kill once it sees action?

The fact that all armor is vulnerable once you know how it hit it underscores the vulnerability of heavy equipment in a city and negates its power.

It really is a matter of poor training and doctrine than anything. Many tanks have flaws, but if properly used those flaws are not a real problem. That is also why Russia always uses auto loaders, on less man and they just do not put in the training that it takes to make a human a faster and superior loader than a machine. And who know how these things are being built The Russian can design things fine but, building them in any numbers correctly has been a problem since the death of the Soviet Union. You drag tanks into towns and tanks you are going to lose no matter how good they are.

a reply to: cavtrooper7

I couldn't care less about what else anyone's concerns might be,much less the entertainment value.

How about for educational value to the rest of us? I'm not here for entertainment...if I want that I'll hire a clown, I'm here for information and debate. Who do you think that you are addressing this to exactly?....anyone who may face it....what does that mean? Since you are clearly too belligerent to throw us a little info....here are the countries that have purchased them.

In August 2002, South Korea purchased 33 T-80U and two T-80UK tanks from Russia and deliveries were made during 1996-2005. Other countries that operate the M-80 tanks include Cyprus (27), Belarus (90), Egypt (14), China (50), Azerbaijan (25), Yemen (31) and Ukraine (271).

found here

I wonder how east IT would be to kill once it sees action?

I'm sure that as soon as you find out you'll post a worthless one line thread about it....for whomever audience it is you think is going to have to face it.

I got the impression it wasnt russian tec that was bad but rather the people that use it.

Most operator's including the Russians are poorly trained and keep there gear in poor condition.

originally posted by: MrSpad
It really is a matter of poor training and doctrine than anything. Many tanks have flaws, but if properly used those flaws are not a real problem. That is also why Russia always uses auto loaders, on less man and they just do not put in the training that it takes to make a human a faster and superior loader than a machine. And who know how these things are being built The Russian can design things fine but, building them in any numbers correctly has been a problem since the death of the Soviet Union. You drag tanks into towns and tanks you are going to lose no matter how good they are.

Soviets did not build stuff so great either...they could certainly engineer lethal weaponry but most of it had serious sustainment flaws. They do not test stuff like the US does or have standards like US weapons do. You would have a fine tank the day it rolled out but it would end up rusting away or circuit boards would corrode in months rendering many high tech weapons useless. Spare parts and maintenance is a joke there for most units.

Every screw or rivet that goes into a US warplane has a mil spec standard it must adhere to. They have to be so strong, resist corrosion etc...

High tech and lethal? Sure. Reliable and useful for deployments and long engagements? Nope.

I'm not sure whether it's a zil or a yugo of export tanks. either way it should not get past even a highly intoxicated QC inspector.

I'll take the ford pinto of tanks please!

I found secret video exposing the vulnerability of the T-80 series MBT:

a reply to: TonySarc

Cheer up the US may have a show down with Iran ,China AND Russia,combined.

a reply to: Zaphod58

All tanks suck at urban combat

Have you ever been in a tank? I can tell you that the M1A! tank in a Urban combat would dominate the field, I know been there done that, not only in the middle east.

Not designed for it you say, sorry but I guess again you are speculating, maybe its the M60A3 or the M48A5, they were slow not much armor.

Little history, been on tanks for 20+ years Active Duty now Retired, been in more country's than most people can hope to see. I know the limitations of the US tanks.

a reply to: cavtrooper7
Thanks for putting that out there, but I am sure that current combat forces are already informed of this, we used to get briefings about all the sweet spots on all vehicles back in the day.

Scouts pretty much can kill any tanlk with thermite if their security sucks anyway.

originally posted by: Xeven

High tech and lethal? Sure. Reliable and useful for deployments and long engagements? Nope.

This is exactly compatible with what I heard through family about Russian space (civilian) program. The designing scientists and engineers were exceptionally clever; often better than Western in terms of doing 'more with less', but the quality and consistency of manufacturing and the management of the overall project and logistics were terrible. Stuff failed because it was made poorly and inconsistency and so many people lied in the supply chain.

This is where the Chinese are going to win: unlike Russia, they know how to manufacture and organize. Yes you can complain about cheap Chinese-made toys and crap made out of junk---but that was simply meeting the specifications precisely: "Make something as cheap as possible and sell it for profit." If the specifications are different and there is suitable reward and punishment (make junk for the PLA and you get a bullet as your severance payment), the Chinese will make it to the standard they are being rewarded to meet.

Russia can't make a million iPhones a month. (USA can't either). China can, and they're not junk.

I personally feel that tanks are going to get eaten alive in the next major engagement by close air support and tank hunter/killer drones. That tanks will be like rolling coffins and easy targets for what's coming around the bend militarily.


In short tanks are on their way out in my opinion.

a reply to: mbkennel

Have you seen their work in JET engines?