Russia keeps comprehensively upgrading T-80BVM main battle tank — defense firm

MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. Russia continues comprehensively upgrading the T-80BVM main battle tank, Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer (part of the state technology corporation Rostec) told TASS on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of accepting the T-80 tank for service.

"The upgrade of the T-80BVM tank continues in all the military-technical aspects: firepower, protection, mobility and crew control. However, the final parameters of these upgrades remain beyond the framework of public disclosures. The main result should be the increased effectiveness of this armored vehicle’s use," the Uralvagonzavod press office said.

The T-80BV tank adopted for service in 1985 had the Kontakt explosive reactive armor installed on it for the first time. T-80U tanks used the Kontakt-5 protection system while T-80BVM tanks are outfitted with the Relikt explosive reactive armor., it said.

In addition, T-80BVM tanks have received an increased reverse speed amounting to about 11 km/h, which considerably expands the tactic of using these tanks, it said.