Source: Reddit.
A Russian T-80BVM obr. 2022 belonging to the 67th. Motorized Rifle Division (the unit's tactical symbol is on the side of the turret), displaying a rather extensive array of passive and active defenses. It is being transported by what looks to be a KamAZ-65225 tank transporter and was photographed sometime in January 2025. The T-80BVM is a modernization of the T-80BV which first appeared in service with the Soviet Army in 1985. The first T-80BVM made its public debut in 2017.
Power for the 46-ton T-80BVM comes from a GTD-1250TF gas turbine engine that develops 1,250 horsepower and can propel the T-80BVM along roads at a maximum speed of 43 miles per hour and off-road, up to 34 miles per hour terrain depending. The GTD-1250 consumes fuel at a very high rate and had a much higher production cost in comparison to a standard diesel engine. Thus, the T-80BVM has a maximum cruise range of 208 miles (via 290 gallons of onboard fuel) and as such, the tank is often equipped with two external fuel tanks (total of 195 additional gallons) to increase the range to 310 miles. The engine is paired to a manual planetary transmission with a 6-speed gearbox (5 forward, 1 reverse). The external fuel tanks are secured to racks on the rear of the tank and here, they are not present.
The main armament is a 2A46M-5 (or 2A46M-4 in some sources) 125mm smoothbore cannon which is mounted to a 2-axis, electro-hydraulic 2E26M stabilizer. The turret provides for 360 degrees of traverse while the gun mount allows for a maximum of 14 degrees of elevation and up to 5 degrees of depression. As with most Russian tanks, the cannon is provided with a updated Korzina automatic loader which is fed from a carousel that sits beneath the turret at the bottom of the hull. It holds 28 rounds of ammunition and with it, a rate of fire between 4 to 6 rounds per minute is possible. A further 17 rounds of ammunition are carried, kept both in the turret and hull, along with 6 Refleks-M missiles (see below). Accuracy is aided by a 1A45T Irtysh fire control system (FCS). The gunner is provided with a stabilized Sosna-U sight which incorporates a day sight, thermal sight, laser rangefinder, and a ballistic computer. Some late T-80BVM may utilize the PNM-T sight which is Sosna-U alternative built from wholly Russian components. Typical ammunition used includes APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot), HE (High-Explosive), and HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) rounds plus the 9K119M Refleks-M tube-launched, laser guided anti-tank missile (NATO reporting name AT-11 Sniper). The 3BM59 “Svinets-1” APFSDS round can penetrate around 315mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) at a 60 degree slope at 1.2 miles. At a 0 degree slope, the 3BM59 can penetrate 540mm of RHA at the same range. The 3BK31 HEAT round can penetrate 350mm of RHA at a 60 degree slope at a range of 1.9 miles. The 3OF26 HE round can be fired out to a range of 2.5 miles while the Refleks-M can attain a range of 3 miles and drill through a maximum of 700mm of armor at a 90 degree slope after ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor) thanks to its tandem charge warhead. The gunner provides the guidance to target using a modulated laser beam. Secondary armament consists of a coaxial PKT 7.62mm machine-gun while mounted on the turret near the commander's hatch is a NSVT 12.7mm heavy machine-gun. 1,250 rounds of ammunition are available for the PKT while a total of 300 rounds are carried for the NSVT of which 50 rounds is ready ammunition.
For protection, the T-80BMV uses composite armor on the hull and turret with the cheeks of the turret having additional defense called Combination K which consists of a cavity filled with ultra-porcelain ceramic rods arranged in a matrix. This gives the turret front the equivalent of 550mm of steel armor. The front glacis plate uses a sandwich-style of composite armor consisting of an outer layer of 80mm thick steel which is backed by 105mm of glass-reinforced plastic then a 20mm thick base layer of steel armor. This gives the front hull of the T-80BMV the equivalent of over 500mm of armor. In addition to the base armor, the T-80BMV utilizes Relikt explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks on the upper front hull, turret front, hull sides, and the top of the turret. Cage armor is fitted to the rear of the tank hull, offering a measure of protection to the engine compartment from HEAT munitions. The T-80BVM can be fitted with 4S24 Karkas ERA and this is the case here in the photograph in the form of large metal blocks on the turret sides and here, unusually, on top of the side Relikt ERA. The crew has added rubber and mesh appliqué armor to the turret sides and front plus ad-hoc bar armor to the rear area of the turret. In addition, the crew has created a large anti-drone cage consisting of metal framing with what looks like chicken wire. Additional defense comes from a 902B Tucha smoke grenade launcher system consisting of two banks of four launcher tubes on the turret sides. The T-80BMV can also be fitted with active protective systems such as Arena but it is not standard. Atop the anti-drone cage are antenna for drone jammers, added there by the crew rather than it being standard.
Other systems of the T-80BVM include a TVN-5 night sight for the driver, internal crew intercom system, TKN-4S Agat-MR day/night sight & TKN-3M day sight for the commander, automatic fire suppression system, PDT-7151 auxiliary sight, DVE-BS turret roof mounted meteorological sensor, R-168 series VHF radio station, and a ZETS-11-2 NBC protection system (Nuclear Biological Chemical).
The T-80BVM obr. 2022 specifically uses Kontakt-5 ERA on the turret roof to provide for more protective coverage and cage armor is added to the rear of the hull and turret (though only the rear hull piece appears intact). Another feature of the T-80BVM obr. 2022 is the removal of the rear side cage armor and replacing it with Relikt ERA panels. Finally, Relikt ERA is built into the tank's front mud guards. Some T-80BVM obr. 2022 tanks may have elderly 1PN96MT-02 thermal gun sights due to shortages of the Sosna-U.
