Russo-Ukrainian War: T-80BVM with "Hedgehog" Armor

Source: 6TV.ru

     Photographed in early December 2025, a Russian T-80BVM main battle tank shows off its new anti-drone protection which had been fitted to it by a Russian repair battalion. This type of defense has become known as “hedgehog” armor as it has a resemblance to the spines found on the upper bodies of hedgehogs. Personally, I prefer “toilet brush” armor. When first encountered in smartphone videos in 2025, the rolling “bushes” garnered a good bit of ridicule. Except, that ridicule has since dwindled. Why? That is because the “hedgehog” armor, despite how crazy it looks, works and works well. While mostly seen on Russian tanks, “hedgehog” armor is being applied to other tracked vehicles and even civilian vehicles which Russians utilize. Even some Ukrainian vehicles are adopting the defense.

     So, exactly what makes up “hedgehog” armor? Plain steel cabling. Steel cabling is made up of multiple strands of steel wire wrapped around a fiber or steel core. To make one section of “hedgehog” armor, all that is involved is taking a length of steel cable and unraveling the strands then arranging them into a “bush” so that the strands point outwards in multiple directions. The end of the cable is then welded or bolted down to the vehicle hull. Add more and more sections and the result is what is shown in the photograph. The sections overlap, creating a formidable defense against drones. From this side view of the T-80BVM, there are very few gaps a drone can target and those we do see, there are explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks visible which could defeat a FPV drone. The repair battalion encompassed the turret with a metal frame to which the sections are secured. Soft ERA bags can be seen (the light gray colored objects) above the tank's standard turret ERA.

     From a FPV drone operator's point of view, trying to tackle a “hedgehog” equipped tank is a serious problem. For one, the cameras used by FPV drones are not high quality. This is intentional as FPV drones are expendable and thus costs need to be kept low. Anyone who has viewed FPV drone attack videos knows how grainy the feed are. Now, couple the poor video quality and then add the need for the operator to find a gap in the “hedgehog” armor and exploit it. Any mistake and the FPV drone can get impaled on a strand, a strand can catch a part of the drone and damage it, or a strand can set off the FPV drone's warhead by striking it. If the target is actively moving, well, that exploitation chance diminishes even more. There are videos on social media which show Russian “hedgehog” tanks with Ukrainian FPV drones stuck in the strands. These tanks were ultimately defeated but it took a large number of FPV drones to accomplish the task where without the “hedgehog” armor, one or two drones would have been enough.

     “Hedgehog” armor is not without its disadvantages. For one, larger loitering munitions, the speed of attack makes the bendable strands less effective and sheer velocity can win the day. For example, the Russian ZALA Lancet's terminal attack speed is a little over 186 miles per hour. By comparison, the typical FPV drone musters only 62 miles per hour. Another problem is the weight the additional anti-drone defenses add to the vehicle. This added weight, which the vehicle's engine and drive train is not designed to cope with, leads to mechanical failures. In a Soldier of Fortune Magazine article from December 24, 2025 by A.R. Fomenko, he cites a Russian tank driver whose tank has a full “hedgehog” armor set up. The driver said that the added weight crippled his tank and that it was rare his tank made 6 miles before something in the drive train broke. When available, some “hedgehog” armor equipped tanks are moved by tank transporters to get them closer to the front before the tank has to drive on its own.

For further information on the T-80BVM, visit:

https://photosofmilitaryhistory.blogspot.com/2025/01/russo-ukrainian-war-t-80bvm-obr-2022.html

Russo-Ukrainian War: The M1A1 AIM Main Battle Tank

Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine

     The impact on tank protection due to the nature of drone warfare in the Russo-Ukrainian War is fully displayed here by a M1A1 Abrams MBT (Main Battle Tank) belonging to the 425th. Assault Regiment “Skelya”. On the turret front, lower front glacis, turret sides, and hull sides are blocks of Kontakt-1 ERA (Explosive Reactive Armor). The blocks are arranged in bolt-on metal frames which are then secured to the turret, hull, and in the case of the sides, to the standard M1A1 side skirt panels. The next layer of protection comes from the rubber panels that hang down almost to the ground on the sides and front of the tank. Another strip of rubber paneling is seen underneath the rearmost frame of ERA on the turret side. Cheap to make and fix to tanks and other armored vehicles, the panels provide a small measure of defense against HEAT (High Explosive Anti-Tank) munitions and older anti-tank rockets. The third layer of defense, meant for drones specifically, is the collapsible metal frame seen over the tank. Shown deployed, the frame supports fishing netting (not fitted here) that serves to impede or defeat an FPV drone from striking the tank. Of interest, along the turret sides, there is framing for netting in front of the ERA. Framing for netting can also be seen on the rear of the tank's hull. As a note, the round object on the left front of the turret is a spare road wheel and the tank sports its original Australian Army three-tone camouflage pattern.

     The M1A1 seen here is former Australian Army. In 2006, the Australian Army purchased 59 M1A1 AIM (Abrams Integrated Management) tanks and replaced the Leopard AS1 then in service by 2007. In June 2022, Australia committed to a purchase of a large number of armored vehicles from the U.S. which included 75 modernized M1A2 tanks. On October 17, 2024, Australia announced it was providing Ukraine with a donation of 49 of its M1A1 tanks and by December 2025, all of them have been delivered. Of this total, it is not known how many are operational as a October 16, 2024 ABC Australia report by Andrew Greene stated some would have required repair and that those tanks may simply be sent to Ukraine for parts rather than be restored to operational readiness.

     It should be noted that the Australian M1A1 AIM, as well as the U.S. provided M1A1 SA tanks, do not feature the high-density depleted uranium (DU) mesh within the composite armor that makes up the tank's defense. The U.S. still restricts the export of M1 series tanks with DU mesh. Instead, the DU is replaced with either tungsten or titanium. This means the M1A1 AIM and M1A1 SA are more vulnerable to kinetic penetrator munitions in comparison to U.S. operated M1 series tanks.

     Power for the 61-ton M1A1 comes from a Avco Lycoming (Honeywell) AGT-1500 air-cooled gas turbine engine that develops 1,500 gross horsepower. This is paired to a Allison X1100-3B hydrokinetic, automatic transmission with a 6 speed gearbox (4 forward, 2 reverse). Steering is via hydrostatic T-bar. The maximum road speed is 41.5 miles per hour with a road cruising range of 289 miles. This relatively low range is due to the high fuel consumption of the engine despite the 505 gallons of onboard fuel carried. The engine is multi-fuel and for maximum efficiency, JP-8 fuel should be used. However, the AGT-1500 can run on standard diesel, gasoline, or even kerosene though performance will be impacted.

     The main weapon is the M256 120mm gun with the stabilized gun mount providing 20 degrees of elevation and 10 degrees of depression. The turret provides the gun with 360 degrees of traverse. A full turret traverse can be accomplished in 9 seconds while the maximum gun elevation can be achieved in under 1 second. Gun laying is electrohydraulic with a manual backup system. Gun loading is manual with a maximum fire rate of 6 rounds per minute. Firing is assisted using a mostly automatic digital ballistic computer. A total of 40 rounds are carried for the M256. As for ammunition, the M256 can fire any NATO compatible 120x570mm round. The M829A1 APFSDS (Armor-Piercing Fin-Stabilized Discarding Sabot) is able to drill through 650mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) at a 60 degree slope out to a range of 1.2 miles. The M830A1 HEAT-MP-T (High-Explosive Anti-Tank Multipurpose Tracer) has a maximum range of 1.6 miles and features a proximity fuse that is set prior to firing. The aluminum sabot is lighter than that fired by the M829A1, hence the longer range. In addition, the round is usable against armored targets, slow moving aerial targets (such as helicopters), hardened targets (bunkers and buildings), and light armored vehicles. Finally, the M908 HE-OR-T (High-Explosive Obstacle Reduction Tracer) is primarily utilized against hardened targets such as concrete blockhouses and buildings. The round is derived from the M830A1, replacing the sabot and fusing with a hard steel nose that allows the round to punch through concrete before detonating. Other munitions include the M1028 canister round filled with 1,100 tungsten balls (maximum effective range of 500 meters) and the M831 TP-T (Target Practice Tracer) round.

     Secondary armament consists of a coaxial M240 7.62mm machine-gun which is provided with 10,000 rounds of ammunition while the loader is also provided with a M240 outside his hatch on the turret along with 1,400 rounds of ammunition. The commander is provided with a M2 .50 caliber heavy machine-gun on the turret top along with a total of 900 rounds for the weapon. It can be operated from within the turret. Finally, there is provision for a 5.56mm M16A1 rifle with 210 rounds. In the photograph, the M2 is fitted but the loader's M240 is missing from the shielded gun mount.

     For protection, the M1A1 uses welded RHA steel armor on the turret and hull. The front of the turret and hull add composite armor arrays consisting of ceramic blocks set within resin between layers of RHA armor. The exact composition remains classified and neither has the specific protection capability of the M1A1 been released. What follows is a Soviet estimate as provided in Steven Zaloga's M1 Abrams vs. T-72 Ural: Operation Desert Storm 1991. From the front, the turret and hull provides 600mm of protection against APFSDS rounds and 700mm of protection against HEAT munitions. This estimate is based on the standard armor configuration that includes the DU mesh. Other protective features include two smoke grenade launchers (one on each side of the turret, with a total of 24 grenades), automatic Halon fire detection/extinguishing system, ammunition blowout panels (which shunt ammunition explosion forces outside the turret), two manually operated Halon extinguishers, overpressure NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) system, M13A1 gas/particulate filter, M43A1 chemical agent detector, AN/VDR radiac nuclear agent detector, and 1 ½ quart of ABC M11 decontamination fluid dispenser.

     For other systems and equipment, the gunner is provided with a primary and auxiliary sight, azimuth indicator, elevation quadrant, and a M1A1 quadrant which assist in direct and indirect fire. There is also a integrated Hughes (Raytheon) built thermal imaging subsystem (TIS). The driver has three periscopes and one night vision periscope while the commander has six periscopes and his own weapon sight. The loader only has a single periscope. For communications, the M1A1 has either a AN/VRC-12 or AN/VRC-64 radio system. To permit infantry working with the tank to talk with the crew, there is a external interphone box at the rear of the tank which connects to the crew's own internal AN/VIC-1 interphone network (which has four stations, one for each crew member).

Russo-Ukrainian War: The M-84A4 Sniper

Source: @global_tanks on Instagram

     Sometime in 2024, Croatia provided the Ukrainian Army with thirty former Croatian Army M-84A4 Sniper (“Snayper” in Ukrainian) main battle tanks. One of these tanks is shown here, operated by the 141st. Mechanized Brigade. The M-84 is a Yugoslavian variant of the Soviet export model of the T-72A, designated the T-72M. Produced between 1979 and 1983 by the Croatian company Đuro Đaković Grupa d.d., some 680 tanks rolled off the lines. Ever since, the tanks have undergone modernization over the decades while in Croatian and also Serbian service. The M-84A4 Sniper is the final variant of the M-84A series and by 2008, the entirety of the Croatian Army's tanks were brought up to the M-84A4 standard. The type remains the mainstay of Croatian Army tank units and this is because the next modernization program, designated the M-84D, is extensive and costly. To date, only two M-84D tanks have been built.

     The 42-ton M-84A4 is powered by a V-46TK 12-cylinder, liquid-cooled, supercharged, multi-fuel diesel engine that develops 1,000 horsepower. According to Đuro Đaković's promotional material, an optional “power pack” 1,000 horsepower engine is available and some believe this to be of German manufacture. The V-46TK is paired with a hydromechanical transmission featuring a 8-speed gearbox (7 forward, 1 reverse). Maximum road speed is 42 miles per hour. A 330 gallon fuel capacity gives the M-84A4 a total operational range between 310 to 434 miles.

     The main armament of the M-84A4 is a turret-mounted 2A46 125mm smoothbore gun. The 2A46 sits within a 2-plane stabilizer with the mount providing 13.5 degrees of elevation and 6 degrees of depression. The turret gives a full 360 degree traverse. The original SUV-M-84 fire control system (FCS) is replaced by a more modern EFCS-3 FCS which is equipped with a DBR-84 ballistic computer. The gunner is provided with a DNNS-2 day/night sight and a laser rangefinder. Like all T-72 based tanks, the M-84A4 uses a automatic loader with 22 ready rounds of ammunition within the carousel situated beneath the turret basket. A further 20 rounds are stored throughout the tank's interior.

     The 2A46 can fire a wide array of 125mm rounds. A typical APFSDS (Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized, Discarding Sabot) round may be the 3BM26 which can penetrate 410mm of rolled homogeneous armor (RHA) at a 0 degree angle at 1.2 miles. At a 60 degree, slope, the penetration is 200mm of RHA. The 3BK21B HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) can go through 260mm of RHA at a 60 degree slope to a range of 1.9 miles. The 3OF28 HE (High-Explosive) round contains 11 pounds of explosive and can be fired out to a range of 2.5 miles. The M-84A4 is not outfitted as standard to fire tube-launched ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles) such as the 9K119 Refleks (NATO reporting name AT-11 Sniper) and 9K120 Svir (a variant of the Refleks) or the older 9K112 Kobra (NATO reporting name AT-8 Songster).

     Secondary armament of the M-84A4 consists of a co-axial 7.62mm PKT which is provided with 2,000 rounds of ammunition. Maximum range (not effective) is 1.1 miles with a rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute. The commander is provided with a 12.7mm NSV mounted heavy machine-gun outside his cupola on the turret top. A total of 360 rounds are carried for the NSV with the mounting providing for an elevation of 75 degrees and a maximum depression of 5 degrees.

     To protect the 3-man crew (commander, driver, and gunner), the armor profile of the M-84A4 is much the same as the tank it is based on, the T-72A. The front hull supports 205mm of actual composite alloy armor but with an approximate slope of 68 degrees, the effective armor thickness is much higher. The turret is heavily protected with what the Soviet's called K-Combination. This is a laminate armor using hardened steel on the exterior turret shell behind which is a cavity containing a silicate (sand or granite), RHA steel, and ceramics. From the front, the turret has an effective 410mm to 500mm of armor thickness against APFSDS ammunition and between 500mm to 560mm of effective armor against HEAT rounds. The M-84A4 does not come with explosive reactive armor (ERA) as standard. Additional defensive equipment include an automatic fire extinguishing system, 12 smoke grenade launchers on the turret front for creating smoke screens, and a NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) system using filters and overpressure to seal the crew compartments.

     Other equipment utilized on the M-84A4 includes a meteorological sensor (positioned right behind the gun on the turret top) and a Racal produced Jaguar V communication suite. The latter replaced the older, more conventional FM and UHF receivers. The Jaguar V uses UHF only receivers that feature the ability to hop across narrow or wide band frequencies to resist jamming. A TELDIX navigation system, DNKS-2 day/night commander's periscope, TNPO-168V driver's periscope, and a TNPA-65 auxiliary periscope round out the main equipment installations.

     The Ukrainian M-84A4 shown here presents the breadth of add-on defenses Ukrainian units place on their tanks to give a measure of survival against enemy anti-tank weapons, FPV drones, and UAVs. As the M-84A4 does not come with ERA, Kontakt-1 blocks have been fitted to the upper and lower front hull and on the turret. Next, a complete metal frame cage supporting wire fencing has been secured to the turret. The open front of the cage is protected with weighted chains to foul drone propellers or the drone itself. Hanging down from the front of the tank are metal or rubber panels to provide a measure of defense against FPV drones looking to strike the thinner lower hull armor below the ERA blocks. Slat armor panels are secured along the tank's sides which have some effectiveness against HEAT munitions. Finally, the rear of the tank's upper deck is surrounded by what appear to be civilian radio antennas which, again, offer some defense against FPV drones or as a deterrent to attacks, forcing the FPV operator to try a more difficult vector to try to strike the tank.

Russo-Ukrainian War: The PT-91 Twardy Main Battle Tank

Source: Ministry of Defense of Ukraine

     Starting in April 2023, the Ukrainian Army began receiving the PT-91 Twardy (“Hard”) main battle tank as part of Poland's sizable military contribution to Ukraine. In all, sixty tanks have been provided. The PT-91 is derived from the T-72M1 which is a Polish license built T-72A, the latter's production having started in 1983. Development of the PT-91 started in 1991 and the objective was to modernize the T-72M1 using as many Polish produced components as feasible in order to be as independent from imported matériel as possible. In 1993, a purchase order was placed for twenty examples for field trials and after acceptance, the first production PT-91 tanks reached Polish armor units beginning in 1998. In the photograph, the crew of a PT-91 belonging to the 22nd. Mechanized Brigade “Mykolaiv” performs repair or maintenance on the running gear.

     Power for the 46-ton PT-91 comes from the S-12U, 12-cylinder, water-cooled, turbocharged diesel engine that generates 850 horsepower. Built by PZL-Wola, the S-12U is a Polish variant of the old Soviet 780 horsepower V-46-6 diesel engine. The S-12U features a updated fuel injection system along with air injection system to more efficiently burn off exhaust gases. This engine is mated to a manual transmission with an 8-speed gearbox (7 forward, 1 reverse). The top road speed the PT-91 can attain is 37 miles per hour while 264 gallons of diesel fuel give the tank a maximum operational range of 403 miles. If fitted with external fuel tanks, the operational range increases to 434 miles.

     For a main armament, the PT-91 uses the exact same 2A46 125mm smoothbore gun as the T-72M1. However, the Soviet-era 2E28M 2-plane gun stabilizer is replaced with a more modern stabilizer produced in Slovakia (one of the few imported components) which is tied into the tank's SKO-1M Drawa-1T FCS (Fire Control System). The Drawa-1T FCS is a suite which includes the PCD gunner's sight, the TES thermovision night sight (developed by the Israeli company El-Op), a POD-72 commander's day/night sight, laser rangefinder, and a ballistic computer. The latter calculates the targeting requirements based on the tank's speed, the target's speed, weather conditions, the type of round being fired, and even the temperature of the round. The output is displayed on a monitor and the computer will even state when the probability of a successful hit on a target is minimal. Like the T-72M1, the PT-91 uses a automatic loader which is fed via a ammunition carousel located beneath the turret. A total of 42 rounds of ammunition are carried. This provides for a maximum rate of fire between 8 to 10 rounds per minute. The turret provides 360 degrees of traverse for the 2A46 while the gun mount offers a maximum elevation of 14 degrees and a maximum depression of 6 degrees.

     The 2A46 can fire a multitude of ammunition types. An example of a APFSDS (Armor-Piercing, Fin-Stabilized, Discarding Sabot) round is the 3VBM11 which can penetrate 410mm of RHA (Rolled Homogeneous Armor) at a 0 degree slope at a range of 1.2 miles and with a 60 degree slope, the penetration is 200mm. The 3VBK27, a HEAT (High-Explosive Anti-Tank) round, can drill through 350mm of armor at a 60 degree slope out to 1.8 miles. The more standard 3VOF22 HE (High-Explosive) round can be fired out to a range of 2.5 miles. The PT-91 is not believed to be capable of using the Russian 9M119 Svir (NATO reporting name AT-11 Sniper) tube-launched, laser guided anti-tank missile. 

     Secondary armament includes a coaxial 7.62mm PKT machine-gun provided with 2,000 rounds and a 12.7mm NSVT heavy machine-gun fitted to a pintle mount next to the commander's cupola on the turret. A total of 300 rounds for the NSVT is typically carried.

     The effective armor protection of the PT-91 and its crew of three (commander, driver, and gunner) is not specified but the standard thickness (not accounting for sloping) of the T-72M1 upon which the PT-91 is derived from sports 220mm thick front hull armor, 240mm of armor on the turret front, 200mm on the sides and rear of the turret, and up to 190mm of armor on the hull sides and rear. On the upper hull front, 16mm thick high hardness steel armor is added to boost protection. The PT-91 utilized by Ukraine are fitted with the distinctive Polish developed ERAWA-1 explosive reactive armor (ERA). It is characterized by having more squarish blocks (rather than the rectangular blocks used by the common Russian Kontakt-1 ERA) and with barely any gap between the blocks when mounted. A complete ERAWA-1 arrangement consists of a total of 394 blocks arranged on the turret, front upper hull, and sides. ERAWA-1 will not be triggered by being hit by small arms calibers nor by light cannon rounds up to and including 30mm ammunition. ERAWA, assuming it is struck by a incoming munition, offers between 95% to 100% protection against HEAT rounds from weapons such as the RPG-7. Against larger HEAT munitions, the protection is still excellent with a 65% to 70% protection versus the 125mm HEAT round and anti-tank weapons such as the Swedish AT4 (which is utilized by the Ukrainian Army). However, like any ERA, it is susceptible to defeat by tandem-charge warheads.

     Other defensive systems include the PCO SSC-1 Obra-1 laser warning system. The Obra-1 consists of four sensors on the exterior of the hull and these can detect when the tank is “painted” by laser rangefinders or laser illuminators which are used most often by laser guided anti-tank missiles. These sensors are tied into a control unit with a display for the crew. In addition, the PT-91's smoke grenade launchers, 24 in all, are also tied into the control unit. When set to automatic, if the tank is painted, the Obra-1 detects the direction, warns the crew, and triggers the grenade launchers to fire and create a smoke screen between the tank and the origin of the laser. With the crew taking evasive action and the smoke degrading the laser's effectiveness and obscuring the missile operator's view, the Obra-1 offers a higher survival chance against laser guided missiles. It is possible for the Obra-1 to work semi-automatically in which the tank commander decides if the smoke grenades are launched and there is also a manual mode in which the Obra-1 simply warns of the “painting” and from what direction and the commander then has to determine which grenade launcher battery to use in addition to firing them. Besides smoke grenades, the launchers can be fitted with non-lethal tear gas grenades or fragmentation anti-personnel grenades. Further defensive equipment has the crew and engine compartments fitted with automatic fire detection/suppression systems and NBC (Nuclear Biological Chemical) protective apparatus. The PT-91 can also generate a smoke screen by dumping fuel onto the hot exhaust.

     Finally, the driver's station is equipped with a US-DK-1 panel which provides the driver with full control over the tank's systems and also it can run and display diagnostic test results onto a display. For night driving, the station is equipped with a Radomka passive night sight.

     As of January 2025, the Ukrainian Army has lost a total of eleven PT-91 tanks.

Russo-Ukrainian War: T-80BVM obr. 2022

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.