Modernization of armored vehicles is one of the ways to increase their efficiency and promote them on the international arms markets. Such a technique should be promoted, emphasizing its merits obtained as a result of modernization, avoiding contrived and unconfirmed "achievements".
An example of the unsuccessful advancement of the Object 219M tank, built on ignorance of the essence of the issue and the stages of improving this tank, is the recently appeared article "Object 219M: the modified T-80 can successfully compete with the Abrams" with the author's categorical statements of the type: "One of the most the perfect modifications that have appeared already in the 21st century are the “object 219M” created in St. Petersburg. The developers have improved almost all the components and assemblies, and the result is an almost new machine."
The author's aspiration to show that a "miracle tank" has been created in St. Petersburg, which has no equal, is understandable. Describing this tank as an achievement almost today, he cites data on the improvement of the T-80 tank dating back to the period up to 2005, and recalling this after 13 years looks at least strange. For a greater effect from the achievements obtained during modernization, the author relies on the introduction of new components and systems on this tank in the process of modernization, as it were, but actually introduced on Soviet tanks, some still about half a century ago. At the same time, the article somehow omitted the most significant thing, that the basis for the modernization of the T-80BV tank was the installation of a fighting compartment on this tank from the last Soviet serial T-80UD tank, which had the most advanced weapons complex at that time.
The stages of improving the T-80 tank presented in the article are covered superficially and do not correspond to the events that took place. In this regard, a little history. The author writes that the T-80 tank was distinguished by "a new fire control system and the presence of a guided weapon system - the Cobra missile." On this tank, at a certain stage, the Ob fire control system and the Cobra guided weapons complex were indeed installed, but they were developed for the T-64B tank, they were tested on it and were put into service in 1976.
In the mid-70s, in the Soviet tank building, with the support of Ustinov and Romanov, an epic unfolded on pushing a T-80 tank with a gas turbine engine. By this time, the T-80 tank used the turret of the T-64A tank with a hopelessly outdated sighting complex, and no one needed a tank with such a complex. In parallel, from the end of the 60s, the KMDB carried out work to equip the T-64A tank with a fundamentally new fire control system "Ob" and a complex of guided weapons "Cobra". It was a quantum leap in improving the tank's firepower. For the first time, a system appeared with a multifunctional gunner's sight, a laser rangefinder, a ballistic computer with a set of input information sensors and a rocket fired through a standard tank gun.
During tests in 1976 of two T-64B tanks at the Smolinsky test site, of which I was a participant, to "pull up" the firepower of the T-80 to the level of the T-64B, at the direction of the top management, the turret was removed from one T-64B tank and put on building T-80. The second stage of testing was carried out as if two different tanks: T-64B and T-80B. So the T-80B received the most advanced sighting system and guided weapons at that time, and in 1978 it was put into service.
Further, the author claims that during the modernization of the T-80, "the obsolete Cobra was replaced by a modern guided complex with laser guidance." In fact, the process of creating the next version of the T-80 tank with increased firepower took place much earlier and under different circumstances. At the very top, realizing that the T-80 does not surpass the T-64B in its characteristics (by that time, the 6TDF engine with a capacity of 1000 hp had already been successfully tested on the T-64B), a decision was made from two T-64B and T tanks -80B make one. In 1976, the military-industrial complex decided to create a single improved tank T-80U. The head of the LKZ tank, is developing a hull with a gas turbine engine with a capacity of 1250 hp, and KMDB is developing a fighting compartment with a new armament complex.
The KMDB begins work on the creation of a new weapon system based on the Irtysh fire control system, the Reflex laser-guided weapon system and the commander's sighting system based on the Agat S sight. Work on the creation of the fighting compartment was successfully completed and in 1984 the T-80U tank was successfully tested and was put into service. But due to the fact that a gas turbine engine with a capacity of 1250 hp it was not possible to create, the tank was put into service with a gas turbine engine with a capacity of 1000 hp. So the author is wrong, claiming that guided weapons appeared on the T-80 in the process of its modernization, this task was solved back in the late 70s with the creation of the T-80U.
Further, the author states: "The commander of the vehicle was able to duplicate the work of the gunner-operator." This is also a distortion of facts, the system of duplicated fire control for the commander was developed at the KMDB back in the mid-70s and introduced into the commander's sighting complex in the process of creating the T-80U fighting compartment.
An even more original statement by the author about the T-80: "Now it is possible to control an anti-aircraft machine-gun installation because of the armor." An anti-aircraft gun with remote control from the tower was developed and implemented on the T-64A tank and entered service back in 1972. In the process of developing the commander's sighting complex when creating the T-80U fighting compartment, it was also introduced on this tank.
The article also states that "the tank received an information management system." The development of the principles of building tank information and control systems and their implementation took place with my direct participation, and I have a good idea of the level of development and their state. During the modernization of this tank, individual elements of this system were introduced, but, unfortunately, it has not yet appeared in full. Attempts are being made to implement it in the Armata tank.
To a large extent, the given article is based on fragmentary information, unconfirmed and distorted facts of improving Soviet and Russian tanks. Data on the introduction of units and systems of the tank in various periods of its improvement are presented as the latest modernization of the T-80 tank.
This tank has indeed undergone a number of successful upgrades in terms of components and systems, and the author mentions this. A thermal imager and a device for recording the bend of the gun barrel were introduced on it, active protection "Arena" and dynamic protection "Relikt", a gas turbine engine with a capacity of 1250 hp appeared. and a number of other improvements. Were manufactured and tested prototypes of the tank, there is no information about the actual modernization of the tanks yet.
It should be noted that in terms of certain characteristics, this tank even today surpasses the modifications of the T-72 and T-90, is one of the best vehicles in its class and can really compete on equal terms with the Abrams and Leopard. But claiming that Object 219M is a 21st century tank is overkill.
