T-80UD

   The T-80UD is a variant of the T-80U main battle tank, fitted with a diesel engine in place of the gas turbine. Design of the T-80UD is similar to the T-80U except the powerplant. Development commenced in the mid 1970s. It was accepted to service in 1987. Production of the T-80UD commenced in Ukraine the same year. About 500-800 of these MBTs were built. It was planned as the main MBT of the Soviet Union. However it's production ceased in 1991 with the collapse of the Soviet Union. These tanks are currently in service with Russia and Ukraine. A number of Ukrainian T-80UDs were exported to Pakistan in the late 1990s. Due to expensive maintenance Russian Army plans to retire all T-80 series tanks by 2015.

   Armor protection of the T-80UD includes composite armor with built-in explosive reactive armor blocks. Vehicle is fitted with an NBC protection and automatic fire suppression systems.

   The T-80UD is armed with a fully-stabilized 125-mm smoothbore gun, fitted with a carousel-type autoloader. It also fires 9M119 Refleks (AT-11 Sniper) laser-guided anti-tank missiles in the same manner as ordinary projectiles. Missiles have a maximum range of 5 km and can also aim low-flying helicopters. A total of 45 rounds are carried, including APFSDS, HEAT and HE-FRAG. 28 rounds are stored in the autoloader. Remaining ammunition is stored inside the hukk. Effective range of fire with APFSDS round is 2 000-3 000 m day and 2 000-2 600 at night. Armor penetration is about 590 - 630 mm at 2 000 m range.

   Secondary armament consists of coaxial 7.62-mm machine gun and remotely controlled 12.7-mm anti-aircraft machine gun.

   The T-80UD is fitted with a modern fire control system and has high first round hit probability.

   Vehicle is powered by the 6TD diesel engine, developing 1 000 hp. Diesel engine of the T-80UD is 8-10 times cheaper to manufacture and consumes 1.2-1.4 times less fuel comparing with the gas turbine engine of the T-80U. Vehicle is fitted with self-entrenching blade and deep wading kit.

   There is also a T-80UDK command tank.

   Further development of the T-80UD became the Ukrainian T-84 main battle tank. It is worth mentioning that vehicles supplied to Pakistan had many features of the T-84, including new turret.

   Another version of the T-80UD is the Atlet armored recovery vehicle, fitted with a crane, winch, and a front-mounted dozer blade.