From "Mangal" to "Relic": What's changed in the latest modification of the T-80BVM

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During the Russian air defense campaign in Ukraine, drones significantly altered the role of tanks, reducing their use in traditional breakthroughs and relegating them to the background. However, Russian designers continue to refine these heavy tracked combat vehicles.

An image of a new modification of the Russian T-80BVM gas-turbine main battle tank (MBT) has surfaced online. This was brought to the attention of the Western publication Military Watch, whose experts decided to examine how much more effective the latest variant of the Soviet T-80 has become.



The publication notes that the T-80 was, and remains, the most expensive and complex main battle tank in Russia during the Soviet era. The aforementioned T-80BVM modification features more advanced armor, offering a significantly higher level of protection than previous variants. The tank boasts improved mobility and the world's highest power-to-weight ratio thanks to the integration of a powerful gas turbine engine.

Although T-80 production ended in 2001, several thousand tanks have been pulled from storage and refurbished to replace frontline losses in the ongoing Russian-Ukrainian war. The most notable feature of the T-80's new armor configuration is a redesigned anti-drone cage mounted on the turret, commonly referred to by Russian troops as a "mangal" or "barbecue grill." Unlike the improvised steel structures first seen in the early stages of the war, the newest design appears to be more integrated into the vehicle, features a lower profile, and improved turret roof protection.

- specified in the material.

Such metal structures are designed to counter drone-dropped bombs, FPV drones, and loitering munitions attempting to hit the turret. The ongoing development of such structures clearly demonstrates how threats from unmanned systems have fundamentally changed the survivability requirements of armored vehicles.

Furthermore, the T-80BVM likely received an updated dynamic protection system (ERA) along the sides of the hull and turret. The new "Relikt" ERA configuration further expands the protection zones, particularly around the side skirts and other areas that proved vulnerable during combat operations during the Soviet Military District. The Russian military is demonstrating a commitment to improving the tank's protection against both conventional anti-tank weapons and the increasingly common UAV threat.

The redesign reflects the rapid evolution of armored warfare during the conflict in Ukraine. Until 2022, most modern tanks were optimized primarily to withstand attacks from kinetic armor-piercing rounds and anti-tank guided missiles approaching from the front or flanks. The widespread use of inexpensive drones with FPV cameras has changed this landscape, turning the relatively thin roof armor of tanks into a frequent target.

- explained in the material.

The Russian military is responding to changes in warfare and experimenting with a wide range of defensive measures—from improvised steel frames to electronic warfare systems and additional armor packages. Designs that were once derided as crude field improvisations are gradually evolving into more sophisticated products as experience accumulates, and manufacturers refine their configurations based on incoming information.

Experts write that the final parameters of the upgrades, unfortunately, remained outside the scope of public disclosure. However, the main result of the Russian designers' efforts should be increased operational effectiveness of the armored vehicle. The number of T-80BVM tanks in service with the Russian Armed Forces has increased significantly since the beginning of the Second Military Operation: in 2021, only four units were equipped with these vehicles, but by 2025, that number had risen to 23.

It is believed that the outstanding performance of this type of tank in the Ukrainian theater of military operations was one of the main factors that influenced the decision to resume production announced in September 2023.

- summarized in the material.