Ukrainian forces capture advanced Russian T‑80BWM tanks in a surprise attack

Ukrainians took the Russians by surprise in the Kursk region to such an extent that even the crews of some vehicles deserted, leaving them fully loaded and armed for the Ukrainians. Here’s what the T-80BWM tank can do.

Using the element of surprise, the Ukrainians advanced over 30 kilometres into Russian positions. In the initial chaos, the Russians tried to stop the Ukrainians with whatever forces they had available in the area. Some units put up fierce resistance, while others deserted or surrendered.

The latter category even includes the crews of modern tanks, such as the T-72B3 and T-80BWM. The Ukrainians found the T-80BWM in full combat-ready condition, as it was fuelled and fully loaded with ammunition.

The T-80BWM tanks are among the newest machines in Russia’s military arsenal. Their production began in 2017, and before the invasion of Ukraine, Russia had around 200 tanks of this type. According to the "The Military Balance 2021" report, their number was estimated at 190 units in 2020.

Like other Russian tanks, these machines were created by overhauling older tanks such as the T-80BW. Considering the losses of these older tanks to replenish the losses, older versions are increasingly forming the base for the BWM.

During the war, Russia lost at least 156 T-80BWM tanks, considering pre-war production as well as the depleted wartime production, as confirmed by video and photo materials collected by the Oryxspioenkop group.

Structurally, the T-80BWM is a modernised version of the older T-80BW, which is a profound evolution of the T-64 tanks. The modernisation involves a complete overhaul of old units and the adaptation of the ammunition storage to use longer APFSDS rounds. Moreover, these tanks were equipped with an electric turret rotation mechanism and dual-layer Relikt reactive armour, ensuring protection against advanced tandem-warhead-shaped charges.

However, the most crucial element of this modernisation is the advanced Sosna-U fire control system, which uses third-generation Catherine-FC thermal cameras produced by the French company Thales. Since the imposition of sanctions on Russia, these have become unavailable, forcing them to use alternative solutions with inferior performance sourced from other origins.

T-80BWM tanks are better armoured than tanks from the T-72 and T-90 families. With the new reactive armour, these vehicles can withstand several hits from FPV drones and anti-tank guided missiles, as shown in available video materials. Although there are weak points where a hit can cause the ammunition to detonate and kill the crew, such cases are rarer than in T-72/T-90 family tanks.

One of the unique features of the T-80BWM tanks is its gas turbine engine, which provides better responsiveness than traditional diesel engines. Due to the immediate achievement of maximum torque, this tank has earned the nickname "flying tank" in Russia.