Against the backdrop of the official visit of the Russian Minister of Defense, Sergey Shoigu, the tank production plant Omsktransmash confirmed the reopening of the production line for GTD-1250 gas turbine engines that equip the T-80BVM tanks of the Russian Ground Forces. The news comes amid the increasing deployment of this armored model, given the high attrition that other models, such as the T-72 and T-90, have suffered in Ukrainian battlefields.
Alongside the T-90M, the T-80BVM is one of the most modern tanks in service with the Russian Ground Forces. One of its main distinguishing features, unlike the former, is that it, like the U.S. Army’s M1A2 Abrams, is equipped with a GTD-1250 gas turbine engine, which is a derivative of the GTD-1000 engine family.
As happened during its original incorporation in the days of the Red Army, tanks and armored vehicles equipped with this type of engine present advantages and disadvantages. Firstly, the incorporation of this type of propulsion system brings significant improvements in terms of mobility and power. However, unlike other tanks, this feature entails higher maintenance costs and times.
While further details were not provided, the reopening of GTD-1250 engine production signifies, on one hand, the refurbishment of more T-80 tanks preserved in Russian arsenals, their subsequent modernization to the T-80BVM version, and delivery to the Ground Forces. This variant incorporates various enhancements found in the T-90M, such as: Relikt reactive armor, new Irtysh fire control system, and Sosna-U sight system for gunnery, as well as the installation of the 125mm 2A46M-5 cannon.
The other issue is that through a greater number and availability of engines, repair times for damaged T-80BVM tanks on the battlefield can be reduced. In urgent situations, rather than waiting for engine repairs, it is preferable to replace the entire power unit with a new one so that the armored vehicle and its crew can return to service.
Furthermore, another aspect to consider about this type of engine is that, unlike diesel engines, turbine engines like the GTD-1250 can use conventional gasoline, kerosene, or even diesel fuel, or mixtures thereof. This capability allows the T-80BVM to remain operational in situations where traditional fuels may be scarce.
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