MOSCOW, July 6. /TASS/. Russia continues comprehensively upgrading the T-80BVM main battle tank, Uralvagonzavod defense manufacturer (part of the state technology corporation Rostec) told TASS on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of accepting the T-80 tank for service.

"The upgrade of the T-80BVM tank continues in all the military-technical aspects: firepower, protection, mobility and crew control. However, the final parameters of these upgrades remain beyond the framework of public disclosures. The main result should be the increased effectiveness of this armored vehicle’s use," the Uralvagonzavod press office said.

The T-80BV tank adopted for service in 1985 had the Kontakt explosive reactive armor installed on it for the first time. T-80U tanks used the Kontakt-5 protection system while T-80BVM tanks are outfitted with the Relikt explosive reactive armor., it said.

In addition, T-80BVM tanks have received an increased reverse speed amounting to about 11 km/h, which considerably expands the tactic of using these tanks, it said.

As reported earlier, Russian T-80BVM main battle tanks have begun to be outfitted with protection systems against precision weapons targeting and FPV drones. According to data of the Russian Defense Ministry, the T-80BVM main battle tank has received special protection systems based on the experience gained in the special military operation in Ukraine. Specifically, these systems reduce the probability of targeting by various precision-guided weapons and shield the armored vehicle from strikes by loitering munitions, bombs dropped by quadcopter drones and attacks by FPV drones.

The T-80BVM tank has also received a new Sosna-U multi-channel gunner sight that guides supersonic missiles launched from the tank’s gun towards the target by a laser beam. This enables the T-80BVM tank to destroy armored targets without entering their engagement area.