The T-80 was the last Soviet main battle tank designed, built and fielded during the Cold War. Instead of being developed from its predecessor, the simplified and mass-produced T-72, the Nikolai Popov-designed T-80 was a direct descendant of the T-64 albeit with design elements of the T-72 such as its suspension and 125-mm 2A46 series smoothbore gun with an autoloader. The T-80 retained the general hull and turret layout of its predecessors with the most notable change was the incorporation of a gas turbine engine, the first Soviet main battle tank to do so. The gas turbine gave the T-80 exceptional mobility and speed but at a cost of increased fuel consumption and a greater logistical burden to service a mechanically complex engine (problems that would be found in the US M1 Abrams, also equipped with a similar powerplant). As a result, some variants, mainly those built in the Kharkiv factory, were fitted with a diesel-powered engine. The T-80's 2A46 gun could fire similar ammunition to the T-72 including both tungsten and depleted uranium APFSDS rounds as well as gun-launched 9K112 (AT-8) and later 9M119 (AT-11) ATGMs. Like its predecessors, the T-80 was also capable of deep wading operations using a removable snorkel. Despite its more advanced features compared to the T-72 and T-64, the T-80 lacked many of the novelties seen in contemporary Western tanks in areas such as crew protection, thermal imaging, and advanced composite armor althought the latter was compensated by being the first Soviet tank to use second-generation explosive reactive armor (Kontakt-5). As a result, early versions are not considered a true third-generation design, at least until later variants like the T-80U added ERA. The result has been a mixed success on the battlefield, notably in Chechnya where the tank proved vulnerable to attacks in an urban setting and over 200 were lost. Its performance during the Russian invasion of Ukraine has been little better, with nearly 1,050 confirmed lost by the end of 2024 (plus around 70 lost by Ukraine). Nearly 5,000 T-80s were fielded by the Red Army shortly before its dissolution, before being passed on to the USSR’s successor states and eventually also exported to Cyprus, Egypt, South Korea, China, Yemen and Pakistan, the latter which received over 300 diesel-powered units from Ukraine which inherited the Kharkiv production line.

The original T-80 (Ob'yekt 219) entered service in 1976 but only a handful were built before switching to the definitive early variant, the T-80B. This featured uprated armor and fire control, as well as a more powerful engine in post-1980 production units. It was further refined into the T-80BV which added Kontakt-1 ERA across the glacis, sides and turret, plus additional appliqué armor on the hull. A more comprehensive redesign resulted in the prototype T-80A followed by the definitive T-80U which entered production in the mid-1980s. This incorporated a new engine, improved fire control system and laser designator, and the ability to carry the more advanced 9M119 (AT-11) ATGM. However, it still lacked a thermal imager which by now had become standard on NATO tanks. The T-80U introduced Kontakt-5 ERA which was more seamlessly integrated to the hull and side skirts. The redesigned turret was also notable for the rubber flaps mounted on the frontal ERA and which gave it its characterisitic dome-like appearance. Overall, this was the most advanced Soviet tank at the time of the dissolution of the USSR and the first to be properly considered a third-generation MBT. The T-80U obr. 1992 featured an uprated engine while the T-80UM from 1995 added capability for firing 9K119M (AT-11B) ATGMs plus either Agave or Buran thermal sights. An export version was known as the T-80UE. The most modern variant currently in Russian Army service is the T-80BVM, an upgrade from existing T-80B stocks which adds Relikt ERA as well as an improved engine and autoloader and more advanced fire control and sights, bringing it up to the standards of the T-90M. A special diesel-powered version was known as the T-80UD and was built concurrently with the T-80U in the Morozov plant in Kharkiv, which became Ukrainian-owned after independence. This was further refined into the T-84 which incorporated many Ukrainian-made components, and which is covered in a separate entry. Additional variants include the T-80BK, T-80BVK, and T-80UK command tanks, the BREM-80U armored recovery vehicle, and MTU-80 bridgelayer. The VTS Ladoga APC (of which only five were built) is based on the T-80U chassis and was meant to evacuate high-ranking Kremlin officials in the event of a nuclear, biological, or chemical attack.