CNG T-80UK | Cyprus' red-eyed T-80UKs

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1

Cypriot National Guard T-80UK


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The T-80UK in Cypriot service

In Summary

The Cypriot Army were the first to buy the T-80U in 1996, along with its commander variant T-80UK that arrived in 1997. They are the first foreign operators of the T-80UK, and the last remaining operators too. Compared to the T-80UK in-game, it features the Plisa System (Gen 2 Thermals) and the roof-mounted 12.7mm PKT on the center mount.

Would you like to see this in-game?
  • Yes, as part of Israel
  • Yes, as part of another Tree
  • No
0 voters
How would you like to see this implemented in-game?
  • as a Tech-Tree vehicle
  • as a Premium vehicle
  • as a Squadron vehicle
  • as an Event vehicle
  • I voted No
0 voters


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The Cypriot T-80UK with its exposed crew during a parade. Note the Shtora-1 APS.

History

Our story unsurprisingly begins with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, which resulted in the many Post-Soviet countries in the “transition period” to suffer tremendous GDP Decline (for Russia, around 40% over 7 years). As a result, the Russian state had many Soviet-era T-80Us that they could offer to other countries with their newfound reputation. They offered their T-80Us to many countries including Sweden (now represented in game as the “T 80 U” Squadron Vehicle), but also to the Cypriot government who were desperate to get rid of their aging armoured vehicles. At the time, the Cypriots had leftover T-34/85s from the Turkish Invasion of Cyprus, AMX-30/-30B2s from the French in 1987 and M48A5 MOLFs operated on behalf of Greece. As a result, the Cypriots needed a modern, battle-proven MBT to spearhead their army. The Russians needed a quick buck, the Cypriots needed something to scare the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.

So in 1996, the Cypriots received their first 27 Cypriot T-80Us, then their 14 T-80UKs in 1997. They also purchased a further 27 refurbished T-80Us in 2010 along with 14 T-80UKs to bolster their army and simplify logistics. The T-80UKs also seemed to have received the Plisa Thermal System during their service, as T-80UKs generally lacked this.

As of now, the Cypriot National Guard are planning to retire the T-80Us as Russian Sanctions have made it near-impossible to consistently maintain these MBTs for years to come. They’ve been eye-ing Israeli-made Merkavas, French-made Leclercs and Greek Leopard 2HELs. They have even offered giving Ukraine their T-80U and T-80UKs in exchange for Greek Leopard 2s.


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A Cypriot BMP-3 and T-80UK.


Specifications
Crew: 3 (Driver, Gunner, Commander)

Engine: GTD-1250 Gas Turbine Engine, 1250hp
Weight: 46 tons
      Max Speed: 90km/h Forward, 11km/h Reverse
      Power-to-weight ratio - 27.2hp/t
Dimensions;
      Length: 9.65 meters
      Width: 3.6 meters
      Height: 2.2 meters


Main Armament - “2A46M-1” 125mm Smoothbore Gun

  • ¬ Vertical Guidance - -5° to 15°
  • ¬ Vertical / Horizontal Rotation Speed - 4.4°/s | 24°/s
  • ¬ 45 Rounds total, 28 Rounds in Autoloader, 6s Autoloaded Reload
    • ¬ 3BM46 APFSDS
    • ¬ 3BM42 APFSDS
    • ¬ 3BK18M HEAT-FS
    • ¬ 3OF26 EDKV HE-TF
    • ¬ 9M119 ATGM

Anti-Aircraft armament: 12.7mm NSVT MG

  • ¬ 500 Rounds Total, 100 Rounds per Belt
  • ¬ Vertical Guidance - -5° to 60°
  • ¬ Vertical / Horizontal Rotation Speed - 90°/s | 90°/s
  • ¬ 700 Rounds per minute

Co-Axial Armament: 7.62mm PKT MG

  • ¬ 1250 Rounds Total, 250 Rounds per Belt
  • ¬ 700 rounds per minute

Equipment;

  • 2-Axis stabilisation
  • Laser Rangefinder
  • Laser Warning System
  • Shtora-1 Softkill APS
  • 2nd Gen. Thermal Imager for Gunner (2.7x to 12.0x Zoom) [Plisa]
  • Night Vision devices for Commander and Driver (1.0x to 8.0x Zoom)

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An older Cypriot T-80U with a flashlight and a Cypriot T-80UK during an exercise.



Sources

Archived from Deagel.com, showing that Cyprus received 27 T-80Us and 14 T-80UKs prior to 2010
https://defenceredefined.com.cy/t-80u-25-years-of-service-in-the-national-guard-and-its-upgrade-options-infographics-video/
Archived Report from 2008 showing that Cyprus had 41 T-80U/UKs total
France Positions to Equip Cyprus with Leclerc Tanks and Mistral Missiles in Response to Turkish Ambitions → Offer from France to replace T-80Us with Leclerc
SIPRI Arms Transfers Database → T-80Us supplied by Russia to Cyprus
International Institute for Strategic Studies, The Military Balance 2025
Kolekcja Czołgi Świata [Collection of Tanks of the World]
Steven Zaloga’s T-80 Standard Tank: The Soviet Army’s Last Armored Champion
Τ-80 U/UK: H ασπίδα της Κύπρου | Defencegreece
https://www.army-technology.com/projects/t80/
Поводырь для уставшей «восьмидесятки» - ВПК.name → Upgrade for Plisa in 2004, 12.1 million USD

More Images

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^Plisa System inside of a Cypriot T-80U or T-80UK

Thank you very much to @Pipimer for giving me so many images of the Cypriot T-80U and T-80UKs that I’ve used for this suggestion!

T-80U Suggestion → CNG T-80U | The First and Last Foreign User of T-80Us

7 Likes
2

+1, tbh i’d see this one well either as premium or squadron for the simple reason that the more unique Cypriot T80U with Plisa 2nd gen thermal should be tech-tree as no T-80 with good thermal minus the BVM exists as a TT, UE1 is premium and UD/BE is event

1 Like
3

I also imagine T-80UK as a squadron to be honest, maybe I should include that in my poll…

^Added

2 Likes
4

there is already a T-80UK in the special vehicle line in Russian Tree as Squadron i think this one should be tech tree

5

Don’t know where it would go but its a great example of Russian export weapons going to interesting places. Cyprus though might be forced to hold on to them as there import strategy is kind of running into issues. (nothing to buy)
tumblr_05c88bfbce842277fe76a7fcbdfb2083_d177e679_400
+1 for the T-80 as its a good MBT

1 Like
6

+1 due to the thermals

also make it a squadron vehicle since the Russian one already is

1 Like
7

Yeah its kind of a weird spot now. They wanted to give their T-80s to Ukraine in exchange for Greek Leopard 2s, which Germany would later reimburse Greece. France also offered Leclercs, but that didn’t go through either. Then Israel offered the Merkava Mk.3, talks started when Israel went into war. Israel is still hesitant on selling the Merkavas, and Greece’s offer to give Cyprus Leopard 1A5GRs fell through in July~ because the Cypriot government were not happy with the condition of the 1A5s. So they don’t really have anywhere to go. The T-80s continue to be difficult to maintain due to lack of parts and sanctions.

They do seem really into wanting the Merkava Mk.3s, which Israel now no longer considers surplus. Greece doesn’t want to sell their Leopard 2s, so there’s no option for Cyprus from Greece either.

3 Likes
8

Basically all the tanks they could have got where destroyed or where not in great conditions. The Merkava is also not the most plentiful right now as FPV drones ate up a lot and spare parts are a issue (one thing people forget about tanks is a lot do survive but cannot be fixed because your robbing peter to pay paul) The West is choking on how to do tanks right now even USA military bone yards are having issues (lots of stuff being pulled out) some parts just run out faster then others and go extinct. Have to say out of all the tanks Cyprus could have bought the T-80 is a parts gobbler at the end of the day.

Push comes to shove Cyprus can turn them in bunkers or something maybe even put them on a trailer and pull them about! At the end of it Cyprus is in a hard spot might need to go to China buy some of there export tanks would be a little funny. Though C.A.A.T.S.A. would likely get them.

1 Like
9

nahh 0% possibility for that, America lifted the sanctions no a long time ago, i dont thing they will ever do it, my best guess is that they will get Greek Leopard 2A4 when Greece starts upgrading the 2A4s and 2HELs

2 Likes
10

Looks cool, yet it is worth remembering Gaijin said the Cypriot will be a mixed sub tree with many countries, so it is hard to asses how much of an importance and effect it will have.
For example in Italy it will fill the almost top tier gap, in Israel it won’t be that much of an improvement to existing lineups, it might be very helpful in the UK and France could really use it.
+1

1 Like
11

You are confused with Singapore, Cyprus is to come to Israel alongside Greece

1 Like
12

Really?
Well then it would be a shame, it could be really useful in other tech trees, and im not one to generally hate on the Greek/Cypriot subtree being in Israel

13

If is for Israel no, if going to other sub tree yes

14

No, its the worst thing to get your Country splited, look what they doing with Singapore. Israel is the best option, only France has better ties (except Greece) but France has 3 subtrees already.

why?

15

I mean if we are talking aerial, the UK has very tight relations with Cyprus.
I do agree that a split tree is a horrible fate for individuals from said country, but it is to be considered a shame that it would go somewhere it wont be very needed when there are trees that need it.

16

“relations” yea its called keeping post colonial bases because they dont want to leave the area, there is literally no connection between UK and Cyprus

Israel is the smallest TT in the game, it has only 2 brs between 10.0 and top tier (11.3, 12.3) the T-80s will help in a 11.7 line up. UK or France don’t need T-80s

17

Push comes to shove Cyprus can turn them in bunkers or something maybe even put them on a trailer and pull them about! At the end of it Cyprus is in a hard spot might need to go to China buy some of there export tanks would be a little funny. Though C.A.A.T.S.A. would likely get them.

There’s only really 3 options Cyprus realistically has left

1: Still get a modern MBT though the only realistic option left would be the K2 Panther which wouldn’t be out of the question since the Koreans are aggressively trying to market in the Middle East and Eastern Europe with some success. There’s no evidence that Cyprus has any interest in the K2 series though

2: Downscale to a Light Tank/Light MBT which has much of the same benefits of a Regular MBT with none of the economic drawbacks or the Infrastructure issues a Normal MBT has.

3: Simply disband the Armoured core entirely and use other means to defend Cyprus due to economic reasons and the inability to secure MBT’s

1 Like
18

I think realistically what Cyprus wants is a cheap but modern MBT, hence why a lot of their interests are in used MBTs (Merkava Surplus, Greek Leopard 2s instead of Leopard 2s from Germany, Leopard 1A5GRs (but fell through because they were in a horrible state), etc.). I think its more likely they go for the Leclerc if they don’t get a deal with Greece for Leopard 2s or if Israel sells the Merkavas. Its cheaper if not the same price as the K2, and a lot of their upgrades are from the French (Plisa system being pretty much Thales).

1 Like
19

By win rate and performance they kinda do, the Merkavas overperform the Challis and Leclercs.
A point about a tech tree like Israels isnt grinded as much as the British and French could be made, and when they are it is usually by a fairly good demographic, but still.
In my opinion Israel should get more vehicles, and like i said, the entire argument against the Cypriot and Greek sub trees right now is purely political, but there are also other countries that need severe help that shouldn’t be forgotten.
Not to mention if it will be added it would be a Squadron prolly, so it will track with how Israel currently only has a Magach at 8. something i think as there ground Squadron Vehicle.
Update: My mistake and apparently both UK and France currently overperform Israel, which is kinda insane when you think about it since the Merk is a monster, but in terms of BR stats they are worse, by vehicle merks are better then challis and lecs

20

Greece-Cyprus-Israel Relations are the best specially right now

I would prefer the -UK is a folder with the -U and as a top tier squadron the Leopard 2A5/STRV122

It’s not, the armour is incorrect for years. It has good stats only and only because very few people actually play it

1 Like