T-80
"The instrument of doom."
- – Apocalypse Tank, Red Alert 2
The Soviet answer to the Bradley's horrible beauracratic design process, the T-80 series was the answer to the third generation of Western main battle tanks like the Leopard 2, Challenger and the Abrams. Building on the principle of the T-64 as the premium battle tank of the Soviet shock armies, the T-80 would become defined for its horribly inconsistent gas turbine engine and unreliability while on the move.
Visually similar to the T-72, any Western commander who mistook it as such would be in for a shock: the T-80 was a frighteningly deadly weapon, combining the 125mm cannon with BDD armour superior to the T-64's, reactive armour blocks and the latest tank-killing shells the Soviet Union had to offer. Later versions like the T-80B would even have the ability to fire Kobra missiles, allowing it to outrange even the best tanks of the time.
In Team Yankee
The T-80 is the strongest tank available to Soviet ground forces, expected for release during Team Yankee version two. More to come.