Russia’s Uralvagonzavod, a tank-maker, has announced its plans to resume the production of new T-80 tanks, according to Alexander Potapov, the company’s CEO. Potapov stated that this task has been assigned by the military, and Uralvagonzavod is actively working with the Ministry of Industry and Trade to explore and address the necessary requirements.
However, while the company’s factory in Omsk may still have the tooling from 1991, it is unclear whether it has the suppliers necessary to assemble the tens of thousands of parts needed to manufacture a new T-80 tank. Uralvagonzavod’s last production of a T-80 hull dates back to 1991.
The impetus for Russia to resume T-80 production is the significant loss of tanks during its 19-month conflict with Ukraine. The country has reportedly lost around 2,000 tanks, nearly half the number of tanks that Russian forces had in early 2022. While they have been able to restore older tanks from storage, including potentially hundreds of early-model T-80s, the supply of stored tanks is not infinite.
It remains unclear which T-80 model Uralvagonzavod would produce if new tanks were to be manufactured. The company currently produces upgraded T-80BVMs and downgraded T-80BV Obr. 2023s using older hulls.
Restarting production of T-80 tanks from scratch would require Uralvagonzavod to establish a network of subcontractors, which may prove challenging after three decades of inactivity. This is why Potapov emphasized the need for “new capacities.”
The process of restarting tank production after decades of inactivity is neither easy nor cheap. American tank-maker General Dynamics Land Systems, for example, only builds “new” M-1 tanks on old hulls, with the last production taking place in 1996. A study conducted by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office in 1993 estimated that restarting production from scratch would take 56 months and cost $1.1 billion.
While the Russian tank industry may differ from its American counterpart, the challenges and costs associated with restarting production of brand-new tanks after such a long hiatus shouldn’t be underestimated.
Potapov’s statement about Uralvagonzavod’s plans to resume T-80 tank production likely indicates a long-term goal rather than an immediate action.