Modern Soviet Armor

Modern Russian Tanks & AFVs explores the main battle tanks, armored fighting vehicles, armored personnel carriers, self-propelled guns, and missile-launching platforms in service since Russia reorganized its armored forces in the early 1990s. Organized by type and then alphabetically by manufacturer, the entries include the Buk missile system that shot down Malaysian Airlines 777 over Ukraine in 2014. Expert profile artworks illustrate each entry, which also includes complete technical specifications.

Shows and describes Soviet tanks, self-propelled artillery, rockets, missiles, mortars, small arms, submarines, surface ships, and aircraft and discusses the organization of the Soviet Army, Navy, and Air Forces.

The history of the little-known yet controversial T-80 and its subsequent variants. The Soviet T-80 Standard Tank was the last tank fielded before the Soviet collapse, and the most controversial. Despite having the most sophisticated fire controls and multi-layer armor ever fielded on a Soviet tank, its turbine power plant (rather than a conventional diesel) remained a source of considerable trouble throughout its career. Steven J Zaloga charts the little-known history of the T-80, covering the initial construction, through the development to the subsequent variants, the T-84 and Russia's enigmatic “Black Eagle Tank.” Accompanying detailed cut-away artwork illustrates the unusual design features that made the T-80 so controversial.