a new hybrid war vehicle has appeared on the battlefield Ukraine. It is a T-80 tank equipped with a rocket launcher RBU-6000a weapon designed for underwater warfare and that Russia it had only been used until now on its ships.
The RBU-6000, developed in the 1960s for the Soviet naval forces, is equipped with 12 launch tubes fan-shaped and can fire rockets RGB-60. These projectiles, which weigh 113kg eachwere initially designed to destroy submarines and torpedoes. The range of these munitions is approximately 5.2 kilometerswith a firing rate of one rocket every 2.4 seconds.
The T-80 tank, which entered service with the Soviet Union in 1976is an armored vehicle valued for its mobility and versatility. However, the RBU-6000 system, due to its weight, significantly overloads the tank structure which was originally designed to support lighter weapons, specific for land warfare. This means that the vehicle must operate under carefully controlled conditions to avoid mechanical failure.
Russian T-80 tank with an installed RBU-6000. https://t.co/kjeR1ifq8Mpic.twitter.com/UnSkka7EOm
— Rob Lee (@RALee85) September 29, 2024
One of the main problems that arises is manual reloading of rockets. Unlike naval systems, where ammunition can be automatically loaded from below deck storage cells, the T-80 lacks the space or technology necessary for automated reloading. Therefore, each rocket must be loaded by hand, which not only slows the rate of fire but also exposes soldiers to greater danger on the battlefield.
An open source video posted on social media and collected by Defense Express shows the hybrid in an undetermined location in Ukraine. In it you can see 2 T-80 with RBU-6000 launching RGB-60 missiles.
Precise information on its effectiveness is scarce. The system appears to have been used to close range saturation firewith the aim of covering large areas without a specific objective. This results in fairly indiscriminate fire coverage, similar to that of multiple artillery systems such as the BM-21 Gradalthough the range of the RBU-6000 is more limited.
The absence of fire control systems further reduces the accuracy of this weapon when mounted on a tank. Shooting is carried out mainly manually, relying on ballistic calculation methods, which compromises the ability to accurately aim at moving objects or hidden targets. In any case, and given Russia’s military needs, it is possible that more hybrid vehicles will be seen as the conflict drags on.