The KMDB T-80U "Kobra" (NATO designation SMT1997) is a Soviet heavy tank developed for the Soviet Ground Forces in 1976. It is a land warfare superiority tank with its main competitors being the M1A1 Abrams and the Leopard 2A4. The Soviet Army needed a better tank to complement the T-72, and the T-80 was the result. It was the first production tank to be equipped with a gas turbine engine and advanced target tracking systems. The T-80U is known as the "Kobra" for its effectiveness at killing other tanks.