The South Korean K2 Black Panther is considered one of the most advanced MBTs in the world. Poland is set to strike a deal to acquire this impressive tank.
The Polish Ministry of Defense is set to sign a $6.2 billion contract to acquire 180 South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tanks (MBT). That follows a previous contract inked in August 2022 for an equal number of the advanced MBTs from Seoul. The Polish Army has received just under half of the vehicles, with the final ninety-six set to arrive later this year.
In addition to the K2 MBTs, considered to be among the very best in the world today, South Korea provided the Eastern European NATO member with 219 K9 self-propelled howitzers, forty-eight KAI FA-50 light attack aircraft, and 218 K239 Chunmoo mobile multiple launch Rocket System (MLRS).
That initial deal was valued at $12.4 billion.
The agreement will be finalized next month, and deliveries of additional tanks will continue over the next four years. Still, that timeline could be truncated if a planned domestic manufacturing center, where the K2 would be produced under license, is approved.
Warsaw has already worked with Seoul on adapting the K239 Chumoo MLRS, locally designated the Homar-K. It is mounted on the domestically made Jelcz 8×8 chassis, which replaced the South Korean-made Doosan chassis. It was further outfitted with the Polish TOPAZ Integrated Combat Management System.
As Army Recognition explained, this reflected “Poland’s intent to localize the production of its military equipment.”
Delays Due to Disagrements on K2
Even as Warsaw and Seoul have strengthened their ties, including a pledge to broaden their defense cooperation, the negotiations for the additional 180 K2 MBTs had been delayed due to, “disagreements between the Polish government and a local defense company over specific contractual details,” the Defence-Blog reported.
“The process was further complicated by political instability in South Korea following the temporary martial law declaration by impeached President Yoon Suk-yeol on December 3.”
The deal will close soon, and while it was pushed back from last year, it is unlikely to impact the vehicle’s delivery to Poland.
The K2’s “Wow Factor”
The next-generation K2 Black Panther was developed by the South Korean Agency for Defense Development and manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. It was initially meant to complement, rather than replace, the K1 series currently fielded by the South Korean military. However, the K2 has proven to exceed the capabilities of the K1 so significantly that Seoul has ramped up production.
It is now largely considered one of the most advanced MBTs in the world, outclassing any tanks in service with North Korea or even China.
Unveiled in 2007, the Black Panther was developed utilizing indigenous South Korean technology and production commenced for the first 100 K2 tanks in 2014. The K2 relies on an undisclosed modular composite armor and Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks, and according to reports, it can withstand direct hits to the front from a 120mm tank round.
In addition, the K2 also is equipped with an active protection system and countermeasure systems that include NBC (nuclear-biological-chemical) protection.
The MBT’s main armament consists of a Rheinmetall 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun, produced under license in South Korea. It is equipped with a domestically designed automatic loader that can ensure the loading of projectiles on the move, including on uneven surfaces.
The 120mm main gun can reportedly fire approximately ten to fifteen rounds per minute. It can be used with various munitions and is compatible with all standard NATO tank rounds. The 120mm L/55 gun can also fire the new Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition (KSTAM) rounds, which are smart target-activated fire-and-forget projectiles.
The Black Panther’s secondary armament includes a 12.7mm heavy machine gun and a 7.62mm machine gun. The next-gen MBT has a domestically developed auto-target detection and tracking system incorporating a hunter-killer function.
Poland Gives Ukraine Tanks to Make Room for the K2
As Warsaw receives the South Korean MBTs, it will continue to supply Ukraine with its aging T-72 and PT-71 tanks.
Kyiv has already received around 280 T-72M and T-72M1 tanks from Poland and nearly 200 more from the Czech Republic, but Bulgaria and Morocco supplied additional Soviet-era tanks.
As the K2 arrives in Poland, additional T-72s are expected to be sent to Ukraine.
About the Author: Peter Suciu
Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He hascontributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites, with over 3,200 published pieces and over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].
Image: Shutterstock/Flying Camera.