Poland’s leaders will continue expanding their military capabilities as a clear warning to the Russians to keep out.
Poland is preparing for war. The Russians are slowly conquering Ukraine. The Americans are systematically decreasing their commitment to Europe. Fears abound that Moscow is preparing to go beyond Kyiv once it achieves its strategic objectives in that country.
To prepare for the potential threat to its own borders, Warsaw has gone all-in on a gargantuan military spending spree. One of the most potent systems it is purchasing is South Korea’s K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tank (MBT).
Poland Wants a Great Tank. South Korea’s Is the Best in the World.
Poland had previous purchased several units of the South Korean tank. However, on July 2, Warsaw finalized a $6 billion export agreement with South Korea’s government to receive an additional batch. Overall, the deal involves as many as 180 tanks—making it Seoul’s largest single-weapon export deal to date. The deal is a remarkable coup for South Korean President Lee Jae-myung, who has struggled to restore calm after the aborted attempt at martial law by his predecessor Yoon Suk-yeol in December 2024.
Poland is further committed to shoring up its domestic defense production capabilities. Although the K2 is obviously a foreign system under the deal in question, at least 63 of those 180 MBTs will be built in Poland in a joint agreement between South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem and Polish defense conglomerate PGZ.
This follows a growing trend of cooperation in Polish-South Korean affairs. In 2022, Poland became South Korea’s most important defense customer, allegedly signing upwards of $22 billion in multi-system arms packages—included 180 K2 tanks, 212 K9 self-propelled howitzers, 48 FA-50 fighters, and several Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers.
What’s So Amazing About the K2 Black Panther?
It makes sense that the Polish government is beefing up their arsenals in the face of what it perceives as a growing Russian threat to its territory. The K2 Black Panther itself is a formidable system. It comes equipped with a 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun with an autoloader, capable of firing NATO-standard rounds and South Korea’s KSTAM (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition), a fire-and-forget top-attack projectile.
What’s more, this tank has a high rate of fire—10 to 15 rounds per minute—and includes a hunter-killer function with auto-target detection and tracking. Secondary armament includes a 12.7mm heavy machine gun and a 7.62mm coaxial machine gun.
The K2 has explosive reactive armor (ERA), and both soft-kill (smoke grenades) and hard-kill active protection systems (APS) to counter missiles and anti-tank threats. The K2PL variant for Poland includes enhanced armor, a hard-to-kill APS, and anti-UAV electronic warfare systems.
Powered by a 1,500-horsepower diesel engine (MTU 883 for ROKA and a Hyundai DV27K for exports), it reaches a speed of 44 miles per hour and has a total range of 277 miles. The Black Panther’s hydropneumatics suspension and in-arm suspension unit (ISU) provide amazing maneuverability across diverse terrains, including Poland’s marshes and sands.
Poland believes that Russia is readying to invade, and is on an aggressive military buildup to turn the country into a porcupine. Of course, it remains to be seen if the Russian military wants to—or even can—continue its war. Warsaw assumes that the Russians will go hard against Poland after it takes over Ukraine, but there remains little hard evidence indicating Russia intends to do so.
Nevertheless, Poland’s leaders will continue expanding their military capabilities as a clear sign to the Russians to keep out. The K2 Black Panther from South Korea will help Warsaw deliver that message in language Russian President Vladimir Putin is certain to understand.
About the Author: Brandon J. Weichert
Brandon J. Weichert, a Senior National Security Editor at The National Interest as well as a contributor at Popular Mechanics, who consults regularly with various government institutions and private organizations on geopolitical issues. Weichert’s writings have appeared in multiple publications, including the Washington Times, National Review, The American Spectator, MSN, the Asia Times, and countless others. His books include Winning Space: How America Remains a Superpower, Biohacked: China’s Race to Control Life, and The Shadow War: Iran’s Quest for Supremacy. His newest book, A Disaster of Our Own Making: How the West Lost Ukraine is available for purchase wherever books are sold. He can be followed via Twitter @WeTheBrandon.
Image: Shutterstock / Flying Camera.
