More K2 Black Panther tanks will help Poland defend itself against threats from its Russian neighbor.
Amidst Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Eastern European nations are continuing to beef up their defense capabilities. Sharing a border with Ukraine, Poland has specifically taken measures to bolster its military systems across the board. Warsaw recently penned an agreement with Seoul to procure an additional contingent of K2 main battle tanks (MBTs). In this latest agreement between the two nations, South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem will gain an expanded foothold in the European nation’s domestic defense industry. This news comes after Polish officials announced that they are committed to increasing Poland’s defense budget to 5 percent of gross domestic product in 2026.
According to Poland’s deputy prime minister and national defense minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, 116 K2 Black Panther tanks will be produced in the K2Gf variant, and the remaining 64 will be made in the K2PL iteration. Warsaw’s defense industry is set to take over the construction of 61 tanks of the K2PL version. “The new units will be better equipped than the existing ones, and production will be launched next year. In the years 2028 to 2030, we plan to have full-scale domestic production,” Kosiniak-Kamysz stated during the signing ceremony.
Introducing the K2 Black Panther
Seoul has been working to boost its self-reliance in producing arms for decades. The introduction of the K2 MBT is a result of this effort. During the Cold War, South Korea sought to update its fleet of aging tanks. Initially, Seoul fulfilled this need via the American-made M1 Abrams series. However, South Korean officials never set aside their domestic MBT design ambitions. Manufacturer Hyundai Rotem, a subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Group, conceptualized the K2 for the Republic of Korea Army.
Notably, Seoul’s Black Panther tank features an automatic loader positioned in the turret bustle, which holds a German Rheinmetall CN08 120mm/L55 smoothbore gun licensed in South Korea. This lethal system can instantaneously detect, select, and load the required type and amount of ammunition based on the threat. As detailed by Military Watch Magazine, the maximum rate of fire is 15 rounds per minute, although it is significantly lower in real combat conditions. Sixteen rounds are stored in the autoloader, and the remaining 24 rounds are stored inside the hull. “The K2 also integrates a thermographic camera with a ‘lock on’ mode allowing it to track specific targets at ranges of 9.8km. Sensors are also capable of augmenting the tank’s survivability, with a millimetre band radar system capable of operating as a Missile Approach Warning System which complements the K2 computer’s ability to triangulate incoming projectiles and fire visual and infrared screening smoke grenades,” according to the defense outlet.
The K2’s advanced features make it popular on the export market. Poland’s desire to bolster its own Black Panther numbers makes sense as the significance of armored vehicles in modern warfare continues to be proven by the ongoing Russian invasion.
About the Author:
Maya Carlin, National Security Writer with The National Interest, is an analyst with the Center for Security Policy and a former Anna Sobol Levy Fellow at IDC Herzliya in Israel. She has bylines in many publications, including The National Interest, The Jerusalem Post, and The Times of Israel. You can follow her on Twitter: @MayaCarlin.
Image: DVIDS.
