Nearly all of the K2 components are produced locally, beginning with the tank’s CN08 main gun.
Israeli defense firm Rafael just penned a historic agreement with South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem to install its Trophy active protection system on the K2 main battle tank (MBT) platform. In a joint statement, both firms noted that this agreement will serve as the first time the South Korean tank will feature such a system. Rafael and Rotem stated in their announcement that the pact “reflects the mutual commitment to deliver next-generation active protection capabilities tailored for Korean land forces, while also pursuing co-development, local production, and export opportunities.” The agreement was signed in Poland during the MSPO 2025 Defense Exhibition. As part of the contract, the Polish K2PL variant of the K2 platform is included. Warsaw and Seoul previously penned an agreement for the delivery of 180 K2 tanks.
The K2 Tank
Seoul’s fourth-generation MBT has served the nation’s armored corps for more than a decade. Initial production of the K2 series began back in 2008, and the first tanks were delivered to the Republic of Korea Army in 2014. South Korean officials envisioned the K2 series as a way to beef up domestic production capabilities. Prior to the K2, Seoul primarily relied on foreign allies for all its modern weapons systems. Nearly all of the K2 components are produced locally, beginning with the tank’s CN08 main gun. This impressive gun is incredibly precise and is reportedly capable of striking an object just a little larger than a basketball at nearly two-thirds of a mile away. Another impressive attribute featured on the K2 is its advanced composite armor. The K2 is additionally equipped with a Missile Approach Warning System and other advanced sensors. As detailed by Army Recognition, the K2 tank platform features an upgraded semi-active in-arm suspension unit, a high-resolution terrain-scanning system, and non-explosive reactive armor.
The Trophy Active Protection System
The Israeli-designed Trophy protection system is arguably the most effective tank protective measure available today. Designed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, the system was initially intended to supplement the protective armor featured on the Merkava MBT series. This unmatched defense mechanism protects armored vehicles from a range of projectiles, including anti-tank guided missiles, anti-tank rockets, and high-explosive anti-tank rounds. Notably, this Israeli-made system enhances the tank’s ability to target enemy MBTs and therefore increases the crew’s survivability. The vice president of Rafael and the head of its Maneuver Systems Directorate, Michael Lurie, recalled the first time the Trophy system went into action during an Israel Defense Forces mission in Gaza back in 2011. Upon spotting a mysterious figure during the mission in the Strip, “Suddenly, an alert went off, and a missile appears. The soldiers didn’t understand what had happened. They tell one another, ‘We’ve been fired on; we’re supposed to be dead.’ When you hear the dryness of the conversation and the insight of the soldiers as to what had just happened, it really gives one goosebumps,” Lurie recalled in an interview with the Jewish News Syndicate.
About the Author: Maya Carlin
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.
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