Poland has received the first 28 of 180 K2 Black Panther battle tanks from the second order of this type placed last year with the South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem. Following the already completed delivery of a 2022 contract of the same overall scope, the number of K2s in Polish service thus rises to 208. The new order comprises a total of 116 K2GF, to be delivered by 2027, followed by 64 largely domestically produced K2PL between 2028 and 2030.
Also included are 31 recovery tanks, 25 engineer tanks, and 24 bridge-laying tanks on the same chassis. The total value of the contract is stated by the South Korean side at 6.5 billion US dollars (5.6 billion euros). Poland plans to procure up to 1,000 vehicles of this type in total, of which originally 820 K2PL were to be produced domestically under the leadership of the military vehicle manufacturer Bumar Łabędy. The reason for the change in the second tranche was apparently a lack of domestic production capacity and disagreements over technology transfer.
K2 Black Panther complements the M1 Abrams
The K2PL variant is to receive reactive and composite add-on armor as well as cage armor for the driver’s position, a stand-off active protection system and a drone-jamming system. In addition, there will be a remotely operated weapons station for the 12.7 mm MG. There was also a plan for an ammunition magazine isolated from the crew compartment, which could not be implemented without extensive design changes to the turret and hull.
In the Polish Army, the cost-effective K2 complements the American M1 Abrams, of which 116 were procured in the A1 version and 250 more are currently on order in the current A2 SEPv3 version. Most recently, Poland received 36 units in June, bringing the total in service to 182. This order also includes 33 M88A2 Hercules recovery tanks as well as 25 M1110 bridge-layers and M1150 engineer tanks on Abrams chassis. In addition, there are 105 Leopard 2A5 and 128 Leopard 2 A4 as well as the A4PL in stock.
