K2NO tank from South Korea arrives in Norway to participate in winter trials.

According to a video published on Youtube on December 29, 2021, the Norwegian version of the South Korean K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tank (MBT), called K2NO, has arrived in Norway to participate in a winter trial.
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The K2NO main battle tank arrives in Noway to conduct winter trials. (Picture source Print Screen Youtube video Mogens Rasmus Mogensen)

In November 2020, Norwegian Minister of Defense Frank Bakke-Jensen has presented Norwegian defense plans for the renewal of the country’s MBTs. According to these plans, Norway intends to field the new tanks from 2025.

So far, it has already selected two possible contenders, after having evaluated up to nine options, the last of which were to acquire new platforms or upgrade the current fleet of Leopard 2A4 tanks currently operated by the Norwegian army. Norway purchased 52 Leopard 2 A4 MBTs from the Netherlands in 2001 and adapted them to Norwegian requirements, with 36 currently active.

Norway has rejected the option to upgrade its fleet of Leopard 2A4 Finally and has opted for the acquisition of a new main battle tank. Two candidates are shortlisted: the South Korean K-2 Black Panther tank and the German Leopard 2A7. Norway plans to acquire 200 MBTs and the winner could be selected in 2025.

In November 2021, Army Recognition has reported that Korean Company Hyundai Rotem has unveiled the K2NO, the Norwegian proposal of the South Korean K2 Black Panther MBT during the ADEX 2021 defense exhibition in South Korea.

According to technical features published by the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem, the K2NO will be based on the original South Korean K2 MBT but modified according to specific requirements of the Norwegian armed forces. The K2NO has a crew of three including a commander, gunner, and loader. The tank has a combat weight of 61.5 tons with a length of 10.8 m, a width of 3.6 m, and a height of 2.4 m.

The K2NO seems to keep the design of the K2 MBT but fitted with a new turret fitted with additional active protection armor as well as the Israeli APS (Active Protection System) with radar antennas mounted on each side at the front of the turret. The trophy is a military active protection system (APS) designed by the Israeli company Rafael to protect combat vehicles from ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missile), RPGs (Rocket Propelled Grenades, anti-tank rockets, and tank HEAT (High-explosive Anti-Tank) rounds.

The K2NO is armed with a CN08 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun indigenously developed by Agency for Defense Development and Hyundai Wia. The 120mm gun can fire about 10 rounds per minute. With a total supply of 40 various rounds, the Black Panther can rain hellfire on an enemy position for nearly three minutes before needing resupply. A total of 16 rounds are stored in the autoloader and 24 rounds are stored inside the hull. The top of the turret is fitted with a remotely operated weapon station from the Norwegian company Kongsberg which is armed with a 12.7mm heavy machine gun.

The K2 is motorized with an MTU MT-883 Ka-501 4-cycle, 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine developing 1,500 hp. coupled to an automatic transmission. The tank can reach a maximum road speed of 65 km/h and 50 km/h in off-road conditions with a maximum cruising range of 450 km. The suspension on each side consists of six dual rubber-tired road wheels, track-return rollers with the drive sprocket at the rear, and idler at the front.