Poland plans to acquire 180 South Korean K2 Main Battle Tanks.

According to an interview given by Mister Krzysztof Platek, spokesman for the Armaments Office of the Polish Ministry of Defense, the Polish army plans to acquire 180 K2 MBTs (Main Battle Tanks) produced by the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem.
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South Korea army K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tank. (Picture source Army Recognition)

Citing information from Mister Krzysztof Platek, spokesman for the Armaments Office of the Polish Ministry of Defense, an agreement between Poland and South Korea could be signed on July 27, 2022, with companies from South Korea.

The first deliveries of the South Korean K2 tanks are planned between 2022 to 2025 and these tanks will be upgraded to the K2PL variant after 2026. Another batch of 820 K2PL tanks could be purchased starting in 2026 that will be jointly manufactured in Poland and South Korea.

For several years the South Korean industry has participated in the MSPO defense fair in Poland to promote its K2 tank and more particularly the K2PL model which is a model designed according to Polish army requirements.

As part of the "Wolf" new generation tank program, the Polish Ministry of National Defense intends to purchase equipment designed to replace the T-72M1 and PT-91 Twardy tanks owned by the Polish Armed Forces. Formal, analytical, and conceptual work related to the Wilk program began in 2017.

The K2 also nicknamed Black Panther is a Main Battle Tank (MBT) fully developed and designed by the South Korean defense industry that entered into service with the South Korean army in 2014. It is an improved version of the K1 with more mobility, firepower, and protection.

The design of the K2 is conventional for a modern MBT with the driver at the front, turret in the middle, and powerpack at the rear. It has a crew of three. The tank is armed with a 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun equipped with an automatic loading system.

The K2PL keeps the layout of the original K2 but with many new improvements including new armor to increase protection against ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guides Missiles). The rear side of the hull is fitted with wire cage armor. The roof of the turret is also equipped with an APS (Active Protection System) designed to counter ATGMs, but not high velocity, high explosive (HE) or kinetic energy (KE) tank-fired munitions.

Scale model of K2 PL Main Battle Tank. (Picture source Army Recognition)