South Korea Ready to Secure More Defense Contracts at MSPO 2024.

South Korea is poised to continue its success in defense exports to Poland this September, with new contracts anticipated from the Polish Ministry of National Defence (MND) at the upcoming MSPO defense exhibition. This was highlighted on Targi Kielce's website on June 21, 2024.
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A K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tank at Eurosatory 2024. (Picture source: Army Recognition)

This announcement followed a meeting between Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and his South Korean counterpart Shin Won-Sik in Warsaw. During a joint press conference, Kosiniak-Kamysz emphasized that their discussions focused on industrial collaboration in defense and equipment acquisitions for the Polish Army.

Kosiniak-Kamysz indicated that additional contracts for South Korean defense equipment could be finalized at the MSPO exhibition, with negotiations on financing – particularly for up to 180 additional Hyundai Rotem K2 main battle tanks (MBTs) – nearing completion.

In 2022, Poland committed to acquiring up to 1,000 K2 MBTs, with the first 180 tanks, produced by Hyundai Rotem in South Korea, scheduled for delivery from late 2022 through 2025. Future batches are expected to be customized to Polish requirements under the K2PL designation and produced locally in Poland, starting in 2026. The first 180 South Korean-built K2 MBTs will also be upgraded to the K2PL standard.

The previous Polish administration signed an executive contract for the first batch of 180 K2 MBTs from South Korea for $3.4 billion. Delivery began in December 2022, with over 40 tanks delivered to the Polish Army by early 2023, some diverted from stock initially intended for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA).

The second batch of Polish K2 MBTs is expected to include domestically manufactured tanks, with a long-term goal of local production for future batches. Shin reaffirmed South Korea's readiness to transfer technical know-how and production technologies to Polish defense companies, enabling local manufacturing and maintenance of the tanks.

The discussions also explored Polish defense exports to South Korea, including passive radar systems, self-propelled Rak 120mm mortars, remote weapon stations, and various unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

The K2, also known as the Black Panther, is a main battle tank designed in South Korea. It is equipped with impressive armament, including a 120 mm gun, a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun, and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. For its protection, the K2 uses composite armor reinforced with explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks, offering robust defense against various types of threats.

Currently used by South Korea and Poland, this tank weighs approximately 55 tons. Its maximum speed reaches 70 km/h, allowing it to move quickly on the battlefield. In terms of range, the K2 can travel up to 450 km without refueling.

The K2 is also equipped with advanced technologies. Its sophisticated fire-control system, active protection system, and NBC (nuclear, biological, and chemical) protection system ensure high efficiency and safety. It also has day/night vision capabilities, thermal vision, and an automatic fire suppression system. Additionally, the tank is equipped with a snorkel for deep water operations.

With a crew of three, the K2 measures 10.7 meters in length, 3.6 meters in width, and 2.4 meters in height. These dimensions, combined with its technical capabilities, make the K2 a highly efficient and versatile main battle tank, capable of meeting modern battlefield requirements.