Poland has revealed its plan to acquire additional K2 Black Panther main battle tanks from South Korea as part of its army’s heavy fleet expansion.
The announcement follows Warsaw’s investment in August 2022 of $5.76 billion to procure 180 K2 systems and more than 200 K9A1 self-propelled howitzers.
Multiple sources said that Poland’s new deal, projected to be signed next month, is expected to cost approximately 9 trillion won ($6.1 billion) and cover 180 more vehicles.
In the Polish defense agency’s update, it was noted that the potential K2 contract includes the establishment of an in-country factory to support production works.
Deliveries of the first K2 tranche have already begun two months after the initiative’s announcement in 2022 and are expected to run until 2026.
Terms under this year’s new contract could see shipments of the second K2 batch for four more years, considering the timescale of the first agreement, but could also be shortened if the domestic K2 manufacturing center in Poland is approved.
The K2 Black Panther System
The K2 was introduced in 2014 to provide the Republic of Korea Army with a fourth-generation main battle tank for the modern battlefield.
It is armed with a 120-millimeter smoothbore gun, a heavy machine gun, and a NATO-standard coaxial machine gun.
The 11-meter (36-foot) vehicle is operated by a three-man crew, powered by a 1,500 horsepower and with a six-gear transmission, and has a fuel capacity of over 1,200 liters.
The platform has an operational range of 450 kilometers (280 miles) and a top speed of 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour.
