Hyundai Rotem nears record $6.5 billion export deal with Poland for K2 main battle tanks

Korea’s Defence Acquisition Programme Administration (DAPA) announced on Wednesday that negotiations with Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, have been concluded. “We have successfully concluded negotiations with the Polish government on the export of the K2 tanks,” DAPA stated.

Poland’s Ministry of National Defence confirmed that the agreement has not yet been signed but added that finalisation is expected in the near future. The new deal will involve 180 K2 tanks, doubling the value of the initial $3.37 billion net contract signed on 26 August 2022 for the same number of units.

Under the 2022 agreement, Hyundai Rotem is delivering the first 180 K2 Black Panther tanks to the Polish Armed Forces between 2022 and 2025. The tanks are manufactured under an executive contract between Hyundai Rotem and Poland’s Armament Agency.

The K2 Black Panther is a South Korean 3+ generation main battle tank. It features a 120 mm smoothbore cannon with an autoloader capable of firing the latest types of ammunition, supported by a 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun.

The tank’s advanced fire control system ensures high accuracy at long ranges. Its standard armour provides strong ballistic and mine resistance and can be enhanced with both soft-kill (VIRSS) and hard-kill (KAPS) active protection systems.

Powered by a 1,500 horsepower diesel engine and automatic transmission, the K2 delivers high mobility across varied terrain. The tank weighs 55 tonnes and is equipped with hydropneumatic suspension for improved manoeuvrability.

All currently contracted K2 tanks include communication systems compatible with those used by the Polish Armed Forces, as well as a battlefield management system (BMS) interoperable with the system installed on M1A2 Abrams tanks.

The upcoming contract also includes maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) support and auxiliary vehicles, such as armoured recovery and bridge-laying tanks. Of the 180 units in the expected deal, Hyundai Rotem will produce 117 in South Korea, while the remaining 63 K2PL tanks will be manufactured in Poland by the state-owned PGZ group in cooperation with Hyundai Rotem.