Polish Army Unveils New K2 Black Panther Tanks in Slovakia
Poland’s Land Forces have debuted their K2 Black Panther main battle tanks at an international military exercise in Slovakia.
The milestone was verified by the service’s 9th Braniewo Armored Cavalry Brigade, which is among the new fleet’s primary operators.
The NATO country has received approximately 110 of the systems as part of a July 2022 program to modernize its military’s heavy-class ground combat capabilities.
Warsaw received the first 10 tanks from South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem three months later, alongside 29 K9 Thunder howitzers procured through the same effort.
Poland is expected to receive the remaining 70 of the planned 180 units later this year, local news agency ZBIAM reported.
In addition to the Braniewo cavalry group, the K2s will be distributed to the 9th Braniewska Armored Cavalry Brigade, the 15th Gieżycka Mechanized Brigade, and the 20th Bartoszycka Mechanized Brigade, which all operate under the 16th Pomeranian Infantry Division.
A small number of the vehicles were also transferred last year to the Army Training Center in Poznań to assist in future crew preparations.
In March, Warsaw announced it would double the K2 acquisition from South Korea to further reinforce its heavy fleet capability.
This step could see the shipment of the tracked platforms for four more years, but could be shortened if the country pursues the construction of its intended domestic production hub dedicated to the systems.
The Black Panther Battle Tank
The K2 Black Panther was launched in the early 2010s to integrate a fourth-generation main battle tank into the South Korean Army.
It uses a 120-millimeter smoothbore cannon, a 12.7-millimeter heavy machine gun, and a 7.62-millimeter NATO-standard support gun.
The vehicle combines steel and silicon carbide ceramic sheets for armor. It measures 11 meters (36 feet) long, weighs 55 tons (121,254 pounds), and is operated by a three-man crew.
The K2 is fitted with a 1,500 horsepower engine and a six-speed transmission for a speed of 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour and a range of 450 kilometers (280 miles).
