South Korea's Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on 2/7 that Hyundai Rotem and Polish Defense Minister Mariusz Błaszczak finalized negotiations and are preparing for a signing ceremony for the sale of a second batch of K2 main battle tanks to Warsaw.
Hyundai Rotem stated the contract is worth $6.5 billion, with further details to be released later. Yonhap News Agency reported the deal includes 180 K2 tanks, confirming it as the largest single arms export contract in South Korean history.
"The export of the second batch of K2 tanks is an opportunity to reaffirm the strong defense cooperation between South Korea and Poland," DAPA emphasized.
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Polish soldiers operate a K2 tank at a training ground in Braniewo on 24/6. Photo: Reuters |
Polish soldiers operate a K2 tank at a training ground in Braniewo on 24/6. Photo: Reuters
In 2022, Poland signed a series of agreements with South Korean defense companies to acquire K2 tanks, K9 self-propelled howitzers, and FA-50 light fighters, aiming to bolster its military capabilities following the outbreak of the conflict in Ukraine. Hyundai Rotem subsequently announced a $3.3 billion contract to supply the first batch of 180 K2 tanks to Poland.
The Korea Times reported the second batch is worth twice as much, despite the same number of vehicles, due to feature upgrades, technology transfer, and comprehensive maintenance and repair support.
DAPA explained the delay in the second batch was due to extended negotiations, including the development of the K2PL variant for joint production between Hyundai Rotem and Poland's PGZ. PGZ will assemble 63 of the tanks in Poland, while Hyundai Rotem will manufacture the remainder.
According to DAPA, establishing a production facility in Poland will enhance the ability to achieve the goal of exporting a total of 1,000 K2 tanks to Warsaw, fulfilling the framework agreement reached in 2022.
The K2 is a main battle tank developed in the 1990s and commissioned by the South Korean military in 2014. The K2 combines advantages of German, French, and Russian tank designs, while featuring a unique design suited to the terrain of the Korean Peninsula.
The K2PL variant differs from the original version with upgraded armor and NATO-standard equipment integration, optimizing its effectiveness on European battlefields.
Pham Giang (Reuters, Yonhap, Korea Times)
