Poland Receives 28 K2 Black Panther Tanks Under Second South Korean Contract

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Poland’s modernisation of its armoured forces has received fresh momentum with the arrival of 28 K2 Black Panther tanks, the first vehicles delivered under the second contract agreed with South Korea. The vehicles will be assigned to the 16th Pomeranian Mechanised Division, strengthening the re-equipment of Polish land units with South Korean- and US-built platforms.

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The delivery of the new K2s was confirmed by Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister, Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz. This batch marks the start of the contract signed in August 2025 by Poland’s Armament Agency and Hyundai Rotem, providing for the supply of a further 180 main battle tanks.

With this latest delivery, Warsaw now has 208 K2 Black Panther tanks. The first 180 were ordered under an agreement concluded in 2022, with deliveries completed in November 2025. Valued at around US$6.5 billion, the new programme will substantially expand the fleet while also introducing a local production phase.

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South Korean production paves the way for Polish-built K2PL

The second contract divides production between vehicles manufactured in South Korea and units built with Polish industrial involvement. Of the 180 additional tanks, 116 will be built by Hyundai Rotem and supplied by 2027 in the K2GF configuration.

The next phase will focus on developing the K2PL version, tailored to the requirements of the Polish Army. The programme covers 64 vehicles in this variant, 61 of which are expected to be assembled at Bumar-Łabędy facilities, with Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) participating.

Poland’s Armament Agency stated that the delivery of the first 28 vehicles begins implementation of the extensive package contracted in 2025. Alongside the tanks, the agreement includes supplementary equipment and 81 armoured support vehicles, whose manufacture is also expected to involve companies within the PGZ Group.

The first K2PLs are expected to enter service from 2028, cementing a shift away from a model based solely on buying foreign equipment towards a programme that also includes technology transfer and domestic industrial production.

K2 joins Abrams in the renewal of Poland’s armoured force

The K2 purchase forms part of a wider transformation of Poland’s land capabilities. Since the process began in 2022, Warsaw has combined the procurement of South Korean equipment with systems supplied by the United States. In addition to 180 K2 Black Panther tanks, the first agreement with Seoul covered 48 KAI FA-50 light combat aircraft and 212 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers. The first batch of 10 K2s arrived in Poland in December 2022, starting a delivery process completed three years later.

At the same time, the Polish Army is continuing to receive its new US-purchased M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 tanks and M88A2 Hercules armoured recovery vehicles. The combination of these platforms is set to considerably increase the number of modern main battle tanks available to the Polish Armed Forces.

The K2 Black Panther is a 55-tonne main battle tank operated by a crew of three. Fitted with a 1,500 hp MT-833 diesel engine, it can reach speeds of up to 70 km/h on roads and has a range of roughly 450 kilometres. Its main armament consists of a 120 mm L/55 gun, supported by a 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and a 12.7 mm machine gun mounted on the turret. South Korea is also continuing work on further upgrade programmes for the K2 family, including the integration of technological equipment and additional protection systems.

With the 28 newly received vehicles, Poland is entering a new phase in its K2 procurement programme. The 2025 contract will not only increase the number of tanks available to the Polish Army, but is also expected to create an industrial base for future production of the K2PL variant, deepening military and technological co-operation between Warsaw and Seoul.