Poland seals $6.5 billion agreement for the procurement of a second tranche of K2 tanks
In a significant move, South Korea and Poland have signed a $6.5 billion deal for the purchase of 180 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks and 81 support vehicles from Hyundai Rotem Co. This marks the largest-ever arms export contract won by a South Korean company.
The deal, part of Poland’s broader modernization initiative known as the Wilk program, will see at least 63 of these tanks being assembled in Poland as the K2PL variant. The remaining 117 tanks will be manufactured in South Korea, specifically the K2GF variant. Poland’s defense industry, led by PGZ at the Bumar-Łabędy facility, will be responsible for the domestic production of the K2PL tanks.
The agreement is expected to strengthen Polish defense industry capabilities and support local manufacturing. Production of the K2PL variant will begin next year, with the aim of achieving full-scale domestic production by 2028-2030. The initial three K2PL units will be produced in South Korea before production is transferred to Poland’s industry.
In addition to the tanks, the contract includes 81 support vehicles based on the K2 chassis, such as armored recovery vehicles, engineering vehicles, and assault bridge systems. Polish companies from the PGZ group, including OBRUM and ZM Bumar-Łabędy, will participate in the design and production of these vehicles. The contract also covers training programs, logistics support, ammunition supply, and maintenance tools to ensure operational readiness.
Strategically, once completed, Poland will have about 1,100 tanks, making it one of the countries with the largest tank fleets within NATO, behind only Turkey and Greece. This underscores Poland’s enhanced focus on territorial defense amid regional security challenges, particularly related to the war in Ukraine and border tensions.
South Korean Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back and his Polish counterpart, Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz, attended the signing ceremony for the second K2 tank contract in Gliwice, Poland. Prior to the ceremony, the two leaders held talks to discuss ways to further cooperate in the arms industry.
This deal is not only a significant milestone for Hyundai Rotem but also marks the deepening of the strategic partnership between South Korea and Poland beyond a supplier-user relationship. As Ahn Gyu-back stated, "The signing ceremony marks the deepening of the strategic partnership between South Korea and Poland beyond a supplier-user relationship."
Moreover, Ahn pledged support and training for Poland’s use of Korean weapons systems, including the K2 tanks and K9 self-propelled howitzers. He also proposed cooperation in Poland’s other defense projects, such as its plan to acquire submarines. The contract opens the possibility of joint production and potential exports, further strengthening the partnership between the two nations.
This is the first major arms export contract since the launch of the Lee Jae Myung administration in June. The first batch of 180 K2 tanks was agreed upon in a previous contract signed in 2022. The latest contract includes the production of a Polish variant of the K2 and the development of other armored support vehicles.
In summary, the South Korea-Poland $6.5 billion K2 tank deal signifies a large-scale military modernization effort by Poland featuring the acquisition of 180 K2 tanks (116 South Korea-built K2GF and 64 Polish-assembled K2PL), the development of the K2PL variant tailored or adapted by Polish industry, a split production scheme enhancing local production capacity, inclusion of support vehicles, training, and logistics packages, strategic impact strengthening Poland’s armored forces significantly, and the potential for joint production and exports.
The K2PL tanks, part of the deal, will be assembled in Poland, indicating a potential for sports (manufacturing) in the local industry. With this deal, Poland's strategic focus on territorial defense (weather metaphorically, referring to the readiness to withstand the storm of regional security challenges) is amplified, given the anticipated increase in its tank fleet.
