On Tuesday, August 25, 2026, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and the Armament Agency announced via social media that a shipment carrying the first batch of K2GF Heuk-Pyo (Black Panther) tanks under the second implementing contract with Hyundai Rotem had arrived in Poland from South Korea.
Photo: Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz via X
„The first Korean tanks from the contract for new K2 and K2PL vehicles signed on August 1, 2025, have already arrived in Poland. Twenty-eight K2 tanks have just reached the country and will reinforce the 16th Mechanized Division. Subsequent batches will include K2PL tanks, partly manufactured using Polish components. This is an important step in increasing the production capabilities of our defense industry and consistently strengthening Poland’s security,” the Minister of National Defence wrote.
The delivery means that a total of 208 K2GF tanks have now arrived in Poland. Of this number, 180 vehicles from the first contract were delivered between December 2022 and November 2025. The contract was signed on August 26, 2022, and was worth 3.37 billion USD net (15.98 billion PLN net/19.65 billion PLN gross).
The second contract, worth approximately 6.5 billion PLN, was signed on August 1, 2025, and is to be carried out between 2026 and 2030. It covers the delivery of 116 K2GF tanks in 2026–2027 and 64 vehicles in the K2PL configuration, 61 of which will be assembled at Zakłady Mechaniczne Bumar-Łabędy. The second element of the contract covers the development and delivery of 81 support vehicles of three types: armored recovery vehicles (31), engineering vehicles (25), and armored vehicle-launched bridges (25). The 2022 framework agreement provides for the possibility of Poland acquiring up to 1,000 K2GF/PL tanks.
Information about the shipment of the new K2GF tanks emerged at the turn of June and July. Interestingly, on July 3 it was reported that the first 155 mm K9PL self-propelled howitzers from Hanwha Aerospace were also being transported from South Korea to Poland, so they should arrive soon as well (editor’s note).
Meanwhile, on August 21, the 2nd Regional Logistics Base launched a tender for the supply of technical materiel for K2GF tanks.
The K2 Black Panther is a South Korean 3+ generation main battle tank. Its main armament is a 120 mm smoothbore gun with an autoloader, capable of using the latest types of ammunition. Secondary armament consists of a 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun. The tank’s advanced fire-control system provides high effectiveness at long ranges. Even in its standard configuration, the K2’s armor provides a high level of ballistic and mine protection and can be supplemented by soft-kill (VIRSS) and hard-kill (KAPS) active protection systems. The tank is powered by a 1,500 hp diesel engine coupled to an automatic transmission, providing high speed and mobility across all types of terrain. It is characterized by a relatively low combat weight of 55 tonnes and the use of hydropneumatic suspension.
Compared with the original configuration, K2PL tanks will receive additional protection in the form of an active protection system, a counter-UAS system, and additional armor. The K2PL configuration will also incorporate modifications based on lessons learned from the operation of K2GF tanks to date.
More on the service of K2GF tanks with the Polish Armed Forces can be found here: K2 Black Panther tanks in the Polish Armed Forces.
In terms of armored forces, the Polish Armed Forces currently operate 298 M1 Abrams-family tanks out of 366 ordered, including 116 M1A1FEP and 182 M1A2SEPv3, as well as 105 older Leopard 2A5s and Leopard 2A4s being upgraded to the Leopard 2PL/M1 standard. Of the latter, 100 vehicles have been delivered after modernization out of 128 planned, under an agreement including an option for 14 additional tanks, although the same number of Leopard 2A4s was transferred to Ukraine. This brings the total number of Western-designed tanks to 739. Around 100 T-72-family tanks and 172 PT-91 Twardy tanks also remain in service.
‼️W Polsce są już pierwsze koreańskie czołgi z podpisanego 1 sierpnia 2025 r. kontraktu na nowe K2 i K2PL.
28 czołgów K2 właśnie dotarło do Polski i zasili 16. Dywizję Zmechanizowaną. W kolejnych partiach pojawią się czołgi w wersji K2 PL, a więc wyprodukowane w części z… pic.twitter.com/Gy6ZyIl36U
— Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz (@KosiniakKamysz) August 25, 2026
Mamy to! Pierwsza partia 28 czołgów #K2 z umowy wykonawczej nr 2 już w Polsce. Rozpoczynamy realizację tego szerokiego kontraktu, wynegocjowanego przez zespół #AgencjaUzbrojenia, obejmującego także sprzęt towarzyszący, a od 2028 r. czołgi K2PL. pic.twitter.com/xql4fX4CjC
— Agencja Uzbrojenia (@AgencjaUzbr) August 25, 2026
UPDATE
The tanks were delivered to the 9th Braniewo Armored Cavalry Brigade.
9 Brygada Kawalerii Pancernej rośnie w siłę ❗💪 Do jednostki dotarły już nowe czołgi K2❗🫡 28 jednostek sprzętu znacząco wzmacnia potencjał bojowy brygady, a tym samym również 16 Dywizji Zmechanizowanej, która stanowi o sile północno-wschodniej 🇵🇱❗ 🫵 pic.twitter.com/mHzBHNDAow
— 16 Dywizja Zmechanizowana (@16Dywizja) August 26, 2026
See also:
- Eurosatory 2026: Polish Armaments Group concludes show with new deals and cooperation agreements
- RENK signs contract for HSWL 295 transmission deliveries. Destination: Poland?
- Polish ZM Bumar-Łabędy and South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem Company sign breakthrough technology-transfer agreement for K2PL tank production
