On Wednesday, July 2, 2025, in Warsaw, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz, together with Secretary of State at the Ministry of National Defence Paweł Bejda, presented the status of negotiations concerning the acquisition of South Korean K2 Black Panther tanks for the Polish Armed Forces.
Photos: Polish Ministry Of National Defence
“A great moment, a wonderful day of good news for the Polish Army, for the Armed Forces of the Republic of Poland, for our defense industry, for the security of our homeland, for the building of a great, strong, and sovereign Poland. The upcoming agreement for the acquisition of K2 tanks in a Polish-adapted version, partly already produced in Poland with the participation of the Polish defense industry, along with the full logistics support package, support vehicles, a service agreement, a training agreement, a logistics agreement, and all components related to ammunition and weaponry, is almost ready. (…) This is a big deal. It is one of the largest executive contracts in Polish history, and it will soon be signed in Poland with the participation of the Minister of Defense of Korea. Today, we wanted to inform you that we are finalizing the negotiation phase and will be signing the agreement soon,” said Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz.
The K2 Black Panther tank, part of the vehicle fleet of South Korea’s 8th Mechanized Division / Photo: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
“The agreement will cover 180 tanks, 80 support vehicles, and a comprehensive package that has never before been included in previous K2 tank contracts. I’m speaking in particular about the support vehicles, accompanying vehicles, that are an integral part of the infrastructure. Without them, the tank cannot be used effectively. This is about correcting the mistakes we inherited from our predecessors; it’s about making up for the shortcomings that were left behind, because the first executive contract signed by the previous government simply did not include this. It wasn’t taken into account. I have to mention this, especially because there have been many questions about the time needed for discussions and negotiations. That’s one of the reasons. The interest of public finances, the interest of taxpayers, whom I want to sincerely thank, because it’s thanks to you, to the Polish people, that we can build an army this strong and already spend nearly 5% of GDP on defense. This is the target NATO set for 2035, and we’re on track to reach it 10 years ahead of schedule,” said the Minister of National Defence.
“These negotiations required time to ensure that the Polish-adapted version would be feasible, and that talks between the business partners, in this case, the Polish Armaments Group and Hyundai Rotem, would conclude successfully. The primary partner on the Polish side, within the Polish Armaments Group, will be the company Bumar-Łabędy. This is an important investment for that company, which will regain its vitality as a result. Once everything is finalized, I would like us to sign this contract at Bumar-Łabędy,” added the Deputy Prime Minister.
As MILMAG editorial staff has learned, the Polish defense industry will also be involved in the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) of the support vehicles. Pictured: South Korean K1 Armored Recovery Vehicle (ARV) / Photo: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
“A great day we’ve all been waiting for together, for over a dozen months. Because the contract previously negotiated by the former Ministry of National Defence leadership, the executive contract for 180 tanks, did not even include support vehicles. This new contract that we’ve just negotiated, I dare say, is one of the most difficult and complex contracts ever handled by the Armament Agency, and before that, by the Armament Inspectorate. (…) As the entire leadership, we are guided by the principle of transferring as much technology as possible to Polish facilities. After all, the defense industry is a driving force for the entire Polish economy. (…) I want to tell you that this year we are completing the implementation of that first executive project, the contract for 180 tanks. What’s more, the Korean side is accelerating the delivery of various weapon system components and batches that were negotiated, meaning that by the end of 2025, deliveries will be completed. (…) Under the contract that we will sign this year, the second executive contract—the first 30 tanks will arrive in Poland in 2026,” added the Deputy Minister responsible for the modernization of the Polish Armed Forces (Will the K2PL be Poland’s tank of the future? Interview with Jun Mo Seo, President of Hyundai Rotem Europe).
Speech by Lee Yong-bae, President and CEO of Hyundai Rotem Company:
“My name is Lee Yong-bae, and I am the President and CEO of Hyundai Rotem.”
“Honorable Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz and all distinguished guests gathered here today – I would like to express my deepest gratitude.”
“Today, we have not only announced that we will be signing a defense equipment contract, but more importantly, we have declared the beginning of a historic partnership to launch the production of the K2 tank in Poland. This is a significant milestone symbolizing the deep trust and strategic partnership between the Republic of Korea and the Republic of Poland. We believe that this agreement will serve as a solid foundation for strengthening Poland’s defense industry and national security.”
“Through Executive Agreement No. 2, we will contribute to the development and production of the Polish K2PL tank at Zakłady Mechaniczne ‘BUMAR-Łabędy’ S.A., enhancing both Poland’s defense capabilities and its domestic industry. Hyundai Rotem is committed to faithfully carrying out the technology transfer and localization of production in Poland, drawing on the technical expertise and experience we have accumulated over decades in Korea.”
“Under the new agreement, Hyundai Rotem pledges to deliver top-tier performance, uncompromising quality, and on-time delivery – just as we successfully contributed to enhancing Poland’s security through the timely execution of Executive Agreement No. 1. We also commit to achieving real and lasting results through genuine technology transfer and localization. To this end, we will closely cooperate with the Polish Armaments Group and ZM ‘BUMAR-Łabędy.’ I would also like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank PGZ and BUMAR for their dedication and effort in making this agreement possible.”
“For us, the K2PL program holds strategic importance. I assure you that Hyundai Rotem will carry out this project with a spirit of responsibility and sincerity, always keeping a long-term partnership in mind. Based on the shared values of Korea and Poland, Hyundai Rotem will do its utmost to strengthen Poland’s defense industry and national security, and ultimately contribute to making Poland a hub of the European defense market.”
“Once again, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our governments, the involved institutions, and the partner companies from both countries for their commitment and hard work in making this contract a reality.”
“Thank you very much.”
The current deliveries of K2GF Heuk-Pyo (Black Panther) tanks are the result of a contract signed on August 26, 2022, with a net value of 3.37 billion USD, concluded between the Polish Armament Agency and Hyundai Rotem. Under this agreement, a total of 180 tanks are to be delivered to the Polish Armed Forces between 2022 and 2025. As of June 2 of this year, thanks to the latest deliveries, the number of K2GF tanks in the Polish military has increased to 119 units.
Photo: Jakub Link-Lenczowski, MILMAG
The K2 Black Panther is a South Korean 3+ generation main battle tank. Its primary armament is a 120 mm smoothbore gun with an autoloader, capable of firing the latest types of ammunition. The secondary armament includes a 7.62 mm machine gun and a 12.7 mm heavy machine gun (HMG). The tank’s advanced fire control system provides high accuracy and effectiveness at long ranges. Even in its standard configuration, the K2’s armor offers strong ballistic and mine protection, which can be further enhanced with active protection systems such as the soft-kill VIRSS and hard-kill KAPS. The tank is powered by a 1,500 hp diesel engine paired with an automatic transmission, providing high speed and mobility across all types of terrain. It is also relatively lightweight, with a combat weight of 55 tons, and features a hydropneumatic suspension system.
All currently contracted K2 tanks are equipped with a communication system compatible with that used by the Polish Armed Forces, as well as a battlefield management system (BMS) compatible with the one installed in M1A2SEPV3 Abrams tanks.
Based on a press release from the Ministry of National Defence and a statement from Hyundai Rotem
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: Umowa obejmie 180 czołgów, 80 pojazdów towarzyszących oraz pełen pakiet, który nigdy wcześniej nie był realizowany w umowach na czołgi K2. Mówimy tu szczególnie o wozach wsparcia i towarzyszących, które stanowią bezpośrednią część infrastruktury –… pic.twitter.com/vwVLWUMbQs
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: Chcieliśmy Państwa dzisiaj poinformować, że kończymy etap negocjacji i za chwilę podpiszemy umowę na dostawy czołgów K2. Jesteśmy gotowi ją podpisać tak naprawdę już teraz, ale z uwagi na szacunek do naszych partnerów z Republiki Korei, gdzie trwa… pic.twitter.com/3FnZnPmg0C
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: Reszta czołgów, ok. 60 sztuk, będzie wykonana w Polsce. Podstawowym partnerem z polskiej strony w ramach Polskiej Grupy Zbrojeniowej będzie spółka Bumar Łabędy. To jest ważna inwestycja dla tej spółki, która dzięki temu odzyska swoją witalność.…
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
Wiceminister @pawelbejda: Pragnę Państwa poinformować, że w tym roku finalizujemy realizację pierwszego projektu umowy wykonawczej na 180 czołgów K2. Co więcej, strona koreańska przyspiesza dostarczanie poszczególnych elementów uzbrojenia i partii, które zostały wynegocjowane.… pic.twitter.com/owestwAMwY
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: Odpowiedzialność za kontrolę po polskiej stronie granicy spoczywa na Polsce. Właśnie dlatego uruchomiono system wsparcia dla Straży Granicznej, aby zapewnić skuteczność tych działań. Działalność aktywistów, zarówno na wschodzie, jak i na zachodzie,… pic.twitter.com/rdBHKgWz7I
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
Wkrótce kolejna umowa wykonawcza na czołgi K2 wraz z wozami towarzyszącymi
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– Wielki moment, wspaniały dzień dobrych informacji dla Polskiego Wojska, dla Sił Zbrojnych RP, dla naszego przemysłu zbrojeniowego, dla bezpieczeństwa naszej ojczyzny, dla budowy wielkiej, silnej,… pic.twitter.com/TMJ4fjAPUe— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
Wicepremier W. @KosiniakKamysz: Jesteśmy na takim etapie, na którym wreszcie doszliśmy do momentu polonizacji czołgu K2. Nikt wcześniej tego nie zrobił, nikt nie miał na tyle determinacji i siły, żeby postawić jasno i wyraźnie: tak, K2 ma być wersją produkowaną w Polsce, z… pic.twitter.com/VFODH6VnNO
— Ministerstwo Obrony Narodowej 🇵🇱 (@MON_GOV_PL) July 2, 2025
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