Polish soldiers say: they are excellent tanks. There is no greater designation for the maker than the user's opinion – emphasized Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during the ceremony of signing the contract for the acquisition of 180 K2.64 tanks will be in the Polishized version of K2PL, of which 61 will be created in the Gliwice plant "Bumar-Łabada". A deal with a Korean maker amounts to $6.5 billion.
– It's a large day. The large communicative is happening in front of our eyes – stressed Deputy Prime Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz during the gathering in Gliwice, which was besides attended by South Korea's defence minister Ahn Gyu-back.
The first 3 K2PLs will be created in Korea
At the office of the Mechanical Plant “Bumar-Łabada” S.A. today, a second executive agreement was concluded for the acquisition of further K2 tanks, including the first machines in the K2PL configuration. A contract worth about $6.5 billion was signed between the Armed Forces Agency and the Korean company Hyundai Rotem Company.
Tanks are to be delivered from 2026 to 2030. 116 of the machines covered by the contract will be in the existing K2GF configuration. They will scope Poland between 2026 and 2027. The next 64 tanks will be built in the mark K2PL configuration – their transportation is scheduled for 2028–2030. “The pace of transportation is very fast for the standards of the arms industry,” said Deputy Prime Minister Kosiniak-Kamish.
South Korean defence minister Ahn Gyu-back praised the construction developed in his country. – K2 is simply a very modern tank that embodies the 70-year experience of Korean manufacture and army. We believe that he will be a reliable safety defender of Poland – he said.
According to the agreement, the first 3 K2PL tanks will be manufactured in Korea, where they will pass the essential tests related to configuration changes. On the another hand, the final assembly of 61 Polishized machines will be carried out at the “Bumar-Łabada” plant. “We are becoming a real contributor to national security,” commented Monika Kruczek, president of the company. “I would like to thank everyone who has contributed to this success. There's inactive quite a few work to be done, but I'm certain that with the crew of the Bumaru, we can do the job.
Armoured capital of Poland
Apart from tanks, the Polish Armed Forces will besides receive a number of accompanying vehicles on the K2 chassis. The companies of the Polish Armed Forces Group, including OBRUM Sp. z o.o. and the “Bumar-Łabada” S.A. plants, will be included in the task work. Their transportation was scheduled for 2029–2031.
– Today's deal is simply a milestone in the defence cooperation of our countries," said Ahn Gyu-back, late appointed head of the Korean Ministry of Defence. His arrival in Poland is the first abroad visit in this role, which emphasizes the importance of Polish-Korean relations. – This is more for us than the supplier-receiver relationship. This is another step towards building a strategical partnership. The Republic of Korea will be a reliable partner of Poland. We will assist in all the essential areas – assured Ahn Gyu-back.
The Implementing Agreement No 2 besides provides for the transfer of technology, thanks to which Polish defence companies will be able to carry out final assembly, as well as the acquisition of capabilities in the field of full service and operation of tanks. Hyundai Rotem Company will supply Bumar with the tools and production equipment needed to establish the K2PL tank assembly line and associated vehicles.
– We are restoring armor production to Gliwice – concluded Deputy Minister of Defence Paweł Bejda. – Here was always the armoured capital of Poland – he reminded. Bejda besides pointed out that the acquisition cost is one-third of all the acquisition and maintenance costs. The remainder of the expenditure generates not only the usage of equipment, but besides its service and modernization. “This is why it is crucial that we have our own opportunities in this respect and that we are gaining them,” stressed the deputy chief of the MON.
Technology transfer and more
The contract signed in Gliwice besides includes training and logistics packages and the transportation of a crucial stock of ammunition (including 120-mm tank ammunition and tiny caliber ammunition). The logistics package includes spare parts, peculiar tool kits, test equipment, maintenance tools and method documentation. The training package includes training ammunition, ETS On-board Simulators (Embedded Training System) and instructors, crews and method personnel training.
The provisions of Implementing Agreement No 2 on technology transfer besides supply the basis for establishing business cooperation (B2B) between Hyundai Rotem Company and Polish entities, concerning the production of: tower hull and chassis, hydropneumatic suspension, main armament (gun system) and charging machine.
Tanks in K2PL configuration, compared to the first configuration, will be equipped with additional protection in the form of an active vehicle protection system, anti-drone strategy and enhanced armor. In addition, K2PL will be modified on the basis of the conclusions from the erstwhile K2GF tank operation.
