The second executive agreement for the K2 Black Panther tanks is very good news. At a comparatively fast rate, due to the fact that by the end of 2027, armored troops will gain by 2 battalions of modern primary tanks, or 116 copies. The 3rd battalion is to be handed over to the army later, by the end of 2030, but it is to be machines not only more modern, in the K2PL version, but besides built in Poland. In addition to tanks, 81 accompanying cars are to be created in our factories. I will admit that while I am rather calm about the transportation of equipment from Korea, due to the fact that so far they go on time, yes, unfortunately, I have many doubts about the launch of the production of tanks and logistics trucks in our country...
Ten or 15 years ago, all defence minister in Europe faced a akin problem – where to get the money for the essential method upgrade. Of course, due to the fact that a closer body shirt, we Poles, best remember the budgetary fears of our next heads of the Ministry of Defence and finance ministers about increased defence spending. How much money can be spent on fresh aircraft, tanks or armored transporters.
But the same thing, that is, "I have besides small and I request more", could fundamentally say any national defence minister on the Old Continent. 1 heard that nothing could be done, due to the fact that the national economy is in crisis, the another that society sees another needs, and the tanks do not talk to voters, and the 3rd that it has gone mad to arm itself erstwhile there is no war in Europe and there will be no war in the coming decades.
Now the situation is diametrically different, turned 180 degrees. 1 hand can number countries in Europe that have not increased, more or less, their defence spending. Russia's attack on Ukraine has made even countries from the another end of Europe (against Poland), specified as Spain and Portugal, for which the arguments of Central and east Europe about threats to the east flank of NATO were inactive surreal (as I heard from a native of Barcelona), changed their head and want to spend more on their armies.
They do, but can they? As before, the arms marketplace was a client market, where it was a country that bought arms that could put tough conditions on arms manufacturers, so now all the "cards" have manufacture on its side. The request for various types of weapons and ammunition systems is so immense that individual governments must search contracts, very frequently competing among themselves.
Poland, unfortunately, too. Our orders in South Korea are a good example of this. Representatives of the defence manufacture there appeared in our country after 2016 with a reasonably simple task. They wanted to open their doors to the remainder of Europe by selling us their military products. respective years earlier, representatives of the Ukrainian aviation industry, especially helicopters, tried to trample a akin path. No luck. The Koreans initially also, having both Western European and US arms companies against each other, were not successful. The situation changed Russia's aggression to Ukraine. While we were allied in solidarity, huge number of equipment, tanks, BWPs, etc. of the Ukrainian army, the Koreans were on site with a hard proposal to ignore: “We will supply Poland with fresh equipment faster than anyone else. Moreover, we are open to the polarization of production.”
So the orders for tanks fell apart. K2 Black Panther, K239 Chunmoo launchers, FA-50 aircraft and cannonhaubice K9 Thunder. We have contracted adequate military equipment in South Korea in 2 years that this country has become our second military geostrategic partner after the US. A fewer days ago, we signed another multibillion dollar deal with the Koreans. This time for the next 180 K2 Black Panther tanks and 81 caterpillar logistics vehicles.
The agreement is definitely good news for the Polish Army. At a comparatively fast pace, due to the fact that by the end of 2027, our armored troops will be enriched by 2 battalions of modern basic tanks, or 116 copies. The 3rd battalion is to be handed over to the army later, by the end of 2030, but it is to be machines not only more modern, in the K2PL version, but besides built in Poland. In addition to tanks, 81 accompanying cars are to be created in our factories.
K2 tank on the ground
I will admit that while I am rather calm about the transportation of equipment from Korea, due to the fact that the implementation of the contracts signed so far is timely, yes, unfortunately, I have many doubts about the launch of the production of tanks and logistics trucks in our country. In order to meet the agreed transportation dates (first in 3 years!), many things request to be done between Polish and Korean armaments, and so far this cooperation goes more than resistant.
Someone will say, OK, but the contracts are signed, so the commitments they make must be fulfilled. It is true, but I am genuinely afraid of the script in which it will turn out that the devil was stuck in details and with contracts that would give the Polish manufacture fresh abilities, knowledge, know how, etc., will come out like a tiny rain from a large cloud. What does K2PL mean in Poland? Will it be producing them in Bumar-Łabędy on the basis of Polish solutions and Polish components, or will it be folding K2PL from ready-made systems and components brought in 95% from South Korea? The difference is colossal, and if memory serves, the framework agreement of 2022 for a 1000 K2 tanks made clear declarations of production, not the assembly of these machines in our country.
I besides have major concerns about logistics trucks. It is large that they are to be produced in Poland, even better, that on the basis of joint Polish-Korean projects of method support vehicles, accompanying bridges and engineering vehicles. Only how are they to be created within the deadline, erstwhile there are no business agreements between the Polish Armed Forces Group and the Korean concern? How are fresh vehicles, prototypes produced, tested and first series manufactured in 3 years? The apparent answer is not besides optimistic – the ready-made chassis will come to us from Asia, and in our case they will only receive peculiar equipment. This will be a terrible solution for the Polish armory, which from the position of the partner will come to the function of a subcontractor.
These are my concerns for today, at the end of August 2025, and I do not hide that I very much hope that at least any of them will dispel business agreements between Polish and Korean industry, which, according to the announcements of the president of the PGZ-et of Adam Leszkiewicz, are to be signed in the coming weeks.
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