The new agreement between Warsaw and Bratislava could see Slovakia receiving the K2PL, the licensed version of South Korea’s K2 Black Panther. 

Last year, South Korea became the world’s 10th largest exporter of military hardware—and it was just three years earlier that its military exports exceeded imports for the first time. Poland and Romania are now among the countries that have adopted the South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tank (MBT), which is considered to be among the best tanks in the world today.

In addition, Warsaw and Seoul have announced plans for the K2 and other hardware to be produced in Poland under license. Some of those MBTs could also be employed by another member of NATO, namely Slovakia, which announced an agreement to acquire the Polish-made Piorun man-portable air-defence system (MANPADS). The weapon (which means “thunderbolt” in Polish) was developed to counter a variety of aerial threats, including low flying fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and even winged rockets. The Piorun’s missile is equipped with a proximity sensor that can enable the destruction of a target “in case of its close passing,” PGZ, the weapon’s manufacturer noted.

As part of the recently signed defense industry cooperation agreement, the two European nations—also both members of the EU—are set to increase production of 155mm caliber ordnance, which is widely used by NATO while also being supplied to Ukraine; and the possible co-production of an armored personnel carrier (APC) that would be based on the Polish Rosomak with the Slovak-made Turra 30mm turret.

“The defence self-sufficiency of each country comes first. We must develop not only our military and defence capabilities, but also our production capabilities so that we are able to supply all military units in the event of a threat and conflict,” said Slovak Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Robert Kaliňák following the signing of the agreement on February 24, 2025, which also marked the third anniversary of Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine.

That spurred most of NATO to increase defense spending.

The Rosomak 8×8 APC

Developed in the late 1990s as a jointed program initiated by Poland and Finland, and based on the latter’s Patria Armored Modular Vehicle (AMV), the Rosomak (Polish for “Wolverine”) is an 8×8 that first entered service in 2004. It has widely replaced the Soviet-era BWP-1 infantry fighting vehicle (IFV), and has gone through a multitude of upgrades that have included enhanced armor, improved situational awareness sensors, and even upgraded weapons.

According to Army Recognition, the Rosomak is produced in several variants, including a dedicated IFV model with Oto Melara Hitfist-30P gun turret that is equipped with a 30mm ATK Mk44 chain gun; APC models, medical evacuation vehicles, recon vehicle, command models, and a mortar carrier.

A future variant of the Rosomak could be outfitted with the Turra 30-SA, developed by the Slovaka-based EVPÚ. The remotely operated turret, which made its debut at last year’s IDEB 2024 arms exhibition held in Bratislava, is outfitted with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Elta Systems’ Othello optical threat locator. According to a report from Janes last year, “The turret’s 30 mm automatic cannon can fire programmable airburst munition, giving it anti-unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) capabilities.”

But Will Slovakia Get the K2?

The new agreement between Warsaw and Bratislava could see Slovakia receiving the K2PL, the licensed version of South Korea’s K2 Black Panther. 

Poland is on track to receive about 820 K2PL MBTs, which are a modified version of the tanks now in service with the South Korean military.

The K2 Black Panther was developed utilizing indigenous South Korean technology, and the initial prototype was unveiled in 2007, while production commenced for the first 100 K2 tanks in 2014. It is considered one of the most advanced MBTs in the world, outclassing any tanks in service with North Korea or even China.

The MBT relies on both an undisclosed modular composite armor and Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) blocks, and can reportedly withstand direct hits to the front from a 120mm tank round. In addition, the K2 also is equipped with an active protection system as well as countermeasure systems that include NBC (nuclear-biological-chemical) protection.

Its main armament is a Rheinmetall 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun, produced under license in South Korea and equipped with a domestically-designed automatic loader–which can ensure the loading of projectiles on the move, including when on uneven surfaces. The 120mm gun can reportedly fire approximately 10 to 15 rounds per minute. It can be used with a variety of munitions and is compatible with all standard NATO tank rounds. The L/55 gun is also capable of firing the new KSTAM (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition) rounds–smart target-activated fire-and-forget projectiles.

“The K2PL retains key features of the K2 Black Panther, including the CN08 120 mm gun barrel, autoloader, pulse-doppler radar, and In-arm Suspension Unit (ISU) with six road wheels. Additional features include a hard-kill Active Protection System (APS), anti-UAV electronic warfare, composite add-on armor, a 12.7mm Remote-Controlled Weapon System (RCWS), and enhanced explosive reactive armor,” Army Recognition added.

Ideal for Central European Terrain

The South Korean-developed Black Panther is also equipped with a unique suspension system, which can be contorted into a variety of positions. For cross-country performance, the suspension is raised, providing the K2 greater ground clearance, while on roads, the suspension is lowered, hugging the ground for better speed.

In addition, the K2 can “lean,” “sit” or “kneel” to provide the main gun better maneuverability in hull-down positions. When leaning backward, the K2 can raise its main gun to target low-flying aircraft or to better target more highly elevated targets on the Korean Peninsula’s hilly terrain, but it would be equally well-suited to Poland or Slovakia. The K2 can lean to the left or the right, which improves maneuverability when driving along slopes.

As The Diplomat reported in April 2023, the K2 Black Panther’s introduction to Europe could be seen as a potential game changer for the balance of power on the ground on the continent and one that has potentially serious implications for Russian security. The report also highlighted how South Korea is slowly transforming into a global arms exporter—offering truly one of the best tanks in service today.

Add the new deal between Poland and Slovakia, and it is clear that Warsaw seeks to be a major powerhouse in Europe and an arms supplier to its allies and partners.

About the Author: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].

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