Poland has taken delivery of 28 K2 Black Panther main battle tanks, completing the first shipment under a 9-trillion-won ($6.5-billion) contract signed with South Korean manufacturer Hyundai Rotem in 2025.
The shipment raises Poland’s total operational K2 inventory to 208 units, following the fulfillment of an initial 180-tank package acquired in 2022.
A large portion of the new fleet will be distributed to the Polish Armed Forces’ 16th Mechanized Division, which is responsible for protecting the country’s northeastern regions and NATO’s broader eastern flank bordering Russia and Belarus.
‼️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
180 More Tanks, In-Country Support Center Expected
Broader agreement for the latest delivery covers 180 additional Black Panthers, including 116 tanks in the K2GF models scheduled to arrive through 2027, followed by 64 in customized local variants K2PL between 2028 and 2030.
The deal also includes 81 armored support vehicles based on the K2 chassis, including 24 in bridging, 31 in recovery, and 25 in engineering configurations.
Alongside the platforms, the acquisition consists of a new domestic hub in Poland to support production and maintenance work under the program.
Activities at the center will be supported by Warsaw’s state enterprise Bumar-Łabędy, carrying out final assembly for 61 of the localized K2PL tanks, integrating domestic components, enhanced side armor, anti-drone systems, and active vehicle protection.
“This is an important step that enhances the production capabilities of our industry and consistently strengthens Poland’s security,” Polish Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz stated.
The procurement supports Warsaw’s effort to replace aging Soviet-era armor transferred to Ukraine in support of its ongoing war against Russia.
Upon full contract finalization, Poland aims to field nearly 900 modern tanks across its K2, M1A2 Abrams, and Leopard 2 fleets, creating one of Europe’s largest armored forces.