Poland received the first K2 tanks and K9 Thunder self-propelled guns

The first batch of Korean-made military equipment was delivered to Poland.

According to ZBiAM, ten K2 Black Panther main battle tanks and 24 K9A1 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzers were delivered.

On December 5, the BBC Pearl multi-purpose commercial ship entered the Polish commercial port of Gdynia, carrying South Korean-made military equipment, which Poland ordered to reinforce its own armed forces.

The official ceremony of receiving the first batch of weapons was launched this morning with the participation of the Polish top state leadership and officials.

Odbiór pierwszych koreańskich czołgów K2 oraz haubic K9 dla Sił Zbrojnych RP. pic.twitter.com/L6DvLM6uET

— Kancelaria Prezydenta (@prezydentpl) December 6, 2022

According to previous statements, the new equipment should be transferred to the units subordinate to the 16th Mechanized Division. The K2 Black Panther tanks would be allocated to the 20th Bartoshitsky Mechanized Brigade and self-propelled howitzers to the 11th Masurian Artillery Regiment.

The Republic of Korea hosted the official presentation of this military equipment, which was produced by the South Korean Hanwha Defense company by order of Poland, in mid-October. After that, it was sent by ship to Europe.

The first batch of equipment was manufactured 2 months after the agreement of Poland purchasing 648 K9 Thunder self-propelled guns and 980 K2 Black Panther tanks was signed.

Back then, Poland also entered into an agreement to buy 48 FA-50 Fighting Eagle aircraft.

The tank agreement covers the supply of 180 K2 Black Panther tanks during 2022-2025. The contract is worth $3.4 billion.

The contract with Hanwha Defense to purchase the K9 self-propelled howitzers is designed for 2022-2026, during which 212 K9 Thunder self-propelled guns (in version K9A1) should be arriving. The transaction amount is $2.4 billion. The agreement also includes personnel training and equipment maintenance.

K2 Black Panther is a South Korean main battle tank. The combat vehicle was developed by the South Korean Defense Development Agency and Hyundai Rotem. The tank is armed with an L55 120mm smoothbore gun. The ammunition of the first charge (7 rounds) is located in the “belt conveyor-type” auto-loading system, which allows the quick firing rate of 20 rounds per minute.

K9 Thunder is a modern 155mm self-propelled artillery system manufactured in South Korea and in service with a number of countries that have purchased the ACS or manufactured it under license. The firing range of the K9 is approximately 40 km, and the maximum speed of the combat vehicle is 67 km/h. The crew of the combat vehicle consists of 5 people, and its deployment time is 30 seconds.