New consortium to enable production and servicing of K2 tanks in Poland

The Military Industrial Automotive company (WZM), a member of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ), and South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem Company established a consortium on Friday that will offer K2 tanks and associated equipment to the Polish military, PGZ reported in a press release on Friday.

The agreement was signed on the grounds of the Land Forces Field Training Center in Bemowo Piskie, north-western Poland, where President Andrzej Duda and Deputy Prime Minister and Defense Minister Mariusz Blaszczak, observed how the Korean K2 tanks and K9 howitzers purchased by Poland operate.

President A. Duda and Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak met today with 🇵🇱 soldiers practicing at the training ground in #BemowoPiskie - with crews of K2 Black Panther tanks and K9 Thunder cannon howitzers from @16Dywizja - and Allied forces' troops who serve on the 🇵🇱 soil. pic.twitter.com/2eMF9k18Fe

— Poland MOD 🇵🇱 (@Poland_MOD) March 31, 2023

“The strength of the Polish Armed Forces is what matters. Thanks to it, Polish position in the international arena is also increasing. We are modernizing the Polish Armed Forces and strengthening the interoperability of our troops all the time,” the defence minister wrote on social media.

Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak: The strength of the Polish Armed Forces is what matters. Thanks to it, 🇵🇱 position in the international arena is also increasing. We are modernizing the Polish Armed Forces and strengthening the interoperability of our troops all the time. pic.twitter.com/NT3RO0lQvi

— Poland MOD 🇵🇱 (@Poland_MOD) March 31, 2023

The consortium

PGZ noted that the formation of the consortium was essential for the possibility of developing K-2PL tanks for the Polish army.

“Today’s agreement marks an important moment in the cooperation between the Polish Armament Group and our South Korean partner, which in the case of the tanks is Hyundai Rotem,” PGZ CEO Sebastian Chwałek said. He added that talks with other companies to participate in the consortium are already progressing.

Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak: 🇰🇷 tanks and cannon howitzers are on the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces. Why are we developing artillery? Because we learn from what is happening in 🇺🇦. We invest in artillery and armored troops. It is a way to deter a possible adversary. pic.twitter.com/p0ei9o92Nv

— Poland MOD 🇵🇱 (@Poland_MOD) March 31, 2023

Continuation of cooperation

At the end of February, PGZ and WZM signed an industrial agreement with Huyndai Rotem defining the basic directions of cooperation on the K-2PL tanks.

The consortium agreement is a continuation of previous arrangements, detailing the principles of industrial cooperation in the production, supply, and servicing of the Polish version of K2 tanks.

A meeting of Deputy Prime Minister @mblaszczak and Defense Minister🇰🇷Lee Jong-Sup is underway in #Warsaw. It regards the modernization of 🇵🇱 Armed Forces and 🇵🇱-🇰🇷defense industry cooperation. Later on, at the #Toruń training ground, ministers will watch K9 howitzers in practice. https://t.co/3vYKYdeNYN

— Poland MOD 🇵🇱 (@Poland_MOD) February 23, 2023

“Both tanks and accompanying vehicles on a tracked chassis will be produced at the Military Automotive Works,” PGZ announced.

The February agreement specifies what industrial capabilities will be transferred to WZM and other PGZ companies. These include tank assembly, body, and turret production capabilities, hydropneumatic suspension, cannon, automatic loading unit, and other selected components.

The technical and infrastructural conditions necessary for production and service, repair and maintenance in Poland throughout the tank’s life cycle were also agreed upon, as well as the terms of the license necessary for the production of tanks for the Polish Armed Forces and the terms of export cooperation.

The executive contract for K2 tanks, signed last August between the Polish Ministry of Defense and the Korean manufacturer, provides for the purchase of 180 of the K2 tanks for USD 5.8 billion. According to the framework agreement, with a target purchase of 1,000 of these tanks, 820 of the vehicles, to be ordered at a later stage, are to be produced in Poland.