Korean K2 tanks will be serviced in Poznań says defence minister

The K2 main battle tanks that Poland has purchased from South Korea will be serviced and later manufactured in the Polish city of Poznań, the defence minister has said.

Mariusz Błaszczak visited the Military Automotive Works in Poznań on Thursday to meet the company’s management and employees.

Poland intends to buy 1,000 K2s from South Korea as part of a re-armament programme given significant impetus by the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

"Here, in the Military Automotive Works in Poznań, K2 tanks will be serviced, repaired and manufactured," the defence minister said. "It is good news for Poznań and Wielkopolska (western region of Poland - PAP), there will be new jobs, while current jobs will be retained."

Błaszczak said that the deal with South Korea involves the transfer of Korean technology to Poland, which will allow it to manufacture K2 components in Poznań.

"One hundred and eighty of those tanks will be delivered in the first stage and they will come directly from Korea," Błaszczak said. "Subsequent ones will be co-produced, and later produced in Poznań."

Poland received a sample batch of the South Korean tanks in December last year.

Sebastian Chwałek, CEO of the state-owned defence conglomerate Polish Armaments Group, said that "in coming years at least 500 state-of-the-art tanks will be manufactured in this company."

The Military Automotive Works in Poznań was established in 1945 and has been responsible for the manufacturing, modernisation, repairs and conservation of heavy tracked military vehicles.

It is also an authorised service centre for the German-made Leopard 2 tanks that Poland uses.

The K2 Black Panther is produced by South Korea's Hyundai Rotem Company.