Poland wants to buy 180 more K2 tanks, but there is a "but"

On 27 August 2024, the Polish Sejm Chancellery published a request to the Ministry of Defence to conclude an agreement with South Korea for the supply of 180 more K2 tanks.

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The production of these tanks should be localised in Poland. The order will be made under a framework agreement for the purchase of a total of 1,000 K2 tanks, which South Korea and Poland signed in July 2022.

However, as is already clear, there is a certain "but". The author of the request to the Ministry of Defence, MP Jan Warzecha, a representative of Law and Justice, said that current statements by the country's top leadership and some other factors suggest that Poland may not sign a contract for an additional 180 tanks this year.

This is because the existing agreements provide for too little localisation of K2 production at the facilities of the Polish defence industry. At the same time, it is also said that the local defence industry is not ready to start working on K2 within the agreed timeframe, which in turn could harm Poland's defence capabilities.

Warzecha asks the Ministry of Defence what exactly it is doing to speed up negotiations with its South Korean counterparts on tank supplies.

Interestingly, ZBiAM cites data that the Polish army already has 51 K2 tanks, and another 33 are due to arrive by the end of 2024.

Source: ZBiAM