South Korea’s Hyundai Rotem is ready to start manufacturing a new batch of K2 main battle tanks (MBTs) for the Republic of Korea Army (RoKA), which could eventually be equipped with fully localized powerplants later in production, company officials told AMR at the AMR conference. DX Korea 2022 Exhibition.
According to company representatives, the production of the second batch of main battle tanks has been completed in early 2022, and the third batch of about 50 vehicles will be allocated through the government’s 2023 defense budget. Based on available funds, RoKA will also acquire a fourth tranche of MBT in the mid-2020s.
The representative added that locally developed transmissions could be incorporated into the third and fourth batches depending on their maturity and reliability. The requirements for a fully localized power unit, including engine and transmission, are specified by the government’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the country’s top defense procurement agency.
The first K2 tanks were equipped with a German MTU 883 V12 diesel engine rated at 1,500 hp and fitted with a German Renk gearbox with five forward and three reverse gears. The second batch of fuel tanks uses locally developed Doosan DV27K V12 diesel engines and Renk transmissions.
The domestic drivetrain was developed by SNT Dynamics, which has been working “for the past few years” on its 1,500-horsepower-class EST15K system. Featuring six forward and three reverse gears, the drivetrain is designed to support engines rated between 1,500 and 1,650 hp with a maximum input speed range of 2,000-3,000 rpm.
The K2 MBT has a combat weight of 56 tons, is operated by a crew of 3, and has a top speed of 70 km/h. Its primary armament consists of a 120mm L/55 smoothbore gun with an autoloader, a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun, and a roof-mounted 12.7mm heavy machine gun.
Hyundai Rotem was awarded a $3.4 billion contract in late August to supply Poland with 180 K2 tanks from 2022 to 2025. Under a broader agreement with Warsaw, the company is also expected to transfer technology and production know-how to enable local production. Under a separate contract, 820 K2 MBTs (an improved version called the K2PL) were purchased in Poland.
The company would not comment on its Polish contract plans, but noted that the design of the K2 MBT is being continually updated to address current and future battlefield threats. Shown in its pavilion is an updated tank that appears to feature Raphael’s Trophy Active Protection System (APS), although the representative says any type of advanced active and passive protection suite can be integrated into the platform.
In fact, several variants of the K2 MBT were also shown in front of the full-scale tank, each equipped with additional armor modules on the frontal arc and sides of the hull and turret, as well as a range of sensors and electronic countermeasures systems. A representation of what appears to be a locally developed Korean APS (KAPS) is also highlighted on the central tank model.
“We believe the K2 MBT is a world-class platform that can compete with existing European designs and look forward to demonstrating its performance and growth potential internationally,” the representative said.
by Jr Ng
