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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsThe K2 Black Panther is a South Korean main battle tank developed and produced by Hyundai Rotem. The company publishes a 56-tonne combat weight, a 1,500-hp diesel engine, a 120 mm main gun and a range of mobility and protection features. Those specifications describe the manufacturer’s stated design; they do not, by themselves, establish that the K2 is superior to other tanks.
What is the K2 Black Panther?
The K2 is Hyundai Rotem’s representative main battle tank: a tracked, armored combat vehicle designed around a large-caliber main gun, onboard protection systems and the ability to move across varied terrain. Hyundai Rotem’s product page lists its specifications and features. The available government and company sources describe the vehicle and its export program, but do not provide independent, like-for-like comparative testing.
That distinction matters when interpreting the phrase “world-class.” The K2 is a major South Korean defense-engineering and production program, and it has been selected for a substantial Polish procurement. The evidence cited here supports those descriptions, not an objective ranking against other tanks.
What specifications does Hyundai Rotem publish?
The figures below are from Hyundai Rotem’s live K2 product page, accessed in 2026. They are manufacturer-published specifications, not independent test results; the page may change over time.
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- This is a plastic model kit. Assembly and painting is required.
- Paint and glue is NOT included.
- Contains parts to build one model.
| Category | Hyundai Rotem’s published specification |
|---|---|
| Combat weight | 56 t |
| Engine | 1,500 hp diesel |
| Power-to-weight ratio | 27.3 hp/t |
| Transmission | Automatic; five forward gears and three reverse gears |
| Maximum speed | 70 km/h on paved road; 50 km/h off road |
| Range | 450 km |
| Main gun | 120 mm, 55-caliber smoothbore gun |
| Main-gun ammunition | 40 rounds; automatic loading |
| Other listed armament | 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns |
| Submersible depth | 4.1 m |
How is the K2 equipped?
Mobility and suspension
Hyundai Rotem lists embedded air suspension with posture control and dynamic track-tension control. The company also publishes the K2’s paved-road and off-road maximum speeds, range and submersible depth in its specifications. These figures indicate the mobility capabilities the manufacturer claims; they do not specify the conditions under which each figure was measured.
Armament and fire control
The manufacturer lists a 120 mm, 55-caliber smoothbore gun with automatic loading and 40 rounds of ammunition, plus 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm machine guns. Its published features also include day-and-night thermal sights, laser rangefinders, automatic target search and tracking, and hunter-killer functionality. These are product-page feature claims, not independently validated findings about performance in combat.
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- 160 high-quality elements
- 1:72 scale model dimensions (L x H): 13.5 cm (5.3") x 5.5 cm (2.2")
- Produced in the EU by a company with over 20 years of tradition
- Clear and intuitive instructions based on illustrations and step-by-step directions
- Fully compatible with other brands of construction blocks
Protection and battlefield systems
Hyundai Rotem describes composite and reactive armor, collective protection against chemical, biological and radiological threats, automatic fire extinguishing, and smoke grenade launchers. The page lists soft-kill or hard-kill active protection as optional, rather than establishing that every K2 has either system fitted. It also lists GPS and inertial navigation and a battlefield management system linked with C4I. The published list does not establish the exact equipment configuration of every vehicle.
What is established about the K2’s development?
Hyundai Rotem’s 2024 sustainability report provides company-level context for K2 development, production and the Poland framework agreement. The available material does not supply a full engineering chronology or enough detail to substantiate specific accounts of prototype testing, design trade-offs or individual subsystem development. A more detailed technical history cannot be established from these sources.
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- Academy item number 13511
- 1/35 scale plastic model kit
- Subject: ROK Army K2 Black Panther
- Assembly and painting required
- Adhesive, tools, and paint are not included
What do the Poland contracts show?
The 2022 implementation contract
Poland’s Ministry of National Defence says the first K2 implementation contract was signed on 26 August 2022. Its summary gives the contract scope as 180 tanks, a net value of USD 3.37 billion and a planned delivery period of 2022–2025. That date range is the schedule stated for the contract, not proof that all 180 tanks were delivered within it.
The second contract
On 2 July 2025, South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that negotiations on a second K2 export contract with Poland had concluded. Poland’s Ministry of National Defence also reported negotiations for a further contract on that date. At the signing ceremony, the Republic of Korea Ministry of National Defense reported the agreement and quoted Minister Ahn: “Through the signing of the second batch of K2 Black Panther contracts, South Korea and Poland will become strategic partners, moving beyond a simple supplier-buyer relationship.” That is the minister’s political characterization of the relationship, not an assessment of the contract’s results. The cited announcements do not establish the later contract’s delivery status.
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- Panther Scale Model Kit: Developed initially to counter the Soviet's T-34, the Panther was sent to frontline units in the spring of 1943, and first saw major combat at Kursk. WIth the correction of the production-related mechanical difficulties, the Panther became highly popular with German tankers and a fearsome weapon on the battlefield
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Does the K2’s specification sheet prove it is better than other tanks?
No. A list of manufacturer specifications can help readers understand the vehicle’s stated weight, mobility, armament and features, but it cannot settle a comparison by itself. A meaningful comparison would need consistent evidence for the tanks being compared, including their configurations and the conditions under which performance was assessed. The sources cited here do not provide that like-for-like evidence, so they do not support a claim that the K2 outranks another tank.
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- Product in parts to assemble and glue Bring 6 pieces. Type: Unassembled Model Kit The pieces must be glued with cyanoacrylate Features: Not Painted Theme: Military Material: 3D painted filament. Age Level: 18 Years & Up
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