On Monday 27 April 2026, Poland signed an agreement with Hyundai Rotem to manufacture the South Korean K2 Black Panther tank in Gliwice, Poland.
The plan calls for assembling the tanks in Poland, while the main production of the main battle tank remains in South Korea. Polish state firm Bumar-Łabędy is to put together 61 Polish-configured K2PL tanks and 72 support vehicles, with the first to roll off the production line in 2028.
The last time a tank was constructed in Poland was in 2009, when the final PT-91M Twardy — a Polish improvement of the Russian T-72M1 — was delivered by Bumar-Łabędy.
1,000 K2 tanks to Poland
In 2022, the Polish government agreed to buy up to 1,000 K2 tanks from Hyundai Rotem, with the first batch of 180 ordered the same year. Those have all been delivered to the Polish Armed Forces. The local assembly of the deal signed on 27 April is part of the second batch of 180, which includes 64 in the K2PL variant adapted to specific Polish requirements. In total about half of the total demand is expected to be of the K2PL standard, while the other half will be the standard South Korean export variant of the K2 tank.
M1 Abrams tanks to Poland
Poland is also sourcing its tanks elsewhere. It has ordered 336 M1 Abrams tanks from the United States: 220 M1A2 SEP V3s and 116 second-hand M1A1s from the US Marine Corps. Of the latter all have been delivered, while of the new-built more modern version about 100 are on the ground in Poland. Apart from the United States, Poland is the only operator of the M1 tank.
German Leopard tanks in Poland
Poland still operates German-made Leopard 2A4 and A5s, of which it received 247 in the first two decades of this century. Warsaw later delivered at least 14 of the A5s to Ukraine, to help its neighbour fight the Russian invasion.
Poland to have strongest army
Poland has been setting out to have the strongest and most modern ground forces in Europe — and the strongest one in NATO, second in Europe only to non-NATO member Ukraine if not counting Russia. Apart from tanks, Poland has ordered hundreds of artillery pieces and other weapons for its army. | © 2026 Marcel Burger, nordicreporter.com. Featured image: A Polish K2 Tank is on static display for a live fire demonstration in Bemowo Piskie, Poland on March 31, 2023. (Photo: Staff Sgt. Matthew Foste/USNG)