Poland Signs Estimated $5.8 Billion Deal With South Korea for Tanks, Howitzers

Poland on August 26 signed contracts with two South Korean firms for the purchase of 180 K2 tanks and 212 K9 gun-howitzers worth an estimated $3.4 billion and $2.4 billion respectively.

The executive agreement with Hyundai Rotem provides for the delivery of 180 K2 tanks in the years 2022-2025. The contract also includes a training and logistics package as well as ammunition.

The agreement with Hanwha Defense provides for the acquisition of 212 self-propelled howitzers of the K9 family, in the K9A1 version, in the years 2022-2026, of which the first few howitzers will be delivered in 2022.

The agreements were signed on the territory of the 16th Pomeranian Mechanized Division in the city of Morong. Deputy Prime Minister Mariusz Błaszczak made the announcement while on a trip to Morong, a Polish Ministry of Defense (MoD) announcement said.

"What we have achieved with our Korean partner, we can say is something impressive. Three months ago, during my visit to Seoul, we started negotiations. Two months ago, after the meeting in Madrid, during the NATO summit, our presidents discussed our cooperation.

A month ago, we signed framework contracts, and today we signed contracts for the sale of K2 tanks and K9 gun-howitzers to equip the Polish Army," the minister said.

The ordered equipment will be manufactured with a wide participation of the Polish defense industry. Orders are characterized by a fast pace of deliveries and a large transfer of technology to Poland, he pointed out.

As part of the agreement, Polish soldiers will go to Korea to train on K2 tanks. "The soldiers of the Polish Army will go to Korea in October this year to train on K2 tanks. So the crews will return from training, and new tanks will be at the disposal of the Polish Army," the statement said.