[Yang Nak-gyu's Defence Club] Urgent Need for K2 Tank Performance Upgrade

Hyundai Rotem Develops Next-Generation Tank K3
50% Penetration Improvement Expected with Adoption of 130mm Main Gun

As North Korea accelerates the development of projectiles targeting our military tanks, concerns are being raised about the need to upgrade the performance of the K2 tank. The kinetic and chemical projectiles used by North Korea's T-54 tanks, Seongunho, and Cheonmaho can penetrate our tanks. North Korea is using chemical energy projectiles capable of penetrating armor thicknesses of 550mm and new chemical energy projectiles that can penetrate up to 900mm.

Inside and outside the military, there are calls to apply the additional active protection system, which will be installed on the K2 tanks exported to Poland, to our own tanks as well. The Agency for Defense Development developed a 'hard-kill protection system' in 2011 that fires countermeasures to incoming missiles and detonates them in mid-air, but it has not yet been applied to the K2 tanks of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces due to reasons such as mass production costs.

There are two versions of the tanks exported to Poland. The initially exported K2GF (Gap Filler) is a model made for the Polish market with minimal design changes from the version used by our army to enable rapid delivery. A total of 180 units are exported, and it is known that 28 units have been delivered to the Polish government so far. After the second export contract for 800 units is finalized, Hyundai Rotem plans to design and produce the K2PL (Poland) version reflecting the requirements of the Polish Ministry of Defense. The K2PL is expected to be equipped with an active protection system (hard-kill) and a 360-degree all-around surveillance system.

There are also calls to expedite the introduction of next-generation tanks. Last month, Hyundai Rotem unveiled the next-generation tank, tentatively called the K-3 tank, at the ‘2023 Korean Military Science and Technology Society Comprehensive Academic Conference (Jeju Military Technology Society)’ held at the Jeju Convention Center.

The K-3 is a ground combat tank applying a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system, with its main gun firepower enhanced to a 130mm smoothbore gun (a gun without rifling to increase range) and stealth design applied. The K2 tank uses a 120mm diameter, 55-caliber gun, and if the K3 adopts the 130mm main gun, its penetration power will improve by about 50%. It uses the same 130mm smoothbore gun as the German Rheinmetall’s next-generation main battle tank KF-51 Panther.

The K-3 will be equipped with a Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS). RCWS operates by installing shells, an autoloader, and firing devices without crew placement, a system applied in next-generation tanks such as the U.S. 'AbramsX,' Germany's 'KF51 Panther,' and Russia's 'T14 Armata.' When the tank’s main gun caliber exceeds 120mm, continuous loading by human power becomes difficult due to the length and weight of the shells. An autoloader is essential. The autoloader eliminates the need for a loader, freeing up space, and improves loading speed and safety during maneuvering. It also allows for a lower vehicle height, reducing size and weight.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.