November 26, 2024

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Hyundai Rotem’s exhibition booth at the International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO) at Centre d’expositions de Kielce in Kielce, Poland, Wednesday. (Hyundai Rotem)

Hyundai Rotem, a railway, defense and plant systems provider under Hyundai Motor Group, said Wednesday it has unveiled its ground-based weapons system at the International Defense Industry Exhibition, or MSPO, Poland’s annual trade fair for military equipment.

The company displayed the K2 Gap Filler Main Battle Tank, also known as the K2 Black Panther tank, its first fighting vehicle exported to Poland. It also displayed its K808 wheeled armored vehicle with improved performance for the first time in a global exhibition.

Twenty-eight K2 tanks in particular have been delivered to Poland this year after Hyundai Rotem signed a deal to export a total of 180 K2 tanks to the Polish Armed Forces in August 2022. The company plans to deliver the rest of the tanks by 2025.

The exported K2 Black Panther tanks have undergone minimum modifications, including changing the language system to English and adopting the local communications system.

The K808 wheeled armored vehicle has installed a Remote Controlled Weapon Station and a more enhanced protection system against land mines, called Improvised Explosive Devices.

The company showcased four types of K2 Poland lineups. Among them were the K2 tanks made exclusively for Poland, including the K2PL Main Battle Tank, K2PL Armored Recovery Vehicle, K2PL Armored Engineering Vehicle and K2PL Armored Vehicle Launched Bridge.

Hyundai Rotem also showcased a future ground-based weapons system such as a 30 ton NV armored vehicle, defense drone and multipurpose uncrewed vehicle.

“We will promote cutting-edge defense technology in a key military equipment exhibition where South Korea is participating as a lead country,” said an official from Hyundai Rotem in a statement. “The company will make further efforts to boost cooperation between the two countries’ defense industries.”

Scheduled to be held from Tuesday to Friday at the Centre d’expositions de Kielce in Kielce, Poland, the MSPO is the largest defense exhibition hosted in Eastern Europe since 1993. South Korea was selected as the lead country this year for the second time since 2017.

By Byun Hye-jin (hyejin2@heraldcorp.com)