The K2 Black Panther is one of the most advanced main battle tanks today. But also, it is one
of the most expensive. Yes, the K2 embodies the state of art subsystems for excellent
firepower, mobility, and survivability. Yet, the real question is whether is this tank
worth its cost. As the Weapon Detective, we are investigating the K2, the fascinating
but questionable tank of South Korea. Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
before we start and give us a thumbs up if you like our video. To be notified of our
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our channel. Many experts consider the K2 a next-generation
main battle tank. Indeed, it efficiently brings many states of art technologies together.
But, its design criteria have been controversial since the Second World War. We will mention
these arguments in our analysis section later. First things first, let's look at the development
history and the features of the K2. Since the 1953 Korean Armistice Agreement,
North Korea and South Korea have undergone a miniature version of the Cold War. And,
they have prepared for a miniature version of a possible Third World War.
Of course, the USA and China are the sides of the conflict. This fact might let a full-scale
Third World War. The rivalry between the northern and southern
brothers of Korea paved the way for the development of the K2.
Until the 1980s, the backbone of the Republic of Korea Army's tank fleet was the M47s and
M48s. These obsolete tanks were enough to some degree against the North Korean T-55s
and T-62s. When North Korea introduced the Chonma-ho,
which is an improved reverse-engineered version of the T-62 with a 115mm gun, South Korea
began to modernize some of its M48s with a 105mm gun.
Also, Seoul initiated a joint main battle tank development programme with the USA in
1979. The child of this programme, the K1, introduced the Republic of Korea Army's service
in 1987. It had a 105mm gun. North Korea answered this new threat with
the P'okpoong-Ho. This tank, developed in the 1990s, was a reverse-engineered variant
of the T-72 with a 125mm gun. It also embodied many advanced subsystems of the Russian T-80,
T-90 and the Chinese Type 88. As an urgent solution, South Korea acquired
33 T-80Us between 1995 and 1997 as a partial payment of debts incurred during the Soviet
era. Also, in 2001, South Korea began to put the
K1A1 in service, which has a 120mm gun, to counter the P'okpoong-Ho. Also, some previous
K1s have been upgraded to A1 standards. But, all of these efforts were interim solutions.
In 1993, Seoul had already tasked the Agency for Defense Development with the development
of an indigenous modern tank. The new system would replace the M48s and supplement the
K1s. There were additional important factors, which
paved the way for Seoul's self-reliance for such an ambitious programme.
First of all, as one of the favourite allies of the USA in the East, South Korea had enjoyed
the Western technology transfers and licence-production agreements during the 1980s.
Washington had not even made the unlicensed production of some military hardware an issue.
Thanks to these favours, the South Korean military-industrial capabilities had miraculously
stepped up. Besides, in the 1980s, South Korea had a world-class
civil industry, which provided many skilful subcontractors, labours force, and engineers.
Additionally, all modern Western main battle tanks were designed for a war on the plain
lands of Europe and the Middle East, whereas, the Republic of Korea Army needed a tank,
which is suitable for the mountainous terrain of the peninsula. During the study phase,
South Korea evaluated many new subsystems, such as an unmanned turret or a 140mm gun.
But, after careful consideration, the army embraced a more conventional approach.
After the study phase, the South Korean Agency for Defense Development decided to develop
a tank, which has similar design criteria with French Leclerc.
It would have advanced composite armour, which reduces weight while increasing ballistic
protection. The low combat weight with a high power engine would also increase speed, acceleration
and manoeuvrability. The tank would have an autoloader. It would be fitted with hard-kill
and soft-kill active protection systems. The first prototype, named XK2, was completed
in 2003. The serial production began in 2011. Initially,
the Republic of Korea Army planned to accept the K2 service in 2012. But, due to problems
with the domestic power pack, the tank was introduced two years later. So, the first
batch of 100 K2s is equipped with the MTU MT-883 Ka-501 diesel engine and the RENK HSWL
295 TM transmission. The second batch of 106 K2s is equipped with
the locally developed Doosan DV27K diesel engine. But these tanks also have the RENK's
transmission. Initially, the Republic of Korea Army planned
to acquire 600 K2s. But due to high unit cost, the total order has reached only 210 tanks
until now. Seoul is considering the third batch of 54 K2s. Yet, there is no official
order. The 3-person crew of the K2 consists of a
commander, driver, and gunner. Its hull length is 7.5 metres. The tank is 10.8 metres long,
3.6 metres wide, and 2.4 metres high. Its combat weight is 55 tons. The 1,500 horsepower
MTU MT-883 Ka501 diesel engine provides a maximum road speed of 70 kilometres per hour.
The range of the tank is 450 kilometres. The K2 can negotiate 1-metre vertical steps, 2.74-metre
trenches, and it can ford to a depth of 1.2 metres. It has a 120 mm smoothbore main gun,
as well as one 12.7mm and one 7.62mm machine guns.
Thanks to advanced composite armour technology, the K2 is only 4 tons heavier than the K1
but provides 70 per cent higher ballistic protection.
There are explosive reactive armour blocks on the top of the turret against the threats
that come from the aerial vehicles and artillery ammunition.
The ballistic protection level of the tank is not officially declared. But, it is known
that the front armour can withstand the K279 armour-piercing rounds fired from the 120mm
L55 gun. This round can penetrate 720-millimetre thick armour when it is fired from the K1's
120mm L44 gun. We can estimate that K279 can penetrate 800-850 millimetre thick armour
when it is fired from the L55 gun. This gives us an important clue about the ballistic protection
level. The soft-kill active protection system enhances
survivability. The K2 also has a radar warning receiver and radar jammer. Initially, South
Korea planned to equip the tank with a hard-kill active protection system. But, to reduce unit
costs, this plan was abandoned later. The turret has an electric drive.
The K2 is fitted with an autoloader, which can smoothly feed the gun even when the tank
is shaken violently. So, it can reach the rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute.
The K2 can engage the moving targets on the move.
It has an advanced fire control system, which is coupled with an extremely high-frequency
radar on the frontal arc of the turret. The fire control system is capable of a "lock-on"
mode, which can acquire and track specific targets up to a range of 9,800 metres using
a thermographic camera. The tank is supported by a laser rangefinder and wind sensor, as
well as a trigger-delay mechanism. When a tank moves on the rough terrain, oscillation
of the barrel may cause temporary misalignment between a laser emitter at the top of the
barrel and a sensor at the base. The K2's trigger-delay mechanism ensures the round
will be fired at the right time. So, the tank can achieve a high first shoot
to kill rate while on the move. The CN08 can fire the KSTAM-II fire and forget
guided anti-tank munition, whose trajectory is curved, giving it a mortar- or artillery-like
capability to strike targets taking cover behind obstacles. Also, this feature allows
the K2 to attack without revealing itself while it is hiding behind obstacles. The KSTAM-II
has a range of 8,000 metres. The K2 is equipped with a highly advanced
hydropneumatic suspension system. Thanks to this system, the tank can elevate
its main gun up to 24 degrees. So, it can engage an enemy tank positioned
at the high ground or a low flying aerial target.
Also, by using its hydropneumatic suspensions, the K2 can reduce its ground clearance to
reduce its silhouette or get superior handling over roads.
By increasing the ground clearance, the tank gains higher manoeuvrability over rough terrain.
The K2 has a dynamic track tensioning system. This system dramatically reduces the risk
of throwing a track even in the most extreme situations and maintains optimum tension through
all manoeuvres. The cross country speed of the K2 is 48 kilometres
per hour. Currently, even the most advanced gun tracking
systems on the land vehicles cannot track a target, which travels at the speed of 40
kilometres per hour. This feature makes the K2 a hard-to-hit target.
Today, South Korea is working on an advanced variant of the tank called the K2 PIP. This
variant will have an active in-arm suspension unit, which improves manoeuvrability and first
shoot to kill capability on the move. The K2 PIP will be fitted with a hard-kill active
protection system and additional non-explosive reactive armour packages. Also, South Korea
is evaluating the fitting of the tank with an electrothermal-chemical gun, which will
significantly increase firepower. As we mentioned before, the condition in the
Korean Peninsula is highly similar to the First Cold War. South Korea is preparing a
war against a massive armoured punch and artillery storm of North Korea.
There are two alternatives here: one, to build up a massive army, which would be equivalent
to the Korean People's Army in size; two, to get balance with superior weapon systems.
Seoul has chosen the second way. The Western main battle tanks, like the M1
Abrams, Leopard 2, and Challenger, were designed based on concepts of the 1970s. They had bigger
guns, thicker armours, and more powerful engines. But, in the 1980s, France developed a new
concept. The child of this concept, the Leclerc, had good survivability with its advanced modular
composite armour and active protection systems. This tank's high mobility improved not only
its combat capability but also its survivability. According to French combat doctrine, the Leclerc
should have been able to deal with at least four Soviet tanks before it was knocked out.
So, its firepower and rate of fire should have to be high.
So, the South Koreans adopted this concept and perfected it.
Well, why didn't they embrace the concept of the Israeli Merkava IV? The Merkava IV
is designed to fight on the plain desert, which has no particular water obstacles.
But, the South Koreans needed a tank to fight on uneven terrain, which is divided by many
rivers. The stationary defence against the massive
armoured punch and artillery storm of the Korean People's Army would be hard and costly.
The mobile defence concept was more suitable for the Republic of Korea Army. So, high speed
was essential, and a colossal main battle tank, like the Merkava IV, was not suitable
for the South Korean needs. Why did South Korea choose the 120mm gun over
the 140mm one? Because it does not need it. A 120mm 55 calibre gun would be enough to
deal with foreseeable threats. There was no need to reduce the amount of ammunition for
pointlessly high armour penetration capability. But, there is another debate here, which has
continued since the Second World War. The contenders of this debate are quality and
quantity. Many tank experts claim that Germany made
a big mistake by depending on technologically superior with the panzers, which were hard
and costly to produce. According to them, the Allies won the war
thanks to more modest but easy to produce and low-cost tanks, such as M4 Sherman and
T-34. If it is the case, the North Korean tank design
criteria are more sound. But, there is a catch here.
A possible Second Korean War would be similar to the first one.
Without the USA and China, this war would not break out.
So, the K2s of South Korea are perfect tanks to hold the first wave of a possible North
Korean surprise attack. They would gain valuable time for the US reinforcement.
In this perspective, the K2 would fulfil its designated job perfectly.
The advanced features make the K2 a rising star in the international market. Many countries,
which are seeking a new advanced main battle tank, like Norway and Poland, have already
declared their interest in the Black Panther. Despite some setbacks on its powerpack, we
can say that the K2 is a successful tank and worth its high cost.
Thanks for watching our video. And please don't forget to subscribe to our channel and
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