K2 Black Panther is a modern 3rd generation South Korean main battle tank manufactured by Hyundai Rotem. The first prototypes of the car were produced in 2004, and serial production, which began in 2013, is still ongoing. The exact number of tanks released is unknown. According to estimates, there are about 100 tanks of this type in service. The K2 is equipped with an MTU MT 883 engine with a capacity of 1500 hp. The machine is armed with one 120 mm tank gun, 1 7.62 mm machine gun and 1 12.7 mm machine gun. Although the modern K1 tank was introduced into service in the early 1990s, the South Korean army decided to develop a new tank that would complement and eventually become the successor of the K1 vehicle. It was also decided to rely on the domestic arms industry as much as possible and to use the help of foreign companies only as a last resort. Moreover, the most advanced technology was chosen. As a result, the K2 tank has a very modern SKO (fire control system), an effective 120 mm gun, very high mobility and maneuverability, and powerful armor, which is a rare combination of composite and dynamic armor of the ERA and NERA type. There is no doubt that the K2 is a machine at least comparable to 3rd generation western fronts such as the Leopard 2 or the M1 Abrams. However, in contrast to them, like the French Leclerc, it uses an automatic loader, which significantly increased the rate of fire and allowed to reduce the crew to 3 people. Due to technological progress, the unit cost of the K2 tank is estimated at about 8.5 million. dollars at 2014 prices. Currently, K2 is not exported.
