K2 Black Panther

South Korea's flagship main battle tank, designed for mountainous terrain with an autoloader, hydropneumatic suspension for kneeling and firing on slopes, and advanced fire control. It has become a major export success, with large orders from Poland and Norway's evaluation program.

Max speed

70 km/h

Range

450 km

Combat weight

55,000 kg

💲 Approximate Polish export contract unit price

Full specifications

Performance

Speed, range, altitude and engagement capability.

Max speed Maximum level speed. For aircraft this is at optimal altitude; for ground vehicles, top road speed. Higher means faster response and better kinematic performance.: 70 km/h

45th pct in class
Range Maximum distance: ferry range for aircraft, operational range for vehicles, maximum engagement distance for missiles. Higher means more standoff or persistence.: 450 km

18th pct in class
Power-to-weight Engine power per tonne of vehicle weight. Higher means better acceleration and cross-country mobility.: 27.4 hp/t

91th pct in class
Muzzle velocity Projectile speed leaving the barrel. Higher means flatter trajectory and better armor penetration.: 1,750 m/s

29th pct in class

Firepower

Armament, payload and guidance.

Main armament Primary weapon: main gun, cannon or missile type.: 120 mm CN08 smoothbore (autoloaded)
Secondary armament Additional weapons: coaxial MG, remote weapon station, gun pods.: 12.7 mm + 7.62 mm machine guns
Caliber Bore diameter of the main gun or rifle. Larger throws heavier projectiles; not simply better — ammunition commonality matters.: 120 mm
Ammunition Rounds carried (main gun) or standard magazine capacity.: 40

0th pct in class

Protection

Armor, countermeasures and survivability.

Armor Armor technology: composite, modular, ERA-fitted, uranium-ceramic. Exact compositions are classified.: Composite armor with modular add-on packages
Active protection Hard-kill APS (Trophy, Arena, Afganit) intercepts incoming projectiles before impact.: KAPS soft-kill system
Reactive armor Explosive reactive armor (ERA) blocks that disrupt shaped-charge jets.: No
Countermeasures Self-protection: chaff, flares, DIRCM, towed decoys, smoke dischargers, jammers.: KAPS jammer/laser warning, smoke grenade launchers
NBC protection Sealed crew compartment with overpressure filtration for nuclear/biological/chemical environments.: Yes

Physical

Dimensions, weight and crew.

Length Overall length including gun/probe where applicable.: 10.8 m
Width Overall width — matters for rail/road transport of vehicles.: 3.6 m
Height Overall height. Lower profile is harder to spot and hit for ground vehicles.: 2.4 m
Combat weight Fully loaded weight. Lighter eases transport and bridging limits; heavier often means more armor.: 55,000 kg
Crew Personnel required to operate. Fewer reduces exposure; autoloaders trade a loader for mechanical complexity.: 3

Propulsion

Engine, power and fuel.

Engine Powerplant model and type.: Doosan DV27K diesel
Engine power Engine output power. Higher moves more weight faster.: 1,500 hp

27th pct in class
Fuel capacity Internal fuel volume.: 1,200 L
Propulsion type Turbofan, turboshaft, diesel, gas turbine, solid-fuel rocket, ramjet…: Diesel

Sensors & avionics

Radar, sensor suite and datalinks.

Sensors IRST, EO/IR turrets, laser designators, sniper pods, thermal sights.: panoramic commander sight, hunter-killer fire control
Thermal imaging Thermal sights for night and obscured-visibility operations.: Yes

Program

Cost, production scale and operators.

Unit cost Approximate flyaway/unit cost where public. Defense pricing varies hugely by contract, offsets and configuration. Lower is cheaper.: $8,500,000

63th pct in class
Units built Total production run. Higher means proven manufacturing, mature logistics and spares availability.: 260

45th pct in class
Operator countries Number of countries operating the system. More operators means broader support ecosystem.: 2

55th pct in class

Specifications compiled from public Hyundai Rotem and reference sources ↗. Published defense figures are approximations — treat comparisons as directional. Last verified 2026-07-01.

Frequently asked questions

What is the top speed of the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther has a maximum speed of 70 km/h.

What is the range of the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther has a maximum range of 450 km.

How much does the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther weigh? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther has a combat weight of 55,000 kg.

How many crew does the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther require? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther requires a crew of 3.

What is the main armament of the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther's primary weapon is the 120 mm CN08 smoothbore (autoloaded).

What engine does the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther use? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther is powered by the Doosan DV27K diesel.

What is the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther used for? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther is a main battle tank typically used for anti armor, infantry combat.

How many countries operate the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther is operated by 2 countries.

How much does the Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther cost? +

The Hyundai Rotem K2 Black Panther has an approximate unit cost of 8,500,000 USD. Defense pricing varies by contract, offsets and configuration — treat this as directional.