ROTEM K2 (Black Panther) Main Battle Tank (2007)
The ROTEM K2 Black Panther is set to operate alongside the ROTEM K1 main battle tanks.
The South needed an advanced main battle tank to help stem North Korea's human tide and their own advanced tanks from in the event of all-out war. The new K2 series was developed from the XK2 program becoming the "Black Panther" K2 Main Battle Tank. The K2 uses a German MTU 1500 hp Europowerpack engine and has a 120 mm Rheinmetall smoothbore gun with an autoloader provided a rate-of-fire of up to 15 rounds per minute. The rounds reportedly can penetrate the armor of the M1A2 Abrams American tank. Radar equipment and laser detection systems along with reactive armor are comparable to the French LeClerc and the US M1A2 Abrams main battle tanks. The K2 is fitted with a water snorkel (via kit) and can cross water obstacles of up to 4.2 meters (13.78 ft) deep. The water-tight system takes about 30 minutes to set up and the tank can fire its main gun as soon as it is on dry land. The K2 can accelerate from 0 kmh to 32 kmh in approximately 7 seconds. She can also climb a 60-degree slope and clear vertical obstacles of up to 1.3 meters.
The K2 is equipped with a first-line fire control system that can track and engage other tanks but also includes non-conventional tank targets such as low flying helicopters, with an effective range of fire being up to 10 kilometers (6.2 miles). The fire control system can spot-track-fire on auto at vehicle-sized targets without the crew's input. The 120mm munitions mainstay is the KSTAM (Korean Smart Top Attack Munitions) round. The KSTAM is a smart fire-and-forget projectile that have their own guidance system using stabilizing fins during flight. These rounds can be fired from behind cover and have a maximum range of 8 kilometers (4.97 miles). The three man crew - composed of the commander, gunner and driver - have protection with an NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) system and armor that is classified. A friendly force protection system that offers situational awareness is connected to the navigation system. The MTU MB-883 KA500 engine produces 1500 horsepower while the advanced suspension system is hydro pneumatic semi-automatic. The tank can tilt forward, back and to either side. Each wheel is connected in such a way to allow for multiple fire angles depending on the location of the target relative to the tank.
The South Korean government wants to be a first-line player in the military arms business game worldwide and the K2 is a bid into that game. As of this writing, the K2 is still under development but, when complete, will be a home-grown 21st Century digital main battle tank that will compete with any other tank in the world.
The 680 production total is a possible total. To date, less than 25 have actually been produced as prototypes. Turkey is a possible export customer. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
ROTEM K2 (Black Panther)
Main Battle Tank
Country of Origin: South Korea
Manufacturer: Hyundai ROTEM / Agency for Def. Dev. / Samsung / Doosan / World Industries Ace Corp. - South Korea
Initial Year of Service: 2007
Production: 680
Focus Model: ROTEM K2 (Black Panther)
Crew: 3
Overall Length: 32.81ft (10.00m)
Width: 10.17ft (3.10m)
Height: 7.22ft (2.20m)
Weight: 60.6 US Short Tons (55,000kg; 121,254lbs)
Powerplant: 1 x 4-cycle, 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel engine developing 1,500hp.
Maximum Speed: 43mph (70 km/h)
Maximum Range: 280 miles (450 km)
NBC Protection: Yes
Nightvision: Yes
Armament:
1 x 120mm smoothbore main gun
1 x 12.7mm K6 Anti-Aircraft Heavy Machine Gun
1 x 7.62mm Anti-Infantry Coaxial Machine Gun
Ammunition:
40 x 120mm projectiles
3,200 x 12.7mm ammunition
12,000 x 7.62mm ammunition
Variants:
XK2 - Developmental Prototype Designation
K2 - Prototype; at least 3 examples produced.
K2 "Black Panther" - Main Production Model
K2 PIP - "Improved" K2 base model with improved suspension, terrain scanning capabilities, an anti-tank missile system, explosive reactive armor protection and possibly a new main gun in the form of an electrothermal-chemical gun.
Operators: South Korea; Turkey (assumed)
By Decade:
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Tanks
By Type:
• 4x4 Military Vehicles
• 6x6 Military Vehicles
• 8x8 Military Vehicles
• Artillery Gun Systems
• Anti-Aircraft (AA) Guns
• Anti-Aircraft (AA) Vehicles
• Anti-Tank (AT) Guns
• Anti-Tank (AT) Vehicles
• Armored Cars
• Armored Personnel Carriers (APC)
• Battlefield Robots
• Halftrack Vehicles
• Heavy Tanks
• Infantry Fighting Vehicles (IFV)
• Light Tanks
• Main Battle Tanks (MBT)
• Modern Combat Tanks
• Medium Tanks
• Military Motorcycles
• Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS)
• Reconnaissance Vehicles
• Special Purpose Vehicles
• Self-Propelled Guns (SPG)
• Tank Destroyers
• General Purpose / Utility Vehicles
By Nation:
• Afghanistan
• Britain
• China
• France
• Germany
• Iran
• Iraq
• Israel / Israeli Army
• Italy
• Libyan Army
• North Korea / North Korean Army
• Pakistan
• Russia
• South Korea
• Soviet Union
• Syrian Army
• United States
• VIEW ALL
World War 2:
• Artillery
• Infantry Fighting Vehicles
• Tank Destroyers (All)
• Tanks (All)
• Australian Tanks
• British Tanks
• Canadian Tanks
• Cruiser Tanks (UK)
• Czechoslovakian Tanks
• French Tanks
• German Tanks
• German Tank Destroyers
• German FlaK Guns
• German Reconnaissance Vehicles
• Hungarian Tanks
• Italian Tanks
• Japanese Tanks
• Romanian Tanks
• Soviet Tanks
• Swedish Tanks
• US Tanks
• VIEW ALL
World War 1:
• France WW1 Tanks
• Germany WW1 Tanks
• Britain WW1 Tanks
• US WW1 Tanks
• WW1 Artillery
• WW1 Tanks (all)
• VIEW ALL
Spanish Civil War:
• VIEW ALL
Korean War:
Vietnam War:
• VIEW ALL
Cold War:
• Cold War Tanks
• Cold War American Tanks
• Falklands War
• Post-WW2 British Tanks
• VIEW ALL
Gulf War (1991):
• VIEW ALL
Miscellaneous:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
