A hot commodity internationally, the K2 was sold to Turkey in 2008 and, a few years ago, to Poland, in a $9 billion deal for 800 tanks. Such innovations were born of their origin on the hilly (sometimes swampy) Korean peninsula.

It can lean front-to-back or sideways and ford water up to 13 feet deep. The K2 is notable for its nimbleness, with a variable suspension that raises it to clear rough terrain or lowers it for increased speed. It also launches the unique KSTAM-II (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition), which follows an artillery trajectory and slows itself with a parachute to maneuver toward an opposing tank. Its modern successor, the K2, boasts state-of-the-art agility as it cruises at over 40 miles per hour while rapid-firing a devastating salvo of 120mm rounds. It has been Korea’s “next generation tank” since 2014, though its history traces back to the late 1970s. The South Korean-built K2 was developed by a subsidiary of the Hyundai Motor Group.

The South Korean K2 Black PantherĪt $8.5 million per unit, Korea’s K2 Black Panther is one of the world’s most expensive battle tanks. Since the first functional tank was built, a 3.5 mile-per-hour speedster named Little Willie, iconic defensive technology has captured the imagination and astonishment of the world.īelow, we explore some of the most powerful battle tanks around the world. Historically, the defense sector has been at the forefront of advance. Impressive technological advancements continually inspire awe as feats once thought impossible come to fruition. Sign up here to get the day’s top stories delivered straight to your inbox. Welcome to Thomas Insights - every day, we publish the latest news and analysis to keep our readers up to date on what’s happening in industry.

Modern battle tank designs