Poland Strengthens Its Position as Europe’s Tank Superpower
For several years, Poland has been intensively working on equipping its armed forces with advanced armaments. One of the key areas Poland is developing to strengthen its defense capabilities is the creation of a strong tank force, which is expected to reach more than one thousand tanks in the coming years. Recently, the Polish Army received 38 new M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks. In addition, more K2 Black Panther tanks are being delivered, the production of a Polonized version of these tanks is being prepared, and at the same time, the current fleet of Leopard 2PL tanks is being upgraded.
In recent years, Poland has become one of the leaders in the European part of NATO in terms of army modernization and acquisitions of new military equipment. Proof of this is the country’s growing defense spending, which are expected to reach 4.7% of GDP this year and up to 5% of GDP next year. A large part of these funds in this decade has been allocated for the purchase of new tanks. Since 2022, Poland has invested several billion dollars in tank procurement.
The modernization of Poland’s tank forces began in 2022, when the country ordered 180 K2 Black Panther tanks from the South Korean company Hyundai Rotem, while also agreeing to the production of a Polonized version of the K2PL. In the future, up to 800 of these tanks are expected to be produced in Poland. According to current information, production in Poland should take place between 2028 and 2030, with test production starting in 2028 and serial production beginning in 2029.
In 2022, a contract with the United States for the delivery of 250 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks worth 4.75 billion dollars was signed. In 2023, Poland purchased 116 older M1A1 Abrams tanks. These vehicles were bought as a replacement for T-72 tanks that Poland donated to Ukraine.
Current State of Poland’s Tank Forces
Nowadays, the Polish Army has already received all 116 M1A1 Abrams tanks and 85 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks. The most recent delivery of 38 M1A2 SEPv3 Abrams tanks, together with 14 M88A2 HERCULES recovery vehicles, arrived in Poland in mid-September this year. Furthermore, the Polish Army operates 160 K2 Black Panther tanks out of the total 180 purchased in 2022. This summer, Poland decided to procure an additional 180 K2 Black Panther tanks. Together with the Polish-produced K2PL version, Poland will have more than 1,100 tanks based on the K2 platform by 2030.
In addition to newly acquired tanks, Poland is also modernizing tanks that have already served within Polish tank forces for years. Specifically, this is connected with the upgrade of Leopard 2PL tanks to the improved Leopard 2PL M1 standard. The main improvements include the integration of modern sights for the commander and gunner with upgraded cameras, enhanced ballistic protection of the turret, advanced hydraulics, and upgraded support systems that assist with operational management. These, and other improvements within the Leopard 2PL M1 package, were designed as a response to current threats and will increase the operational capabilities and combat value of these vehicles. Poland also operates dozens of modernized Leopard 2A4 and 2A5 tanks, as well as PT-91 Twardy tanks.
Currently, Poland is considered one of the tank superpowers within the European part of NATO. If all ordered tanks (both locally produced and imported) are delivered to the armed forces in accordance with the plans of the Ministry of Defence, Poland will clearly have the strongest land forces in Europe. However, it is important to take into account that operating several different tank platforms brings challenges in terms of maintenance, sufficient number of spare parts, and of course, ammunition. For this reason, it will be interesting to see how successful Poland will be in managing these challenges.
