In 2010-2011. Serial production of the new South Korean main battle tank, the K2 Black Panther, is expected to begin.
More than 2,500 tanks are currently in service with South Korea. This number includes about 1,500 K1 and K1A1 tanks; 80 T-80U and T-80UK; the rest of the South Korean tank fleet is made up of obsolete M47 and M48 Pattons of various modifications, which will eventually be replaced by the new K2.
Despite the fact that the "South Korean Abrams" (Korean-made K1) are of a fairly modern level, in 1995 the development of a new XK2 combat vehicle began with an emphasis on the use of domestic developments and technologies. Probably, when developing a new machine, among the goals of the project was not only a significant increase in the combat properties of the tank and reaching a new technical level, but also the possibility of export without any problems associated with licensing foreign technologies (American developments were used in K1, he largely repeated " Abrams "). This assumption is confirmed by Turkey's interest in a new South Korean tank.
The design of the XK2 was completed in 2006, 11 years after development began. Two options were considered: a main battle tank with outboard weapons - with a 140-mm cannon in an uninhabited tower and a tank of a classic layout with a 120-mm cannon in a manned turret. Since the developer of the gun, Rheinmetall, stopped work on the 140-mm gun, the Koreans chose the second option.
The first of three XK2 prototypes was demonstrated on March 2, 2007 in Changwon, southeast of Seoul.
The South Korean Agency for Defense Development (ADD) and Rotem (a division of Hyundai-Kia Automotive Group) spent 200 billion won (approximately US $ 230 million) on the development of the XK2. Currently, the K2 is the most expensive tank, the cost of one vehicle is about 8.5-8.8 million US dollars and exceeds the price of the latest modifications of the M1 Abrams by about two times.
The K2 "Black Panther" has a classic layout. Combat weight 55 tons. The crew is three people: the driver-mechanic on the left in front of the hull, the commander on the right and the gunner-operator on the left in the turret. Unlike the K1, which has a loader, an automatic loader is used to load the K2 cannon.
Firepower
Armament
The K2 is armed with a Rheinmetall 120mm L55 smoothbore cannon with a 6.6m barrel. It is licensed by World Industries Ace Corporation. Ammunition for the gun is 40 rounds, 16 of which are in the automatic loader. Rate of fire up to 15 rds / min regardless of the gun pointing angle.
Additional armament: 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun and 12.7 mm K6 anti-aircraft machine gun on the turret roof. The ammunition load is 12000 7.62 mm and 3200 12.7 mm rounds.
Ammunition
The main armament ammunition can use standard NATO 120-mm tank shells. In addition, new ammunition has been developed specifically for the K2.
A new feathered armor-piercing sub-caliber projectile with a detachable sump, in which the tungsten alloy core has been improved and the armor penetration has been increased. A new multipurpose cumulative projectile similar to the American M830A1 HEAT MP-T can be used to attack unarmored and lightly armored targets, manpower and low-flying helicopters.
The KSTAM (Korean Smart Top-Attack Munition) projectile has been developed specifically for the Black Panther. This is an "intelligent" self-guided inertial (does not have its own engine) projectile that attacks highly armored targets from the least protected upper hemisphere. Unlike most modern ATGMs, during the flight of which the gunner-operator must accompany the target, KSTAM works on the "fire-and-forget" principle. For firing this projectile, a hinged trajectory is used like that of howitzer artillery. The projectile is equipped with millimeter-wave radar, infrared and radiation sensors. The flight path is corrected by four stabilizers. When approaching the target, the parachute is deployed to reduce speed and accurate guidance is made to the target, which is struck by the shock core. In case of such a need, a control channel is provided, which provides the ability to adjust the trajectory of the projectile by the gunner-operator.
The KSTAM projectile allows you to fire at a distance of 2 to 8 km with direct fire and from closed firing positions.
Aiming devices, fire control system
The main sight of the KGPS gunner and the panoramic observation device of the KCPS commander are currently the same as on the K1A1 tank. Both are combined (day / night), stabilized in two planes, and have a thermal imaging channel. In the future, the aiming and observation devices are supposed to be improved for use with new sensors that were installed on the Black Panther.
The fire control is duplicated, the tank commander can take over the armament control.
The K2 is equipped with millimeter-wave radar located on the cheekbones of the turret front, a laser rangefinder and a crosswind sensor. The new LMS allows you to escort, quickly and accurately direct the main armament to low-flying helicopters, as well as detect shells flying towards the tank. The MSA is capable of capturing and tracking a target at a distance of up to 10 km using a thermal imager. When tracking a target, ballistic calculations are made in real time and the corresponding corrections are taken into account, which ensures high accuracy of shooting from a place and on the move.
An increase in shooting accuracy is provided by a laser barrel curvature sensor, which detects not only static but also dynamic barrel curvature. While driving on irregularities, when the barrel can be bent due to vibration, the OMS monitors the signal of the curvature sensor and in case of deviation of the curvature of the barrel from the static system, the system prohibits the shot. When the barrel returns to its original position, the lock is released, the shot is allowed.
According to some reports, the OMS has the ability to automatically find and track targets, identify its vehicles and fire at enemy targets without the participation of crew members.
Protection
The K2 uses modular composite armor and explosive reactive armor. On the future modification of the K2 PIP tank, it is planned to use non-explosive remote sensing data. The Black Panther's frontal armor is said to withstand the impact of 120-mm OBPS fired from the L55 cannon.
To protect against guided missiles, a jamming system (similar to the Shtora optical-electronic suppression system) is used. When an enemy missile is detected by a millimeter radar or the radiation is identified by laser sensors (4 such sensors are installed on the tank), the computer sends a signal to the crew and a command to shoot smoke grenades in the desired direction. The grenades set up a smoke screen that makes the tank invisible in the optical, infrared and radio ranges.
On the K2 PIP modification, it is planned to install an active protection complex, in which the millimeter-wave radars already available on the tank will be used.
The tank is equipped with a collective protection system and fire-fighting equipment.
Mobility
The "Black Panther" uses a new EuroPowerPack engine and transmission unit with a MTU MB-883 Ka500 diesel engine with an output of 1500 hp. and an automatic five-speed transmission developed by Renk. In addition, the tank is equipped with a 400 hp gas turbine unit, which ensures the operation of the generator and power supply of the electrical equipment of the tank when the main engine is off.
The K1 tank uses a mixed torsion bar and hydropneumatic suspension system HSU. The K2 "Black Panther" was equipped with an advanced semi-active, hydropneumatic ISU suspension system with individual control of the suspension assemblies. Depending on the nature of the surface, the suspension changes its characteristics, minimizing vibrations. The cushioning system provides not only a change in ground clearance, but also a tilt of the tank in the longitudinal and transverse planes, which makes it possible to increase the vehicle's cross-country ability and significantly increase the range of vertical guidance angles of the gun.
The K2 has a top speed of 70 km / h on the highway and 50 km / h on rough terrain; acceleration to 32 km / h in 7 seconds; power reserve 450 km.
Overcoming obstacles: ascent angle 31 °, vertical wall 1.3 m. The tank is equipped with an OPVT with a composite pipe for underwater driving and, after 30 minutes of preliminary preparation, can overcome water obstacles up to 4.1 m deep (the predecessor K1 overcomes a ford up to 2.2 m deep). The OPVT system provides the ability to engage in battle immediately after overcoming a water obstacle.
It is planned to improve the suspension on the K2 PIP modification - the semi-active suspension will be replaced with an active one. The installation of a terrain scanning system that scans the terrain with high resolution 50 m ahead and transmits the appropriate control signals to the suspension system will allow the most optimal passage over uneven track.
Team manageability
Like the Japanese MBT "Type 10", the development of the K2 "Black Panther" took into account the requirements of C4I (command, control, communications, computers, and (military) intelligence).
The K2 is equipped with a combat information management system linked to the C4I; GPS satellite navigation system; identification equipment "friend or foe", corresponding to the NATO standard STANAG 4579 "Target identification devices on the battlefield."
By the beginning of 2010, at least 4 prototypes of the XK2 tanks were produced in two versions. One vehicle (see photo) is visually distinguished by the vertical armor of the cannon mask, inclined frontal hull plates and smoke grenade launchers located horizontally in one row. Three vehicles of another variant (see photo) have a wedge-shaped, similar to that of the K1A1, a cannon mask, a vertical section of the frontal armor of the hull and smoke grenade launchers located horizontally in two rows.
