Poland takes delivery of first of hundreds of war tanks, howitzers from South Korea

Poland has taken delivery of the first of hundreds of main battle tanks and howitzers from South Korea.

Ten K 2 tanks and 24 K 9 self-propelled howitzers were unloaded at the port city of Gdynia in the presence of Andrzej Duda, the Polish president, and Mariusz Blaszczak, the defence minister.

Duda drew attention to the speed at which the weapons had been delivered, saying a law on homeland defence had been adopted in the spring and a contract for the equipment signed in the summer.

The process of modernising and strengthening of the Polish army is physical, not only through procurements but also by the delivery of K 2 tanks and K 9 howitzers for the Polish army, Duda said.

The president said that the first 10 tanks had arrived in our country, here in Gdynia. They will go to military units where they will undergo the final process of preparation and implementation for their use by our armed forces. The president said that the rapid delivery of the hardware was needed because of what was happening in Ukraine.

Since February 24, since Russia invaded Ukraine, we have all seen one thing - that only the heroism of a soldier equipped with modern, effective weaponry can halt Russian imperial ambition and Russian brutality, he said.

To prevent aggression, the possession of this equipment by the army is necessary, according to Duda. Today, this weaponry, super-modern for the Polish army to equip Polish soldiers, has become part of the equipment of the Polish Armed Forces. At the ceremony, Blaszczak said: We want peace, that's why we're preparing for war. We are increasing the size of the Polish army, but also strengthening it by equipping it with modern weapons. The K 2 tanks and the K 9 howitzers are some of the most modern equipment. They give the Polish army the tools to deter an aggressor. A contract was signed with Hyundai Rotem in July for 1,000 K 2 tanks and the Polonised K 2 PL version of the tank, along with support vehicles, a training and logistics package, spare ammunition and technical support.

A framework agreement was also sinnailed with Hanwa Defense for 672 K 9 A 1 self-propelled howitzers and the Polonized K 9 PL version, also with support vehicles, training and logistics, ammunition and technical support.