K2E1 Main Battle Tank

K2E1 Black Panther
Type	Main battle tank
Place of origin	Joseon
Service history
In service	2018–present
Used by	Royal Joseon Armed Forces Haeseo National Guard
Production history
Designer	Agency for Defense Development Doosan Mottrol Hyundai Rotem Poongsan Corporation Samsung Thales Samyang Comtech Hyundai WIA Soonyang Defense
Designed	2014–2016
Manufacturer	Hyundai Rotem
Unit cost	$ 6.52 million
Produced	2017–present
No. built	1,244
Specifications
Weight	Combat weight: 56 metric tons (55 long tons; 62 short tons)
Length	Overall: 10.8 meters (35 ft 5 in) Chassis: 7.5 meters (24 ft 7 in)
Width	3.6 meters (11 ft 10 in)
Height	Highest: 2.4 meters (7 ft 10 in) Lowest: 2 meters (6 ft 7 in)
Crew	3 (commander, gunner and driver)
Armor	POSCO MIL-12560H armor steel and Samyang Comtech silicon carbide non oxide ceramic plate along with ERA and NERA modular add-on armor in addition to soft-kill and hard-kill active protection systems
Main armament	Hyundai WIA CN08 120 mm 55 caliber smoothbore gun (40 rounds)
Secondary armament	1× 12.7×99mm (.50 BMG) K6 heavy machine gun RCWS(3,200 rounds) 1× 7.62×51mm NATO coaxial machine gun (12,000 rounds) Soonyang Defense ATD-01T Anti-Drone system
Engine	HD Hyundai Infracore DV28K 4-long stroke, 12-cylinder water-cooled diesel, dry weight: 2,550 kg 1,600 hp (1,177.6 kW)
Power/weight	27.3 hp/t (20.35 kW/t)
Transmission	EST15K (6 forward, 3 reverse gears, in development), dry weight: 2,500 kg
Suspension	Active in-arm suspension unit (ISU) with dynamic track tension system (DTTS)
Fuel capacity	1,305 liters (345 U.S. gal)
Operational range	450 km (280 mi)
Speed	Paved road: 70 km/h (43 mph) Cross country: 50 km/h (31 mph) Acceleration from 0–32 km/h (0–20 mph) in 7.24 seconds

The K2E1 main battle tanks are improved tanks that improve the performance of the K2 main battle tanks.

Description

The K2E1 main battle tank, like the K2 tank, is equipped with the active hydropneumatic pressure ISU(Inarm Suspension Unit) and a Dynamic Track Tension System(DTTS). The active hydrothermal pressure ISU adjusts the height of the Bogie wheel by the computer, which uses sensors to efficiently adjust the suspension according to the terrain, improving field mobility, ride comfort, and shooting accuracy during maneuvers.

DTTS is a device that measures the instantaneous tension of the tank's track and adjusts the track constantly, and it functions to maintain the track tension that changes every moment depending on the type of road surface that is grounded while driving through a computer and a hydropneumatic pressure control device.

The K2E1 tank has improved protection compared to the K2 tank. Based on the front body, the K2 tank has protection of KE 730mm and CE 900mm, while the K2E1 has protection of KE 760mm and CE 980mm. In addition, the K2E1 tank, unlike the K2 tank, is equipped with RWS(Remote Weapon System), which increases the viability of the crew in urban warfare situations.

In the 2020s, as drone threats increased and the viability of tanks began to be threatened by drones in battlefield environments, Agency for Defense Development(ADD) launched improvements to protect K2E1 tanks from drone threats by equipping them with anti-drone systems. The ATD-01T Anti-Drone system includes a 40mm air-bursting grenade launcher turret operated in conjunction with the AESA radar and the Electro-optical targeting system(EOTS), and a high-power microwave device that generates high-power microwaves. The 40mm grenade launcher turret identifies nearby enemy drones through AESA radar and EOTS, automatically tracks and aims the drones, and fires 40mm air-bursting grenades at a fire rate of 350 rounds per minute. 40mm grenades are equipped with a proximity fuse, so if the grenade approaches the drone, it will explode automatically and dump 200 pieces of debris to shoot down the drone.

High-powered microwave devices produce electromagnetic pulses(EMP) that jam with electronic devices. EMP shoots down enemy drones by disturbing radio links and obstructing or destroying enemy drones' electronic circuits.

Operators

Joseon

• Royal Joseon Armed Forces
• Haeseo Army National Guard