K2 Black Panther of the South Korean Army Photo: South Korean Ministry of Defense
On March 20, 2024, the State Secretary of the Polish Ministry of Defense, Paweł Bejda, announced the delivery of additional K2 Black Panther battle tanks to Poland. The information was confirmed by the Polish Armament Agency.
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Updating information on the number of main battle tanks of all types in the Land Forces, let’s take a look at the numbers after the latest deliveries and the outlook until the end of 2026.
Currently, the Polish Land Forces use the following types of armored vehicles:
– 46 K2 Black Panther;
– 69 M1A1FEP Abrams;
– 66 Leopard 2A4;
– 62 Leopard 2PL;
– 105 Leopard 2A5;
– 172 PT-91 Twardy;
– 111 T-72M1 and M1R.
T-72M1. Photo: Wikimedia
The total is 631 tanks, of which 348 are modern 3rd-generation versions, and about 238 more are the T-72M1 and PT-91 Twardy, which are being retired.
The ongoing generational replacement of Poland’s main battle tanks means that the Polish Armed Forces are in a period of rapid transition.
This translates into a plethora of equipment types in the Armored and Mechanized Forces, which will last until older machines are retired and replaced by next-generation vehicles.
So, what are the prospects for the coming years?
Leopard 2PL. Photo: Wikipedia
According to information published by the Ministry of Defense, deliveries of the remaining 96 K2 Black Panther tanks are expected to begin in 2025. Poland will also receive the first of 250 M1A2SEPv3 Abrams. The final installment of the latter is expected to arrive in the country in 2026. This means that by 2027 Poland will have the following fleet of 3rd-generation tanks:
180 K2 Black Panther;
116 M1A1FEP Abrams;
250 M1A2SEPv3 Abrams;
105 Leopard 2A5;
128 Leopard 2PL.
Both the number and quality of armored equipment in the Polish Armed Forces are gradually improving. The combat value of machines like the K2 or M1 equals several T-72M1R or PT-91 Twardy tanks. Now, the task of the National Defense Ministry is to proceed with the increase and modernization of combat equipment and teams, all in the face of new realities in global geopolitics and especially the increasingly present Russian threat in the region.
Source: defence24
