South Korea strategic shift: Upgrading K2 tanks
After years of challenges, South Korea has finally decided to replace the German transmission used in the K2 tank with its own product. This aims to enhance the safety and performance of the K2 program.
29 October 2024 20:21
On Monday, October 28, at the 164th meeting of the South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Promotion Committee (DAPPC), the DAPA agency announced a decision regarding the "fourth plan for applying the transmission to an engine with a power of 1500 horsepower in the fourth series of K2 tanks".
Success, but with conditions
Interestingly, production approval was granted conditionally, as the SNT Dynamics product did not meet DAPA's requirements. The agency required 320 hours of failure-free operation to ensure acceptable performance for a component critical to tank mobility.
The best result achieved during testing was 306 hours. Nonetheless, this marks progress considering past issues: the transmission failed after just seven hours of operation in 2016, and after 237 hours in 2020.
Why did DAPA approve it? The manufacturer and DAPA identified the issues, tracing them to unspecified low-quality elements. The manufacturer committed to implementing stricter quality controls and corrective measures.
Turks as testers?
Interestingly, the K2 is not the first tank equipped with a Korean power pack; that distinction belongs to the Turkish Altay AMT. Unveiled in March 2023, it was delivered shortly thereafter to the Turkish army. The Altay's use of a Korean solution is expected to save the program. Initially intended to be powered by EuroPowerPack, Turkey's severing of ties with Germany led to delays in the project.
Korean companies, which provided technology and engineering support, salvaged the production plan, allowing for the start of serial production of Altay tanks in Turkey in 2025. Initially, they will use the Korean power pack, later transitioning to the domestic BMC BATU engine with similar or potentially higher power, up to 1800 horsepower. Eventually, a completely Turkish BATO Power Group drivetrain will be integrated. This delay allowed the Turks to refine many design elements of their tank.
Replacing the German transmission
The K2 Black Panther tank was developed between 1995 and 2008. One of the goals was to increase the "Koreanization" of the product compared to the older K1 ROKIT model. This involved developing and introducing a domestic drivetrain.
According to the plan, the first production series (100 units) was to be equipped with the EuroPowerPack (locally assembled by STX Engine MTU MT883 Ka-501 engine with 1500 horsepower and RENK HSWL 295 TM automatic transmission). The second series (106 units) was to use an interim system with the Korean HD Hyundai Infracore DV27K engine, which succeeded. The third series (54 units) and subsequent ones were slated to receive the domestic drivetrain. Technical issues with the new automatic transmission delayed this, leading to the third series also using the interim system.
The new transmission is approximately 50 kg heavier than the old one (weighing exactly 2,500 kg), but this does not pose a significant issue. It works with engines producing 1500-1700 horsepower for vehicles weighing up to 65,000 kg. The EST15K provides six forward gears and three reverse gears. The integrated hydrostatic steering mechanism allows smooth changes in the turning radius or rotation around its axis.
The power pack also integrates a hydrodynamic retarder and a disc brake system. The complete drivetrain assembly, including auxiliaries (such as the cooling system), weighs slightly over 5,000 kg. According to DAPA, replacing the imported automatic transmission with a domestic one is expected to enhance the K2 program's safety and simplify logistics. As demonstrated in Turkey, it is also available for export.
