New K2 tank debuts at MSPO 2024 with enhanced Israeli defense system
At the MSPO 2024 trade show, a new variant of the South Korean K2 tank was presented. This variant should serve as the base model for the K2PL. Here’s what characterizes the latest version.
Just like in 2023, the K2 tank was showcased at MSPO, but this time, a version equipped with the KAPS-2 defense system, a variant of the Israeli Trophy, was shown. The new vehicle also features reinforced armor and a remotely controlled turret designed for hunting drones if the onboard jammer fails to handle them.
New K2 Tank - based on an Israeli system
The new active protection system KAPS-2 is a licensed variant of the Israeli Trophy system, which has performed excellently during combat in the Gaza Strip. It is possible that the much higher fatality rate among people nearby when the original KAPS (Korean Active Protection System) was active prompted the Koreans to abandon it.
Notably, Trophy also generates many dangerous fragments for infantry soldiers, but not as many as KAPS. For this reason, the Israeli system is also present on tanks like the Leopard 2A8 or M1A2 Abrams SEP V3.
Module for combating drones
As a representative of the Korean manufacturer admitted in a conversation with us, the system is not capable of combating objects falling vertically onto the tank. The solution would be a radar antenna and launcher on the roof, but there is no space for it on the vehicle. Therefore, for all drones dropping PG-7VL grenades or similar, a remotely controlled weapon module with a large-caliber Browning M2 machine gun should suffice.
The turret has its electro-optical head with a thermal imaging camera and can engage targets at a 90-degree angle. Meanwhile, as passive roof protection, a layer of reactive armor (visible as characteristic blocks in one of the photos) is designed to disperse the cumulative stream of a dropped missile or grenade.
These blocks also appeared on the upper front armor plate beneath a secondary ammunition magazine. From what we have learned, the Koreans are working on creating a modernization package for already-produced tanks.
