In recent months, Warsaw has embarked on a strategic rapprochement with the South Korean defense industry. In July 2022, the Polish authorities announced the order for 180 K2 Thunder tanks produced in South Korea accompanied by 221 K9 self-propelled guns, as well as the local manufacture of more than 800 copies of this tank intended to replace the T-72 and 440 self-propelled guns, in particular to equip the 2 new mechanized divisions whose constitution had just been announced. In September, Warsaw confirmed the order for 48 South Korean FA-50 light fightersAnd then 300 K239 Chunmoo multiple rocket launchers, the South Korean equivalent of the American HIMARS.
If this latest acquisition seems to have been called into question during the recent negotiations between the Polish Minister of Defense and Lockheed-Martin to obtain the local manufacture of HIMARS in Europe, the Polish authorities have obviously not finished with their strategy of rapprochement with the South Korean defense industry. Indeed, according to consistent information, Warsaw is close to signing a letter of intent to join the KF-21 Boramae mid-generation fighter program currently under development by KAI, the designer of the device, and DAPA, the South Korean armament agency.
The upcoming announcement follows the visit of the CEO of Polish company PGZ, Sebastian Chwaลek, to South Korea to meet with KAI and DAPA officials there last month. According to information that has filtered to date, PGZ would aim to join the South Korean program from 2026, when it will enter its second phase. For Seoul, it seems that the Polish interest is taken very seriously, while Indonesia, a historical partner of the program, still does not meet its commitments, particularly budgetary.
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[โฆ] and Seoul around the K2 Black tank Panther, the K-9 Thunder artillery system and the overtures made regarding the K-21 Boramae, we can indeed expect Poland to win its case relatively [โฆ]
[โฆ] May 11, 2023 [โฆ]
[โฆ] As we knew, Poland has undertaken, for several years, to build a formidable conventional land military power, strong with 6 mechanized divisions and aligning, among other things, 1250 modern heavy tanks, 1600 infantry combat vehicles, 700 155 mm self-propelled guns or 500 multiple rocket launchers. It would seem that Warsaw also has the ambition to acquire a first-class air force, through the acquisition of 32 F-35A fighters, 48 โโFA-50 light fighters and by opening discussions with Seoul about possible participation in the KF-21 Boramae program. [โฆ]
[โฆ] delivery of the first FA-50 light fighter to the country's air force, it announced that Warsaw was considering joining the Boramae program once operational capability was obtained, representing a potential alternative both [โฆ]