[Edaily Reporter kim kwanyong ] A performance upgrade for the K2 tank is underway to counter the threats posed by advanced anti-tank weapons and suicide drones. The key objective is to go beyond simply reinforcing armor to establish a “multi-layered defense system” capable of detecting, disrupting, and intercepting threats. There is also interest in whether the performance upgrade of the K2—which has garnered attention in the global tank market following its export to Poland—will translate into a competitive edge for future exports.

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced that it reviewed and approved the “Basic Strategy for the K2 Tank Performance Improvement Project” at the 177th Defense Acquisition Promotion Committee meeting held on the 11th. The government plans to invest a total of 3.45 trillion won from 2028 to 2046 to equip the K2 tanks with an Active Protection System (APS), jammers for drones and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and a Remote Controlled Weapon Station (RCWS).

This project is designed to counter the increasingly diverse threats on future battlefields, ranging from anti-tank rockets and guided missiles to suicide drones and improvised explosive devices (IEDs). Recent conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine war, have demonstrated that even high-cost tanks can be vulnerable to attacks from relatively inexpensive first-person view (FPV) drones or anti-tank missiles. Consequently, the concept of tank survivability is shifting from passive defense—which relies on increasing armor thickness—to active defense, which involves detecting threats in advance to disrupt or destroy them.

The core of these performance upgrades is the hard-kill active protection system (APS). An APS is a system that uses sensors, such as radar, to detect threats like anti-tank guided missiles (ATGMs) or rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and then fires countermeasures to destroy them before they reach the tank. While conventional armor is designed to withstand the impact after being hit, the APS differs in its protective concept by blocking the threat’s approach altogether.

Active Protection Systems are categorized into “hard-kill” methods, which directly intercept threats with counter-projectiles, and “soft-kill” methods, which use electronic equipment to jam guidance systems. While the K2 tank currently employs a soft-kill system that disrupts the guidance of incoming missiles, this performance upgrade will add a hard-kill system.

Drone and improvised explosive device (IED) jammers disrupt radio waves to prevent unmanned aerial vehicles from approaching or remotely controlled explosives from detonating. The RCWS, equipped with a 12.7 mm machine gun, allows the crew to respond to drones or close-range threats without exposing themselves outside the hull. The plan is to combine the hard-kill APS with electronic warfare equipment and the RCWS to establish a multi-layered defense network that integrates detection, jamming, and interception.

However, the APS is not a “universal shield” capable of blocking all threats. To counter saturation attacks—such as simultaneous strikes by multiple missiles or drones—and attacks targeting the upper hull of the tank, tactical development must proceed in parallel, integrating not only individual equipment but also tanks, infantry, drones, and air defense assets. This upgrade project thus requires not only improvements to the tank’s own performance but also a shift in the operational concept of armored units. This is why the project timeline has been set to extend through 2046.

The K2PL, the Polish-spec performance upgrade model, is scheduled to be equipped with Israel’s Rafael “Trophy” hard-kill APS, as well as a drone jamming system, a 12.7mm RCWS, and special armor with enhanced protection. In contrast, the South Korean military’s upgraded K2 is planned to be equipped with a hard-kill APS developed using domestic technology. An official from the Defense Acquisition Program Administration explained, “Our military’s upgraded K2 tanks are scheduled to be equipped with an active protection system developed using domestic technology, which will surpass the performance of the model exported to Poland.”

Securing a domestically produced APS is significant not only for the military’s operational capabilities but also for defense exports. This is because reducing dependence on foreign systems makes it easier to configure protective equipment to meet the requirements of export destination countries and can also minimize constraints related to third-party export approvals or supply chains. If the K2 proves its survivability in a drone warfare environment—in addition to its firepower and mobility—it could serve as an opportunity to enhance competitiveness in overseas tank projects, such as those in Europe.

Meanwhile, the Defense Acquisition Committee also reviewed and approved the “Basic Strategy for the Ship-to-Ship Guided Missile-II Project” on the same day. This project aims to develop, through domestic research and development, a ship-to-ship guided missile with enhanced range, detection, and tracking capabilities to enable precision strikes against enemy surface targets from long distances. The government plans to invest approximately 1.63 trillion won from 2028 to 2039 to develop a weapons system with enhanced long-range precision strike capabilities compared to the existing “Haeseong” ship-to-ship guided missile. If domestically produced warships and ship-to-ship guided missiles can be offered as a single package, this is expected to reduce the burden of integrating weapon systems during the warship export process and enhance export competitiveness.