PONAR Wadowice has been selected as the Polish defence industry company designated to receive a technology transfer for the maintenance, repair and overhaul of components used in South Korean K2 tanks. Poland’s Ministry of National Defence has approved the selection made by Hyundai Rotem, the manufacturer of the K2 tank.
“It is worth emphasising that our company has been selected as a partner both for the repair, servicing and maintenance of K2 tank components and for the production of components for tanks that will be assembled and manufactured at the Bumar-Łabędy plant in Gliwice,” says Marek Warzecha, President of the Management Board of PONAR Wadowice. “This is an important decision and another step towards building Poland’s domestic maintenance and support capacity for the K2 programme.”
The selection of PONAR followed a comprehensive audit conducted last year by Hyundai Rotem Company experts. The audit assessed PONAR’s readiness for ToT (Transfer of Technology) — the transfer of technology from Hyundai Rotem to PONAR to enable production of components used in K2 tanks — and MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) of selected K2 components.
The MRO and ToT audit, carried out in connection with plans to begin producing K2 Black Panther tanks in Poland, was a key assessment of industrial readiness. Its purpose was to determine whether Polish defence plants have the infrastructure, expertise and procedures needed to receive technology from Hyundai Rotem and subsequently maintain and produce tanks to the K2PL standard.
“We believe the decision reflects our many years of experience in designing, engineering and manufacturing advanced suspension systems for Polish tracked vehicles, as well as our modern machinery and the expertise of our engineers. Hydropneumatic suspension is one of the key and most complex elements of this tank,” says Piotr Rosikowski, Technical and Development Director.
The K2 Black Panther is a South Korean 3+ generation main battle tank. Its main armament is a 120 mm smoothbore gun with an autoloader, capable of firing the latest types of ammunition. A 1,500 hp diesel engine and automatic transmission provide high speed and mobility across varied terrain. The tank has a relatively low weight of 55 tonnes and uses hydropneumatic suspension. Planned changes for the K2PL version include stronger armour, an all-round observation system and an active protection system.
By the end of 2027, the Polish Armed Forces are expected to have 296 K2 tanks in the GF version. Deliveries of the final Polish-adapted K2PL tanks are scheduled to continue until 2030. The Ministry of National Defence has also ordered 81 support vehicles on K2 chassis: 25 armoured vehicle-launched bridges (AVLBs), 25 armoured engineering vehicles (AEVs) and 31 armoured recovery vehicles (ARVs).
PONAR — Engineering Motion for Global Industry
The PONAR Wadowice Group is one of Europe’s technology leaders in advanced dual-use fluid power systems. Drawing on its own expertise, it designs, develops and manufactures specialised components and complete hydraulic systems that form an integral part of modern industrial and military platforms.
PONAR solutions are used in demanding civilian sectors, including machinery manufacturing, offshore operations, energy, aviation and specialised equipment production. The Group works with more than 3,000 customers worldwide, including Caterpillar, Alstom, ArcelorMittal, Komatsu, Palfinger and Pratt & Whitney. It provides support throughout the product life cycle, from design and development through production and implementation to servicing and spare-parts supply.
PONAR’s advanced hydraulic technologies are used in gun balancing mechanisms and brakes, track tensioners, hydraulic power units, platform stabilisation and radar levelling systems. The company also designs complete hydraulic systems and hydropneumatic suspensions tailored to the technical requirements of individual customers and industrial or military platforms.
PONAR is a qualified supplier of hydraulic components for military applications. It holds NATO certification, a licence issued by Poland’s Ministry of the Interior and Administration, and the AQAP quality management certification required for defence production. The company supplies critical technologies used in self-propelled howitzers, infantry fighting vehicles, military command vehicles, mobile radar stations, air-defence systems and other combat and logistics vehicles manufactured in Poland. The Group therefore participates in key programmes to modernise and expand the Polish Armed Forces.
PONAR is also expanding its activities in artillery systems. Through PK MIL, a joint venture, it is participating in a project to establish production of Bogdana self-propelled howitzers in Poland, in line with the priorities of the ReArm Europe initiative.
The Group’s technological development is supported by its own research and development centre, engineering facilities and proprietary expertise developed by a team of more than 170 engineers.
PONAR’s R&D centre improves existing products and develops new generations of components and complete hydraulic systems. Its engineering capabilities enable it to deliver projects from start to finish, while its work continues to expand the Group’s patent portfolio and produce solutions for demanding industrial sectors.
PONAR has two main centres of expertise: a component manufacturing plant in Wadowice and a systems centre in Łaziska Górne specialising in the design and integration of complete hydraulic systems. It also has facilities in Lubań, Ostrów Wielkopolski and Jaworzno.
