Polish K2 Black Panther Tanks to Be Fitted With Norwegian PROTECTOR RS4 Combat Modules

The Norwegian company Kongsberg has signed a contract worth over €60 million with the South Korean conglomerate Hyundai Rotem Company.

The agreement calls for the delivery of remotely controlled PROTECTOR RS4 combat modules to the Polish Armed Forces, according to Kongsberg.

The ordered systems will be integrated onto three types of armored vehicles based on the K2 platform: the K2 Black Panther main battle tank, the K2 ARV armored recovery vehicle, and the K2 CEV engineering vehicle.

The contract also includes a comprehensive support package, which provides for the delivery of an initial set of spare parts, personnel training, and technical maintenance. The first systems, intended for subsequent installation on the armored vehicles, are scheduled to be delivered as early as spring 2027.

PROTECTOR RS4

The PROTECTOR RS4 system belongs to the family of remotely controlled weapon stations (RWS), the development of which began at the Norwegian company KONGSBERG in the late 1990s. The main goal of creating the PROTECTOR series was to eliminate the need for an operator or commander to lean out of an armored vehicle’s hatch to fire, which significantly increased crew survivability on the battlefield.

Over more than two decades, the PROTECTOR line has become one of the most widely used in the world: the company has produced over 20,000 units of various variants for 28 customer nations, including the United States, where the RS4 variant is designated the M153 CROWS II.

The module is stabilized in two planes, allowing for effective fire on the move against moving and stationary targets in any weather conditions and at any time of day, thanks to an optoelectronic sighting system with a thermal imager and a laser rangefinder.

The RS4 can be equipped with a 12.7 mm M2HB Browning heavy machine gun, 7.62 mm M240/FN MAG machine guns, or a 40 mm Mk.19 automatic mounted grenade launcher. The total weight of the system is approximately 135–170 kg, and the vertical elevation angles range from -20° to +60°.

Poland’s K2 procurement

Poland signed a large-scale framework agreement for the procurement of a total of 1,000 K2/K2PL Black Panther tanks in July 2022. The first implementation contract, signed in August 2022, provided for the delivery of 180 K2 tanks from South Korea between 2022 and 2025. Subsequent contracts provide for deliveries from South Korea and localized production of the tanks (K2PL versions) at facilities within the Polish defense-industrial complex.

In addition to tanks, the program includes the development and delivery of specialized support vehicles based on the K2 platform, which will also be equipped with Norwegian combat modules. The first of these is the K2 ARV (Armored Recovery Vehicle), an armored recovery and evacuation vehicle.

The K2 ARV is designed to evacuate damaged or stranded heavy armored vehicles from the battlefield, perform field repairs, and carry out lifting and transport operations. The vehicle is equipped with a hydraulic winch, a crane system with a lifting capacity of over 30 metric tons, and a bulldozer blade, while the PROTECTOR RS4 module will serve to defend it against infantry and drones.

The third platform in the contract is the K2 CEV (Combat Engineering Vehicle) clearance vehicle. This specialized vehicle is designed to create passages through minefields and explosive barriers, clear debris, dig trenches, and establish defensive positions.