A large-scale military parade was held at Piłsudski Square in Warsaw, Poland, on August 15 to commemorate Armed Forces Day. Thousands gathered in the square as President Andrzej Duda saluted the assembled troops. The highlight of the 30-minute parade was the display of seven major weapons systems that showcased Poland’s military strength.
The Homar-K multiple rocket launcher system (MLRS), the Polish version of South Korea’s K239 Chunmoo rocket artillery system, led the parade. The Homar-K was delivered last year after being customized to meet the Polish government’s specific requirements. It was introduced ahead of the U.S.-made High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS), drawing enthusiastic cheers from the crowd.
Another Korean-made weapon, the K2 Black Panther tank, rolled onto the parade route five minutes later. The K2, alongside the German Leopard 2 and American M1 Abrams, is a mainstay of Poland’s next-generation armored forces. The K9 Thunder, a Korean 155 mm self-propelled howitzer, showed up three minutes later. The parade concluded with the appearance of the AHS Krab, a self-propelled tracked gun-howitzer built on the K9 Thunder chassis.
The Polish government and local defense media Defense24 said that the parade involved 2,500 troops and over 220 tanks, self-propelled artillery, missile launchers and air defense systems. Three of the seven major weapons systems showcased were Korean-made, highlighting the increasing influence of Korean weapons in Poland’s military capabilities.
The parade was a powerful demonstration of Korea’s defense capabilities, akin to a “K-defense exhibition,” with the latest Korean-imported weapons appearing in succession. European countries, including Poland, used to rely heavily on U.S. or European-made arms. The dynamics shifted after the Russia-Ukraine war. Korean defense companies secured export contracts by emphasizing their ability to produce and deliver weapons quickly in urgent situations, along with offers of technology transfer and competitive pricing.
The Polish government and Korean defense firm Hanwha Aerospace announced a framework agreement in 2022 to supply 288 Chunmoo rocket artillery units, 672 K9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers and 1,000 K2 tanks from Hyundai Rotem to Poland.
Based on this framework, the Polish government signed a first phase contract in 2022 for 218 Chunmoo units and a second phase contract this year for 72 more, bringing the total to 290. For the K2 tanks, the first phase contract for 180 units was completed in 2022, with negotiations ongoing for the remaining 820 units. Regarding the K9 self-propelled howitzers, Poland signed contracts for 218 units in 2022, followed by a second contract for 152 units last December.
Korea’s arms exports to Poland mark the country’s entry into the European defense market, specifically into Eastern Europe. Since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Eastern European countries have been bolstering their defense capabilities. Recently, Romania also signed a contract to purchase South Korean weapons.
Poland’s procurement deals with Korean defense companies are driven by the need to modernize its armed forces by replacing aging Soviet-era defense systems with the latest weaponry. This effort is also aimed at replenishing Poland’s arsenal after supplying Soviet and Russian-made weapons to Ukraine amid the ongoing conflict.
