Romania is set to conduct field and firing tests of the South Korean K2 Black Panther Main Battle Tank (MBT) in anticipation of a landmark military acquisition. This development, revealed in a recent post on the X Account of @mason_8718 on April 5, highlights Romania’s commitment to significantly upgrading its armored forces. The tests, scheduled to begin on May 10, 2024, will be closely observed by a delegation of senior military officials, government representatives, and business executives from both South Korea and Romania.
This comes on the heels of revelations from a defense cooperation conference between Romania and South Korea held in 2023, where General Teodor Incicaș, the head of the Romanian Directorate General for Armaments, outlined Romania’s ambitious plan to procure approximately 300 new combat tanks to modernize its military capabilities.
Romania’s strategy to diversify and strengthen its military arsenal through foreign partnerships was highlighted on July 7, 2023, marking a pivotal moment in its defense policy. The nation expressed a strong interest in Hyundai Rotem’s K-2 “Black Panther” main battle tank and the K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer—both of which meet NATO standards. These advanced military assets represent a significant leap forward in technology and firepower for the Romanian armed forces.