South Korea unveils XK2 Black Panther amphibious battle tank

Remember how when you were a kid what you always wanted most was a fully loaded tank that you could drive underwater? Huh, you mean a snorkeling tank isn't something that consumed your every waking moment? Well we sure wanted one, and now following 11 years of design and $230 million in development costs, the always tech-forward South Koreans have delivered. Said to be the only tank in the world that can wade through up to 13.5 feet of water, the so-called XK2 Black Panther is a followup to the country's K1 unit (the X will get dropped once these go into production), and is so advanced that the official in charge of the project immodestly boasts that it has "more suberb capabilities than any other existing tank." Some of these "superb capabilities" include a 120-millimeter gun firing at 15 rounds per minute, smart munitions that can avoid obstacles to reach their targets, an active defense system against incoming artillery, and a special suspension that allows for three distinct configurations and downhill firing. With a top road speed of 44mph the XK2 is certainly no slouch, and with an estimated cost of $8.5 million per vehicle, it's certainly no bargain either. Combined with the country's already impressive army of autonomous vehicles, robotic sentries, and multi-wheeled killbots, the Black Panther should make potential aggressors think twice before they launch an attack against the Koreans (or at least make sure that they have a few good EMP's).

[Photo credit: Korean Times]

[Wonderboy @ Mar 3rd 2007 9:48AM]

You sure they meant "superb" and not "suburb"? ;-)

[MR @ Mar 3rd 2007 9:56AM]

Since when did a real tank (and land mines) become gadgets?

[RSharpe @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:01AM]

Hardly a new breakthrough technology. Maybe if this blog was posted in 1939... er written in the newsies.

[Captain Lumpy Dog @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:05AM]

Sorry, but a tank with a snorkel is not new. That tank is certainly interesting, but a 120mm gun, hydro-pneumatic suspension and auto-loader are all been there done that stuff. The smart ammunition is interesting, but something tells me it's not going to work so well.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schnorkel#Deep-wading_tanks
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MBT-70

[Kay @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:32AM]

XK2 Black Panther(Heuk Pyo)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZHB25DFGF9g

[humpty @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:36AM]

Meh, what are these going to against the 750k artillery pieces pointed at Seoul.

[Neebs @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:46AM]

Amph. Tanks were used on D-Day and they were ok. German gunners thought they were wierd ships and didn't fire.

[Rick @ Mar 3rd 2007 10:47AM]

wow. you kids are whiny this morning. i dont remember congress passing any bills that dictate what engadget can put on their own blog... then again, maybe i'm stuck reading news from 1939...

Thank you, engadget, for "going against the grain", and posting an article without "steve jobs" in it...

[Scott @ Mar 3rd 2007 11:04AM]

@Nebs

the DDTanks were notoriously unreliable.

[Zoundguy @ Mar 3rd 2007 12:38PM]

Next up: the United States of America and NATO allies begin placing Ipod docks into their tanks. these new iTanks will have the added bonus of being able to control the Ipod through turret movement (click wheel) full video iTank to follow.

[Brad @ Mar 3rd 2007 1:04PM]

I actually like this post! I'd love to see this thing in action! But I thought the $8.5million per tank was "cheap"?

[Ron Smith @ Mar 3rd 2007 1:08PM]

They are ignoring the biggest threat, RPG's in urban environments. North Korean tanks can be easily destroyed using air power and conventional tanks today, the biggest threat for a Main Battle Tank today are up close threats in an urban environment like in Iraq.

[crescentdavid @ Mar 3rd 2007 1:27PM]

This should prove particularly useful for the US in Iraq. It will allow military commanders, handcuffed by the idiocies of the bush administration, help everybody keep their heads in the sand and continue breathing at the same time.

It's a winner.

[ghnvt @ Mar 3rd 2007 1:37PM]

Spend money on food, not tanks.

[Stephen @ Mar 3rd 2007 4:53PM]

South Korea has plenty of food, you're thinking of North Korea, which is horrendously poor and spends all its money on the military.

[regomodo @ Mar 3rd 2007 2:12PM]

Wow! Old News!

The Nazis had a proper snorkelling tank, the Tauchpanzer. Used a big hose to breath and drove on river beds.

Hell, even the Russians did it with the T90.

Just Wiki "snorkel"

[Thomas Chung @ Mar 3rd 2007 3:34PM]

Looking at the photo, what if they "accidentally" loaded that tank and it misfires...

[OddManOut @ Mar 3rd 2007 3:46PM]

From wikipedia concerning this tank:

"The Black Panther will, apparently, inherit an even more advanced type of the extensive suspension system that the K1 series has, which can "sit", "stand" and "kneel" by adjusting its front, middle and rear bogies."

Dada-dada-da-da-DA Da-daa-da-daa-daa!

Low-ri-da, flys a little higher...

[ghnvt @ Mar 3rd 2007 8:12PM]

Your right, thought it was north korea

[ethana2 @ Mar 3rd 2007 4:58PM]

It still has treads. Ergo, it's just another tank when you think about it.
Put something on two legs like a mech and you got something. Quick, S. Korea! Before Japan beats you to it!

...You know they could. 50 Million dollars or so...
Run for your lives! It the SK-ATST!
That'd be sweet. But eventually, you have to ask "what's the point?"
Well, um... entertainment? Really. But you know, If Japan and Korea formed a direct technological alliance, I'd so move there.

[thisislame @ Mar 3rd 2007 5:20PM]

Nice Tank

[CBMTTek @ Mar 3rd 2007 5:56PM]

Pricing?
Availability?

[Deezee @ Mar 3rd 2007 11:41PM]

Only 230million for development??? That doesnt sound right. The new Holden Commodore (Pontiac G8) cost over a billion to develop. And that cant even go under water.

[bungsana @ Mar 4th 2007 12:51PM]

so what does that say for GM? i believe it, i work in automotive. *sob*

[Nikita @ Mar 4th 2007 12:15AM]

More weapons, great. That's just what we needed.

[Mischa Lockton @ Mar 4th 2007 3:57PM]

Tanks a lot

[Consoleman @ Mar 4th 2007 8:25PM]

Actually Sth Korea's XK2 is most advanced heavy armour vehicle world ever seen, they don't like to be called simply tank. According to Korean military source this one can avoid missile attack and can kill attack helicopter and equiped with one of most poweful engine and all the latest gadgets such as advanced radar system. This heavy armour vehicle will be mass produce to replace their aging battle tanks. They move fast as light armour vehicle so it's multi-role armour vehicle.

Korean military said they will deploy this new tank to their UN peace keeping force for special mission. This tank is special because it's made & develped by 100% Korean, which they used to copy US's design & technology.

Ofcourse they will be exporting their new tanks just like their light armour vehicle currently used by many allie nations such as Australia, Turkey, US, Thailand and more..

[el mexicano @ Apr 9th 2007 5:48AM]

I agree with you.
It does resemble the M1 Tank, that belongs to the US.
In reference to copying items that come from the US. That's how they conveniently set their laws up. If any company wants to do business in South Korea, the company has to join another South Korean company.
I was told that's how OB beer was started. A while back a US beer company joined a South Korean beer company. Sometime had passed and the South Korean company did not want to do business with the US Beer company anymore. The US beer co. left and the South Korean beer co. stayed in business using the US co.'s formula.