Frag Out! Magazine
Issue link: https://fragout.uberflip.com/i/1532587
The first tanks were delivered to the unit on November 14th 2024. According to available information, nine vehicles arrived from the Re- public of Korea, transported aboard the BBC Orion to Gdańsk. They were unloaded on November 12th, and the direct delivery to Branie- wo, using specialized tank transporter vehicles, occurred overnight between November 13th and 14th. Out of these nine tanks, seven were allocated to the 1st Tank Battalion, while the remaining two were sent to another unit, most likely either the Land Forces Training Center in Poznań or the third line battalion within the 16th Mecha- nized Division, possibly the tank battalion of the 15th Mechanized Brigade. By mid-November, a total of 71 K2 Black Panther tanks had been de- livered to Poland. This allowed for the complete rearmament of the tank battalion in Morąg (20th Mechanized Brigade). Four units were assigned to the Land Forces Training Center in Poznań, while seven were sent to Braniewo. The location of the remaining two tanks has not been disclosed. As per official statements, an additional 13 K2 Black Panther tanks were scheduled for delivery to 9th Brigade by the end of the year. The- se tanks were en route from the Republic of Korea aboard two cargo ships. The full rearmament of the 1st Tank Battalion is expected to be completed in 2025 with the delivery of 96 additional tanks. Until now, the 9th Armored Cavalry Brigade operated PT-91 Twardy tanks, which had been deployed in seven rotations as part of the Po- lish Military Contingent in Latvia. Following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, Poland launched a military aid program for the country. Ac- cording to the Polish Presidential Office, this included the transfer of 60 PT-91 tanks to Ukraine. Some of these tanks may have come from the 9th Brigade. The decision to initiate the rearmament process was announced in October 2022. However, actual implementation took two years, as priority was given to the 20th Mechanized Brigade's tank battalion in Morąg and the Land Forces Training Center. A total of 71 tanks have been delivered to Poland so far.. Image Credit: Polish Ministry of Defense www.fragoutmag.com