Poland to outnumber UK, Germany, France, Italy in tanks by 2030

Poland is set to have more tanks by 2030 than the UK, Germany, France and Italy combined, after signing a deal to buy an additional 180 South Korean K2 tanks.

The deal, worth more than €6 billion, is the latest stage in Poland’s military expansion, motivated mainly by the war in neighbouring Ukraine and the crisis on the Belarusian border, which has been ongoing since 2021.

Poland currently spends 4.7 per cent of its GDP on defence, the highest share among NATO countries in relative terms.

“[This is] a great deal for the security of our homeland, for our arms industry. The agreement begins the process of restoring tank production in our country,” Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Ministry of Defence Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz wrote in a post on X.

Poland will have a total of 1,100 tanks once the deal, which includes 61 tanks produced in Poland itself, is finalized.

Germany, Italy, the UK and France have a total of 950 tanks. Only two NATO member states – Greece and Turkey – will have more tanks than Poland following the completion of the deal.

Turkey currently has 2,238 tanks and Greece 1,344.

Poland’s purchase of tanks from South Korea began in 2022, which the then Defence Minister Mariusz Błaszczak described as “a win-win situation” for both countries.

In the past, Poland has also purchased K239 Chunmoo rocket artillery launchers, FA-50 light combat aircraft and K9 self-propelled howitzers from South Korea.

Poland has also purchased Abrams tanks, Apache helicopters, HIMARS artillery launchers and Patriot missile defence systems from the US. Earlier this year, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth called Poland a “model NATO ally” during his first official state visit.

In addition to 180 tanks, the new agreement includes 81 support vehicles, logistical training, a full service and repair programme and a technology transfer provision.

The signing of the agreement coincided with the 81st anniversary of the Warsaw Uprising, which the Defence Minister referred to during the signing ceremony. He thanked the participants in the Uprising and those who lost their lives while fighting in it.

“It is in the name of their memory, their heroism that we also sign this contract today,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

“Thank you for this contract, I am very proud of it and I am happy that together we are building a strong, safe and prosperous Poland,” he concluded.