What You Need to Know: Peru is modernizing its military with significant investments in South Korean defense technology. This includes replacing its outdated fleet of Soviet-era T-54/55 tanks with South Korea's K2 Black Panther main battle tanks, which are highly adaptable to Peru’s diverse terrain.
-The K2 features advanced suspension, an automatic loader, and a powerful 120mm smoothbore gun.
-Peru also plans to co-develop submarines and other naval vessels with Hyundai Heavy Industries and is considering the acquisition of KF-21 Boramae and FA-50 Fighting Eagle light fighters from South Korea, as well as Sweden's JAS-39 Gripen, to replace its aging Mirage 2000, Su-25, and MiG-29 aircraft.
The South Korean K2 Black Panther main battle tank (MBT) was developed to operate in the Korean Peninsula's hilly terrain. That was likely a selling point for the Peruvian military, which has sought to replace its aging fleet of around 300 T-54/55 series tanks that Lima first acquired in the early 1970s.
Though those tanks have received significant upgrades in the past five decades, the ongoing conflict in Ukraine has shown that the Cold War-era T-55 is no match against modern........