Korea Unveils Amphibious Tank

, Korea's first domestically-made amphibious tank, featuring an auto-loaded 120mm cannon, rolled off the assembly line in Changwon, Friday (March 2). 
 
The next-generation tank, code named “XK2” and nicknamed “Black Panther,” will replace the older K1 and American M47/48 tanks starting in 2011, defense officials said. 
 
The new model features an auto-loaded 120 mm cannon, can reach speeds of up to 70 km per hour, and can cross rivers as deep as 4.1 meters using a snorkel, according to its developer, the Agency for Defense Development (ADD). 
 
At the launch ceremony for the tank, President Roh Moo-hyun stressed that Korea's development of a top-tier weapon such as the XK2 with its own technology testifies to the country's defense capability. 
 
“The development of the world's top-level tank–in both mobility and firepower–with our own technology shows the world our commitment to self-defense,” Roh said during the ceremony held at the ADD facilities in Changwon, Gyeongsang nam-do (South Gyeongsang Province). 
 
Korea plans to commission the tank after preparations for mass production. 
 
It also aims to export the tanks with the price tag of US$8.5 million per unit, with an adjustment for inflation.