Don't know if this has been posted but I just found it. South Korea's new XK-2 Black Panther battle tank in testing.

http://shock.military.com/Shock/videos.do?displayContent=130743&page=2&ESRC=soldiertech.nl

Yep, I posted something about the XK-2 about one month ago. You can find my original thread HERE .

You'll find some nice pictures of the XK-2 and a link to download the movie you posted in your link.

My post didn't steared much interest. Probably because it's not a German WW2 tank

Hope your's will have more success

Sorry I missed your post - I just got back from a trip to Hawaii with my wife then and it must have slipped under the radar.
The XK-@ reminds of a cross between an M-1Abrams and an Ariete.

Amazing. I noted several combinations. The basic Abrams is there, the adjustable elevation from MBT-70 and others, the auto loader, the thermals and 120mm gun (M256A1). The two German characteristics that hit me were the 1500 diesel (not a turbine!) much more reliable power pack IMHO. The crazy one is that snorkel device. What a waste. Works and looks great in a test pool (leopard and some of the soviet tanks have the same crazy thing), but it takes an inordinate amount of time to mount and then de process. Unless you have a shallow stream or a prepared underwater surface and loads of time, the only thing that is going to happen when hitting a river is a lost tank and crew. But then. No one said it had to work.
DJ

210 cav; kx-2 is particularly designed for s koreas's specific enviorment. surrounded by mountins with numberless rivers. tank that can not cross river is almost useless there.

Actually to prep a Leopard for underwater driving...which is what the XK-2 was shown doing...not just fording, took only about 20 minutes.

A river crossing like that would be a deliberate operation and coordinated with tank and infantry overwatch and combat engineer support. The tank crew wouldn't just decide to drive underwater.

Believe it or not...Canadian Leopard C2s in Afghanistan have already had to do deep water fording in the rivers that have both been flooded in the winter and from the Afghan government opening up spillways. The water in the river was up to the top of the turret during one crossing. I was told this directly from a Leopard Commander that I used to serve with. He returned from his Afghan tour on the tanks in February.

I believe the K-2 is not scheduled for service until around 2011.

Jason-- I would respectfully disagree with your take on the river crossing. You must be referring to a prepared crossing site with a hard bottom. It also has to be a river bed obviously confirmed for heavy vehicle usage by a highly qualified engineer. The crews do what they are told to do. Freelancing river crossings are a no-no. As for the twenty minute to assemble the gear, I defer to your experience. I just watched the Germans do it and it consumed 45 minutes per vehicle. Paul mentions that there are numerous rivers in Korea. That may well be, but I hold to my original position. One shell burst would disable the extension snorkel and have water pour into the tank. As to adjusting the silohuette for terrain that's a valid technique and I trust it works for them.
DJ

DJ,

I totally agree with you. I think we are actually on the same page when I read again what I wrote and what you wrote.

I said- A river crossing like that would be a deliberate operation and coordinated with tank and infantry overwatch and combat engineer support. The tank crew wouldn't just decide to drive underwater.

You said- It also has to be a river bed obviously confirmed for heavy vehicle usage by a highly qualified engineer. The crews do what they are told to do. Freelancing river crossings are a no-no.

I think we just used different words to say the same thing.

The Leopards in Afghanistan were conducting river crossing Recces and the river bottoms were not prepared or confirmed by Combat Engineers...no time for that in combat when you have to cross to engage the enemy.

The tanks were prepped for deep water fording...which takes about 5-10 minutes in a Leopard 1...elevate the gun to max, close all the hatches except for the commander's, maybe put on the rubber muzzle and commander's sight covers, pump up the submergence hydraulics and keep watch of the pressure gauge, lower the main gun safety cages in case of emergency egress, driver puts the tank in 1st gear and away you go....there were no conning towers mounted.

I also totally agree the conning towers are a bullet magnet and not only will enemy fire take them out but entering the water too fast or not securing them properly will stop the tank when the water floods in and hydrostatic lock occurs in the powerpack....both the gunner and driver wear re-breather apparatus during underwater driving because they stand a good chance of drowning if the water floods in.

Jason-- I must add to your commentary that the driver must be a solid Soldier. That has to be scary driving.
Talk to you later.
DJ

I noticed the similarity in suspension to the MBT 70 too (Monogram's 1/48 kit was my first tank when I was a kid). Has anything like that been incorporated on the Abrams, Leopard or Challenger?

DJ,

Yup, the driver's all take special underwater training with the re-breathers and black out goggles in an underwater tank simulator maze to give them training of what it would be like to have to escape out of the tank underwater...staying calm is critical.

David,

The Japanese Type 74 had a very similar suspension system.

Didn't that Swedish one (I think it was a "K" Tank) have a variable silouhette?
DJ

Call me Crazy, but I see some Leclerc in this tank also. The Basic shape of the turret, the same auto loader, and also the reloading door on the back of the turret. The Fire Control System looks comparable to the Leclerc also. Ric