Peru has signed a long-term strategic partnership with South Korean companies Hyundai Rotem and STX in order to renew its aging armoured vehicle inventory and strengthen the country’s defence industry capacity. The announced roadmap includes the indigenous production of South Korea’s K2 Black Panther main battle tank and K808 armoured personnel carriers. This initiative aims to modernise the inventory, much of which dates back to the 1970s, and to lay a solid foundation for Peru’s own defence industry.
South Korea Model Road Map
Speaking at the national defence industry forum in Lima, Major General Jorge Arévalo Calinowski, Commander of the Land Forces Logistics Command and FAME SAC Board Member, said that South Korea’s defence development model is a source of inspiration for Peru. Calinowski emphasised that South Korea’s development of the K1 and K2 tank series, thanks to the technology transfer policy that started in the 1970s and continuous state support, shows what Peru can achieve with long-term planning and industrial cooperation.
Two-Phase Modernisation Programme
The modernisation programme offered by the Peruvian Land Forces consists of two main phases covering the years 2026-2040:
| Phase | Duration | Content | Target |
| 1. Stage (Import) | 2026-2028 | direct import of 99 K808 IFVs and 46 K2 Tanks (including training and maintenance) | Preparing Peruvian personnel for future assembly and production processes. |
| 2. Stage (Domestic Production) | 2029-2040 | Domestic production of 181 K808 IFVs and 104 K2 Tanks under licence. | Increase self-reliance in defence and support economic growth. |
In the second phase, production will be carried out in the facilities to be established jointly by FAME SAC and Hyundai Rotem. In this local production, it is envisaged that approximately 0 of the parts will be supplied from suppliers in Peru in areas such as welding, machining, electrical and hydraulic components.
Contribution to Economic Growth and National Security
Hyundai Rotem has made an initial investment commitment of approximately $270 million to build tank and armoured vehicle assembly lines in Peru. Major General Calinowski stated that this 15-year project will create jobs, develop technical capacity and could contribute billions of dollars to the national economy.
Stating that being dependent only on foreign suppliers in times of global instability increases national defence risks, Calinowski added that this cooperation will gradually increase Peru’s self-sufficiency in the field of defence and ensure that the country will have modern armoured units by 2040.
