Fun fact to amuse your friends with. I worked for General Dynamics. GD worked with Hyundai to build the M1K1 Korean tank. It was based on the American M1A1. Korea bribed, coerced and stole the technical data package. They then offered spare parts to GD’s other clients at a cut-rate. The parts were pin for pin compatible with GD’s parts.
If Turkey, Japan or anybody else involved thinks they’ll have a say in what Korea does with the design, they’re mistaken. Also, if Turkey wants to sell the tank to people the Japanese don’t want it sold to, I guarantee that Mitsubishi engine and transmission will be resourced in Korea.
On the other hand, the utility of a tank may be coming to an end. They represent a huge investment with a declining ability to survive on the battlefield. The tactics with which they’re used will become increasingly important to their survival on the battlefield. The Russians fighting in Chechnya lost an incredible number of tanks when they took them into cities, for example.
Just so long as they don’t use Caterpillar engines.
Caterpillar plagued by regen systems failure. cant keep the damned things running.