SEOUL, March 2 (UPI) -- South Korea Friday unveiled a new underwater battle tank described as the world's best in defending against aircraft, Seoul officials said.
The armed vehicle, code named "XK2" and nicknamed "Black Panther," was South Korea's first domestically-made amphibious tank, according to the Agency for Defense Development.
The tank maneuver can cross rivers as deep as 13.5 feet (4.1 meters) and can reach speeds of up to 42 miles (70 kilometers) per hour, the agency said. The vehicle is ready for combat immediately after it surfaces, it added.
The new tanks will replace the older K1 and American M47/48 tanks starting in 2011, defense officials said.
South Korea's 680,000-strong military, backed by a 29,500-member U.S. contingent, faces off against North Korea's 1.2 million-strong armed forces.
