K1 tank vs M41 Walker Bulldog: Specs Compared

FORCETALLY

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ATanks

K1 tank

Main battle tank

Credit

대한민국 국군 Republic of Korea Armed Forces · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Resized · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Source ↗ · Modified

M41 Walker Bulldog — licensed reference photograph

BTanks

M41 Walker Bulldog

Light tank

Credit

Wilson44691 · CC0 · Resized · CC0 · Source ↗ · Modified

First system

Second system

At a glance

Side by side

Length comparisonOne shared metre scale

K1 tankK1A1 gun forward

9.71 m

Length source ↗

M41 Walker BulldogHull

5.81 m

Length source ↗

Lengths retain their source configuration and measurement scope.

K1 tanklarger figure on 1 of 2

Width+13%

M41 Walker Bulldoglarger figure on 1 of 2

Height+21%

Counts only measures both sources give with the same scope. A larger figure is not a better system.

Measured figures

Head to head

23 of 32 rows sourced on both sides

9.71mK1A1 gun forward

5.81mHull

LengthScopes differ

All recorded figures & sources

9.71 m

K1A1 gun forward

Single source

9.67 m

K1 gun forward

Single source

Configuration

Details

K1 tank and M41 Walker Bulldog configuration
Specification	K1 tank	M41 Walker Bulldog
Type	Main battle tank^[source]	Light tank^[source]
Place of origin	South Korea^[source]	United States^[source]
In service	K1: 1987–present K1E1: 2014–present K1A1: 2001–2024 K1A2: 2013–present^[source]	1953–1969 (US Armed Forces) 1961–present (foreign users)^[source]
Used by	See operators^[source]	See Operators

Designer	Chrysler Defense General Dynamics Land Systems Hyundai Precision Industry Agency for Defense Development^[source]	—

Designed	K1: 1978–1985 K1A1: 1991–1996^[source]	1944^[source]

Manufacturer	Hyundai Precision Industry (1985–2000) Hyundai Mobis (2000–2001) Rotem Co., Ltd. (2001–2007) Hyundai Rotem (2007–present)^[source]	Cadillac^[source]

Unit cost	K1: ₩ 2.3 billion (1994) K1A1: ₩4.4 billion (2001) K1A2: ₩6.0 billion^[source]	USD $162,000 (secondhand, FY1988) (equivalent to $369,596 in 2024)^[source]

Produced	K1: 1987–1997 K1E1: 2013–present K1A1: 1999–2011 K1A2: 2013–2024^[source]	1951 –1954^[source]

No. built	K1/E1: 1,027 K1A1/A2: 484^[source]	5,467^[source]

Armor	K1: Special Armor Package (SAP) K1A1: Korean Special Armor Plate (KSAP)^[source]	Welded steel 25.4 mm (1.00 in) turret front 25 mm (0.98 in) turret sides and rear 12.7 mm (0.50 in) turret top 31.7 mm (1.25 in) at 30° hull upper glacis plate 25.4 mm (1.00 in) at 45° hull lower glacis plate 19 mm (0.75 in) hull rear 9.25 mm (0.364 in) hull floor^[source]

Main armament	K1, K1E1: KM68A1 105 mm (47 rounds) K1A1, K1A2: KM256 120 mm (32 rounds), or Hyundai WIA CN03 120 mm (32 rounds)^[source]	76 mm M32A1 rifled cannon (65 rounds)^[source]

Secondary armament	M2 or K6 12.7x99 mm NATO HMG (commander's mount) M60D 7.62×51mm NATO GPMG (loader's mount) M60E2-1 7.62×51mm NATO GPMG (coaxial)^[source]	.30 caliber M1919A4 coaxial machine gun (5,000 rounds) .50 caliber Browning M2 roof-mounted machine gun (2,175 rounds)^[source]

Power/weight	K1: 23.4 hp/ton (17.44 kW/t) K1A1: 22.5 hp/ton (16.77 kW/t) K1A2: 22 hp/ton (16.40 kW/t)^[source]	21.2 hp (15.8 kW)/tonne^[source]

Transmission	Hyundai Transys/ ZF Friedrichshafen LSG 3000 Automatic, 4 forward, 2 reverse^[source]	—

Suspension	Hydropneumatic (wheel 1, 2, 6), torsion bar (wheel 3, 4, 5)^[source]	Torsion bar^[source]

Ground clearance	460 mm (18 in) longitudinal slope: 60 % lateral slope: 30 % vertical: 1.1 m trench: 2.74 m fording: 1.2 m (without snorkel) or 2.2 m (with snorkel)^[source]	0.45 m (1.5 ft)^[source]

Wars	—	Bay of Pigs Invasion Guatemalan Civil War 1964 Brazilian coup d'état Vietnam War Ethiopian Civil War Lebanese Civil War Ogaden War Sino-Vietnamese War Somali Civil War 2006 Thai coup d'état 2025 Cambodia-Thailand conflict^[source]