The KCPS, or Korean Commander's Panoramic Sight, is an advanced optical system for the K1A1 main battle tank

Main battle tank

A main battle tank , also known as a battle tank or universal tank, is a tank that fills the heavy direct fire role of many modern armies. They were originally conceived to replace the light, medium, heavy and super-heavy tanks. Development was spurred onwards in the Cold War with the development...

s in use by the Republic of Korea Army

Republic of Korea Army

The Republic of Korea Army is the largest of the military branches of the South Korean armed forces with 520,000 members as of 2010...

. An improved version of it, along with a newer version of KGPS, or Korean Gunner's Primary Sight, will also be available for the up-and-coming K2 Black Panther.

Specifications

The KCPS specifications for K1A1 is as follows;

• Zoom: 3x / 10x (day & night)
• Vertical scan angle (the amount of angle which the optics can move up and down): +/- 35˚
• Horizontal scan angle (the amount of angle which the optics can turn): 360˚
• Gunner's alternate sight zoom: 8x

There is no specification available for the KCPS that is to be used for the K2 Black Panther.

Hunter-Killer capability

The KCPS not only features sights for the tank commander, but for the gunner as well. The gunner has an entirely separate sight, the KGPS, available for use while being able to rapidly switch over to which target the commander is looking at by using the alternate optics available for the gunner on the KCPS, which the gunner can also control by zooming the image in and out. This allows the vehicle to engage in effective hunter-killer tactics, where the gunner will engage a target while the commander picks out another target for the gunner to engage next, reducing the time required for target-acquisition. The KCPS-equipped K1A1 were found to be having an upper-hand over the U.S. Army's M1A1 Abrams

M1 Abrams

The M1 Abrams is a third-generation main battle tank produced in the United States. It is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 is a well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile tank designed for...

, which do not have hunter-killer capability, during training exercises where the two types of tanks were pitted against each other.