Hanwha Group's Philadelphia shipyard has secured a contract to build maritime missile test vessels for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA).
On July 19, Hanwha Philly Shipyard announced that it has been selected as the vessel manufacturer for the MDA's maritime missile test instrumentation vessel (MRIV) in partnership with U.S. ship management company TOTE Services.
The MRIV will support missile flight tests by tracking trajectories, collecting telemetry data, and analyzing communications and test results.
Hanwha Philly Shipyard will handle the construction of the vessels, while TOTE Services will serve as the vessel construction manager (VCM). The first vessel is expected to be delivered in 2030. Although Hanwha did not disclose specific contract details, maritime industry publication Maritime Executive reported that the project involves an investment of $2 billion for the construction of two vessels.
Russell Boat, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB), stated at a local event, "This new vessel will not only support the President's policy to restore U.S. maritime dominance but also bolster the 'Iron Dome' missile defense system across the country."
The Iron Dome project is a next-generation air missile defense system prioritized by the Trump administration as a key component of U.S. homeland defense. The Philly shipyard plans to leverage its established production lines and supply chains, validated through previous contracts for National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), to successfully construct the MRIV.
This MRIV contract is seen as a significant step for Hanwha Group in expanding its presence in the Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation project known as 'MASGA.' The Philly shipyard is the only U.S. shipyard owned by a Korean company.
Recently, President Donald Trump mentioned the Philly shipyard, stating, "Many vessels will be built there," and indicated that he is considering purchasing vessels separately from companies that build ships in the U.S.
The U.S. Department of Defense has also sent a request for information (RFI) regarding combat ship design and construction capabilities to Hanwha Ocean and HD Hyundai Heavy Industries. The two countries have agreed to allocate $150 billion of a $350 billion investment in shipbuilding cooperation. A Korea-U.S. Shipbuilding Cooperation Center is set to open in Washington, D.C., on July 23.
Industry experts anticipate that this project will serve as a positive reference for future contracts related to U.S. Navy auxiliary ships, special-purpose vessels, and maintenance and repair operations (MRO).
* This article has been translated by AI.
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