SEOUL, July 18 (AJP) - Hanwha Philly Shipyard has been selected to build two next-generation missile range instrumentation vessels (MRIVs) for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), marking a major defense contract that will support the Trump administration's planned Golden Dome missile defense system.
The U.S. shipbuilder, acquired by South Korea's Hanwha Group last year, said on Saturday it had been selected alongside U.S.-based TOTE Services for the program. Under the agreement, Hanwha Philly Shipyard will construct the vessels, while TOTE Services will oversee shipbuilding management.
The new ships, to be named Golden Defender, will replace the aging Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, which entered service in 1965 and 1970, respectively. The vessels are designed to track missile speed, altitude and flight trajectories during missile tests while collecting telemetry data for the MDA. Delivery of the first vessel is scheduled for 2030.
Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, said the vessels would help restore U.S. maritime dominance while supporting President Donald Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense initiative. According to the shipyard, Vought said the program is valued at about $2 billion.
"The MRIV program is central to the Trump administration's Golden Dome initiative and will strengthen U.S. national security," David Kim, chief executive of Hanwha Philly Shipyard, said in a statement. "We are proud to help build America's next generation of defense capabilities."
Michael Coulter, chief executive of Hanwha Defense USA, said the company was pleased to support a critical U.S. defense mission and would continue advancing the shipyard's capabilities.
The contract was announced during the naming ceremony for the Lone Star State, the fourth National Security Multi-Mission Vessel (NSMV) built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard. The shipyard and TOTE Services are building five NSMVs for the U.S. Maritime Administration, with three vessels already delivered. The Lone Star State is expected to be delivered later this year, while the fifth and final vessel is scheduled for delivery in mid-2027.
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