Hanwha Philly Shipyard Secures $2 Billion Pentagon Contract to Construct Two Missile-Monitoring Ships
Summary
Hanwha Philly Shipyard has been awarded a $2 billion contract by the Pentagon to construct two Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (MRIVs), as announced by White House Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought. The announcement was made during the christening ceremony of the Department of Transportation's fourth national security multi-mission vessel, the Lone Star State, which will serve Texas A&M Maritime Academy for training merchant mariners. The two new MRIVs are intended to replace the aging Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, vessels originally built in 1965 and 1970, which currently monitor and collect ballistic missile test data in the Pacific Ocean on behalf of the Missile Defense Agency. TOTE Services, which previously collaborated with Hanwha on the NSMV program, will serve as vessel construction manager for the new ships. The first vessel, named the "Golden Defender," is expected to be delivered in June 2030 and will also provide support for President Trump's proposed Golden Dome missile defense system.
Key Takeaways
- 1. Hanwha Philly Shipyard, a subsidiary of South Korea's Hanwha Group, has been awarded a $2 billion contract to build two new missile-tracking vessels for the Pentagon
- 2. The new MRIVs will replace the outdated Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, which have been in service since 1965 and 1970 respectively
- 3. TOTE Services will serve as vessel construction manager, continuing their partnership with Hanwha following successful delivery of national security multi-mission vessels
- 4. The first ship, dubbed the "Golden Defender," is scheduled for delivery in June 2030 and will support President Trump's Golden Dome missile defense initiative
- 5. The vessels will serve the Missile Defense Agency by monitoring and collecting critical data on ballistic missile tests conducted in the Pacific Ocean