Hanwha will build a Maritime Range Instrumentation Vessel (MRIV) for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) at Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As a core project supporting “Golden Dome,” the next-generation U.S. missile defense system, this is being seen as recognition by the U.S. government of Hanwha’s capability to construct special-purpose vessels for national security. This is the first time since Hanwha acquired Philly Shipyard in 2024 that it has secured a shipbuilding contract from the U.S. federal government.

Hanwha Group announced on the 18th that Philly Shipyard, together with U.S. ship management company TOTE Services, has been selected as MRIV builder. The MRIV is a vessel that tracks trajectories during missile flight tests, remotely collects measurement data, and supports communications and test result analysis. It is expected to be used in the construction of Golden Dome, the global missile defense system envisioned by the United States. Regarding this contract, Hanwha stated, “This has significance in that Philly Shipyard is being elevated by one level to a shipyard that builds vessels related to U.S. national security.”

The U.S. Department of Transportation has announced that it will invest USD 2 billion (about KRW 2.98 trillion) in this project to replace two 50-year-old MRIVs currently operated by the MDA. In addition to the MRIV, Hanwha is also expecting additional orders for National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMVs). Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump stated in a keynote address at the “Defense Innovation Summit” held in Pennsylvania on the 15th (local time) that “NSMV construction orders will be placed with Philly Shipyard,” adding that the total scale of this project is USD 1.5 billion (about KRW 2.23 trillion).

Eom Hyo-sik, Director of Defense Security at the Korea Defense & Security Forum, assessed, “Although this project is different in nature from U.S. Navy combatant programs such as destroyers or logistics support ships, it is meaningful in that, having confirmed its presence in a U.S. government program, a foundation has been laid for moving on to larger projects going forward.”

As Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation accelerates, HD Hyundai is also exploring options for local ship construction in the United States. HD Hyundai announced on the 19th that it had signed a “strategic partnership for cooperation in shipbuilding business” with Kiewit, a U.S. integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) company.

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