Contracts · New entrant
Hanwha's Philadelphia shipyard wins subcontract to build Missile Defense Agency tracking ship
The work reaches the Hanwha-owned yard through the Transportation Department's Maritime Administration. TOTE Services, which manages the build, did not disclose the subcontract's value.
TOTE Services executed a shipyard subcontract with Hanwha Philly Shipyard on Wednesday, Oct. 7, to build the first of a planned series of Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (MRIVs) for the Missile Defense Agency. Just before, TOTE signed its own contract with the Maritime Administration to manage the program's construction. The ships will replace Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, tracking ships built in 1965 and 1970. The first is scheduled for delivery in 2030.1
TOTE executed a shipyard subcontract with Hanwha Philly Shipyard to construct the first MRIV
The ship will be the first in a planned series of vessels for the Missile Defense Agency
The MRIV has the same hull design as the NSMV and 70% overall commonality with it
The first MRIV is scheduled for delivery in 2030
Source: TOTE Services releases, July 17 and Oct. 7, 2026; Hanwha Philly Shipyard website. Data as of Oct. 12, 2026.
Hanwha Systems and Hanwha Ocean, part of South Korea's Hanwha group, bought the yard in December 2024.5 The agency's ship reaches it through the Transportation Department: the program runs under an existing Maritime Administration (MARAD) contract vehicle with TOTE, as an interagency effort with the Department of War.1 The yard already builds MARAD's National Security Multi-Mission Vessels, training ships for future mariners, under TOTE's management.1–3 The MRIV keeps that hull design, with 70% overall commonality, and will use the same production line and workforce.1
Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought announced the award in July at a Philadelphia christening, calling the ship Golden Defender. He said it would support the President's Golden Dome missile defense system.2 TOTE says it has since finalized terms, advanced the design and secured firm fixed pricing in less than three months.1 Hanwha Defense USA Chief Executive Michael Coulter said in July that the yard is "continuing to evolve in complexity" as Hanwha pursues its "ambition to become a premier U.S. shipbuilder."2
The arrangement that placed the MRIV at Hanwha's yard, a vessel construction manager holding the government contract and subcontracting the shipyard, is also how the Navy's Medium Landing Ship program will work.1, 4 There, TOTE will hold the prime contract with the Navy and manage shipyard subcontracts directly. It says it will soon issue requests for proposal to qualified shipyards.4
Sources (5)
- TOTE Services: TOTE Services Signs Contract to Manage Construction of Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels for MARAD; Awards Construction to Hanwha Philly Shipyard (Oct. 7, 2026) www.toteservices.com
- TOTE Services: TOTE Services & Hanwha Philly Shipyard Selected to Build U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (July 17, 2026) www.toteservices.com
- TOTE Services: Vessel Construction Management www.toteservices.com
- TOTE Services: Medium Landing Ship (LSM) Program www.toteservices.com
- Hanwha Philly Shipyard www.hanwhaphillyshipyard.com