# 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.

Published 2026-10-12 by TGOs. Canonical: https://tgos.io/news/2026/10/12/hanwhas-philadelphia-shipyard-wins-subcontract-to-build-missile-defense/

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.[1] Just before, TOTE signed its own contract with the Maritime Administration to manage the program's construction.[1] The ships will replace Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, tracking ships built in 1965 and 1970.[1] The first is scheduled for delivery in 2030.[1]

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][2][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]

## Why it matters

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.[4] It says it will soon issue requests for proposal to qualified shipyards.[4]

## Sources

1. 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) <https://www.toteservices.com/article/tote-services-signs-contract-to-manage-construction-of-missile-range-instrumentation-vessels-for-marad-awards-construction-to-hanwha-philly-shipyard/>
2. TOTE Services: TOTE Services & Hanwha Philly Shipyard Selected to Build U.S. Missile Defense Agency's Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels (July 17, 2026) <https://www.toteservices.com/article/tote-services-hanwha-philly-shipyard-selected-to-build-u-s-missile-defense-agencys-missile-range-instrumentation-vessels/>
3. TOTE Services: Vessel Construction Management <https://www.toteservices.com/services/vessel-construction-management/>
4. TOTE Services: Medium Landing Ship (LSM) Program <https://www.toteservices.com/services/vessel-construction-management/landing-ship-medium/>
5. Hanwha Philly Shipyard <https://www.hanwhaphillyshipyard.com/>