Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha Philly Shipyard are set to participate in the U.S. Navy’s next-generation logistics support ship design project.
This groundbreaking collaboration marks the first time a Korean company will execute a U.S. Navy vessel project based at a local shipyard since the launch of Make American Shipbuilding Great Again (MASGA), the Korea-U.S. shipbuilding cooperation initiative.
On Monday, Hanwha Shipbuilding Lizzo and Hanwha Defense USA revealed they have inked a cooperation agreement with VARD, a renowned vessel and special ship design firm, for the concept design of the Navy’s next-generation logistics support ship (NGLS).
The two Hanwha entities will work closely with VARD, the project’s primary contractor, to conduct comprehensive market research and spearhead the concept design and enhancement efforts for the NGLS platform.
Their scope of work includes assessing production feasibility, implementing commercial shipbuilding techniques, analyzing production costs, and exploring options for functional design planning and specialized research.
The NGLS represents a new era in naval logistics, featuring a compact platform designed to provide fuel and supplies both at sea and on land, with rearming capabilities. This innovative project aims to boost cost-efficiency through the application of proven commercial technologies, with the concept design phase slated for completion by Q1 2027.
This contract marks Hanwha’s debut in U.S. Navy vessel projects following its acquisition of the shipyard in December 2024. Since then, Hanwha Group has poured over 200 million USD into bolstering production capacity and expanding its local workforce.
Industry experts anticipate that this contract will catalyze Hanwha’s expansion in the U.S. shipbuilding and defense sectors. The Congressional Research Service (CRS) projects that the U.S. Navy’s annual expenditure on new vessel construction could average a staggering 35.8 billion USD in the coming years.
Tom Anderson, who heads the shipbuilding division at Hanwha Defense USA, expressed enthusiasm about the project: This represents a pivotal opportunity for them to leverage Hanwha’s shipbuilding expertise in crafting vessels that meet the U.S. Navy’s needs, supporting the military personnel across diverse maritime operational environments.
Hanwha Defense USA, a subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace based in Arlington, Virginia, oversees the development and implementation of defense projects spanning land, sea, and air domains in the U.S.