Hanwha Philippines Shipyard and Defense USA Join First US Navy Next-Generation Logistics Support Ship Project (Comprehensive)

Hanwha Accelerates Expansion into US Shipbuilding and Defense Industries
First Case of a Korean Company Participating via a Local American Shipyard
"We Will Strengthen the Production Capabilities of the Philippines Shipyard"

Hanwha Philippines Shipyard and Hanwha Defense USA will participate in the design project for the next-generation logistics support ship for the United States. This marks the first case since the launch of the MASGA (Make American Shipbuilding Great Again) project in which a Korean company undertakes a US Navy shipbuilding project based on a local American shipyard.

On March 30 (local time), Hanwha Philippines Shipyard and Hanwha Defense USA announced that they had signed a cooperative agreement with VARD, a ship and specialized vessel design company, for the conceptual design project of the US Navy's Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS). Hanwha Defense USA is a subsidiary of Hanwha Aerospace, based in Arlington, Virginia, and is responsible for the development and execution of US defense business operations across land, sea, and air.

Hanwha Philico Shipyard exterior. Hanwha

The two companies plan to work with VARD, the main contractor for the next-generation logistics support ship conceptual design project, to conduct market research and carry out conceptual design and improvement tasks for the new platform. They will also support production feasibility, application of commercial shipbuilding methods, and production cost analysis. The agreement includes options for functional design planning and conducting specialized research.

The next-generation logistics support ships are small platforms designed to provide refueling, resupply, and rearming services at sea and on land. According to foreign media reports, these are small maneuverable vessels that supply fuel, weapons, and other materials to combat ships. The use of proven commercial technologies ensures high cost-efficiency. The project is expected to be completed in the first quarter of 2027.

With this contract, Hanwha has secured its first US Navy project since acquiring the Philippines shipyard. Since the launch of Hanwha Philippines Shipyard in December 2024, Hanwha Group has invested over 200 million dollars to strengthen production capabilities and expand local workforce.

There are also assessments that this contract marks the beginning of Hanwha Group's full-scale expansion into the US shipbuilding and defense industries. According to the Congressional Research Service's January report, "Navy Force Structure and Shipbuilding Plans: Background and Issues for Congress," the annual cost of building new US Navy vessels is projected to reach 35.8 billion dollars on average in the coming years.

Tom Anderson, Head of Shipbuilding at Hanwha Defense USA, stated, "Hanwha is proud to participate in the design process for the US Navy's next-generation logistics support ships in cooperation with VARD," adding, "This contract is a significant step that will allow Hanwha to leverage its world-class shipbuilding capabilities in constructing the vessels required by the US Navy to support service members deployed in diverse maritime operational environments."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.