HDUSA, Hanwha Philly Shipyard secure first US Navy project

Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) and Hanwha Philly Shipyard, both subsidiaries of South Korea’s Hanwha Group, have secured their first project from the US Navy.

The entities will serve as subcontractors to Vard Marine US (VARD) for the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) programme, also known as the light replenishment oiler (T-AOL), Hanwha said.

Under the terms of the contract, Hanwha will collaborate with VARD to conduct a market survey and deliver concept design and refinement work on the NGLS platform.

The company will also provide support for manufacturability, commercial shipbuilding methods, and production cost evaluations.

The contract includes options for additional tasks such as functional design planning and specialised studies. It also marks HDUSA’s initial US Navy contract since its formation and since Hanwha’s acquisition of the Philly Shipyard.

Hanwha Defense USA shipbuilding president Tom Anderson said: “Hanwha is proud to partner with VARD in the design and integration of the Next Generation Logistics Ship for the US Navy.

“This award represents an important step in our ability to leverage our world-class shipbuilding expertise in building the ships the Navy needs to support our servicemembers deployed in contested maritime domains.”

VARD was awarded a contract for participation in the NGLS programme on 30 March 2026.

Under this agreement, VARD will undertake a foreign and domestic market study within two months of award to evaluate available designs against NGLS requirements.

Following this phase, VARD will select and further develop one design through several iterations to meet baseline specifications.

To carry out aspects of vessel integration, VARD has partnered with Siemens Energy for propulsion and electrical equipment.

Acumen Aerospace and Defense Advisors will act as consultants during the project.

Vard Marine US president Darren Truelock said: “Our team is committed to delivering an NGLS design foundation that advances the Navy’s replenishment capabilities through a refined, cost-effective, and operationally superior platform.

“We remain steadfast in our dedication to providing the US Navy and the American people with solutions that uphold both fiscal responsibility and national readiness.”

The NGLS programme is intended to deliver afloat or ashore refuelling, resupply, and rearmament capabilities on a smaller platform by using commercially available, established technologies rather than new developments.

The programme will procure a new fleet of 13 at-sea resupply vessels for the Navy, with the fiscal 2026 budget submission indicating that the first T-AOL is planned for procurement in fiscal 2028.