Hanwha Philly Shipyard awarded contract to build missile range instrumentation vessel Golden Defender

Hanwha Philly Shipyard will construct a missile range instrumentation vessel named Golden Defender to support the Pentagon’s Golden Dome missile shield system. Russell Vought, head of the Office of Management and Budget, made the announcement during a visit to the shipyard to christen the Lone Star State NSMV.

Vought said the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel design possessed a range of applications beyond training ships at state maritime academies.

“It is thus my honor to announce the awarding of a contract to build the missile range instrumentation vessel Golden Defender right here in Philadelphia under the combined management of Hanwha Philly and TOTE Services as the vessel construction manager,” he said.

” Missile range instrumentation vessels track missile launches and monitor foreign weapons tests. Golden Dome is President Donald Trump’s project that aims to use traditional air defenses and space-based interceptors to protect the nation from any airborne threat.

The ship will be built on the same production line that currently constructs National Security Multi-Mission Vessels. The announcement follows President Trump and Sen. Dave McCormick’s Wednesday disclosure at the Defense Innovation Summit that Hanwha’s Philly Shipyard would build two additional NSMVs.

The Missile Defense Agency did not immediately respond to a request for comment.