Hanwha's Philly Shipyard has secured a contract worth approximately 3 trillion won ($2.1bn) to construct two missile-tracking vessels for the US government. The deal, signed in July 2025, marks the company's entry into one of America's most strategically significant defence initiatives: the Golden Dome missile-defence system.
Missile-tracking vessels are specialised maritime platforms designed to detect and track ballistic missiles and other aerial threats. Golden Dome is Washington's sweeping national missile-defence concept, aimed at building a multi-layered interception network capable of shielding the entire continental United States.
Since acquiring Philly Shipyard, Hanwha has steadily expanded its footprint in American naval construction. This latest contract is the largest the South Korean defence-and-industrial conglomerate has won in the US defence market to date.
Philly Shipyard, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was acquired by Hanwha Group and has since built a track record in the construction and maintenance of US Navy vessels. The shipyard's growing role in American naval programmes underscores South Korea's broader ambitions to become a major supplier to Western defence customers.