Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA), a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace, is selected to build a landing ship medium (LSM) for the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Multiple outlets say HDUSA has been chosen by TOTE Services, which manages vessel construction for the Navy. The contract value reported across coverage is $269 million, and it includes options for three additional LSMs.

Outlets describe the work as HDUSA’s first U.S. Navy shipbuilding order following its 2024 acquisition of Philadelphia-based Philly Shipyard. The shipbuilder says construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027 (with some reporting referencing the following year), at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia. The LSM is described as an expeditionary landing vessel intended to support Marine Corps operations in contested coastal areas, including the Indo-Pacific.

Some coverage also provides additional context on HDUSA’s broader U.S. shipbuilding footprint, noting that HDUSA plans internal restructuring to take a controlling stake in Philly Shipyard as part of efforts to position the facility for both government and commercial shipbuilding.