Hanwha Philly Shipyard and TOTE Services Selected to Build New MDA Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel

Published Jul 19, 11:58 AM UTC

TOTE Services and Hanwha Philly Shipyard have been selected by the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to build the new Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel (MRIV), named 'Golden Defender'. The vessel will replace the aging Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, which have supported missile range instrumentation since the 1960s. TOTE Services will serve as vessel construction manager, and Hanwha Philly Shipyard will build the ship in Philadelphia. The contract was announced by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought at the christening of the NSMV Lone Star State. The MRIV is part of the administration's 'Golden Dome for America' missile defense initiative and reflects a focus on rebuilding the U.S. maritime industrial base. The team will use the same commercially managed VCM model successfully deployed under the NSMV program for MARAD, which has delivered three of five vessels.