Hanwha Defense USA and Hanwha Philly Shipyard have been awarded their first U.S. Navy subcontract, the companies announced Monday. The award comes as part of the Next Generation Logistics Ship (NGLS) program, also known as the light replenishment oiler (T-AOL), with Hanwha serving as a subcontractor to prime contractor Vard Marine US Inc.
The contract marks a milestone for Hanwha Defense USA, which has not previously held a U.S. Navy contract since its establishment or since Hanwha's acquisition of the Philadelphia shipyard. The company has invested more than $200 million in the Philly Shipyard since December 2024, directed toward upgrading its workforce, capabilities, and capacity.
Under the terms of the subcontract, Hanwha will work alongside Vard on a market survey and concept design and refinement for the NGLS platform. The company will also provide support on manufacturability, commercial construction practices, and production cost evaluation. The contract includes options for functional design planning and special studies.
The NGLS is intended to provide sustained refueling, resupply, and rearming capabilities — either afloat or ashore — using a smaller platform built around commercially available, non-developmental, and proven technologies. The NGLS program envisions a new class of ships designed to augment the existing Combat Logistics Force, operating across global maritime domains to sustain both Navy and Marine Corps requirements. Unlike current Combat Logistics Force vessels, the NGLS is conceived as a single, smaller ship type capable of simultaneously providing refueling, rearming, and resupply functions in support of Distributed Maritime Operations, Littoral Operations in Contested Environments, and Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations.
"Hanwha is proud to partner with VARD in the design and integration of the Next Generation Logistics Ship for the U.S. Navy," said Tom Anderson, president of shipbuilding at Hanwha Defense USA. "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."
Darren Truelock, president of Vard Marine US, said, "Vard Marine US is proud to continue our partnership with the United States Navy in support of this critical mission. 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 U.S. Navy and the American people with solutions that uphold both fiscal responsibility and national readiness."
