Next-gen missile-tracking ship soon to be built in US; boost defense power, battle superiority

The United States is soon to get a new generation of missile-tracking ships. For this, TOTE Services and Hanwha Philly Shipyard have finalized an agreement. The companies will build a new Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel (MRIV) for the United States. The development marks an important step in the modernization of the country’s missile-tracking and testing capabilities.

“Signing the Missile Range Instrumentation Vessel contract and executing the shipyard subcontract brings us closer to delivering the next generation of U.S. defense capability,” said Jeff Dixon, President of TOTE Services.

“Our proven Vessel Construction Management model means we’re hitting the milestones sooner and making meaningful progress faster.”

TOTE Services will manage the vessel’s construction

Under the agreement, TOTE Services will manage the vessel’s construction on behalf of the U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), while Hanwha Philly Shipyard will undertake the shipbuilding work. The first vessel, named Golden Defender, is scheduled for delivery in 2030.

The contract follows the U.S. government’s plans to replace its ageing missile range instrumentation vessels, which play a critical role in supporting missile tests, collecting tracking data and strengthening national defense capabilities.

The new vessel will replace the Pacific Tracker and Pacific Collector, two ships that have supported U.S. missile testing and tracking operations for decades. Built in 1965 and 1970, respectively, the vessels are approaching the limits of their service lives.

Capable of supporting increasingly sophisticated missile testing

The replacement programme is intended to provide the United States with modern maritime platforms capable of supporting increasingly sophisticated missile testing and defense requirements.

Missile Range Instrumentation Vessels are specialized ships designed to collect and relay technical information during missile tests. Their tracking systems and instrumentation help monitor missile trajectories and generate data required to evaluate performance. Such capabilities are particularly important when testing systems over long distances or in areas where land-based infrastructure cannot provide sufficient coverage.

The MRIV design is based on the National Security Multi-Mission Vessels (NSMV), which have been built at HPSI under TOTE Services’ management. The MRIV has the same hull design and an overall 70% commonality with the proven NSMV design – reducing construction risk to enable a faster, more reliable construction process, according to a press release.

The VCM approach offers advantages over traditional government acquisition strategies, reducing acquisition costs by at least 50%. By defining requirements upfront and approving change orders quickly, the model improves schedule certainty and ensures vessels are mission-ready when they are delivered.

“As a Florida-based maritime company, TOTE Services has a proven record of supporting critical government vessel programs and strengthening our nation’s maritime capabilities,” said Rep. John Rutherford (FL-05).

“Its partnership with Hanwha Philly Shipyard on this Missile Defense Agency project demonstrates how the Vessel Construction Management model can efficiently deliver assets that enhance America’s security and military readiness.”

HPSI will build the MRIV using the active production line, existing supply chain, and skilled workforce already in place from the NSMV program. The NSMV program transformed the shipyard from a dormant yard with a few dozen workers into a national security asset that now employs more than 2,000 production workers. The MRIV contract builds directly on that momentum, bringing new defense construction work to the yard and positioning it for continued growth as the nation rebuilds its shipbuilding capacity.

“Hanwha Philly Shipyard’s workforce continues to demonstrate why Philadelphia remains one of the nation’s premier shipbuilding centers, with Hanwha and TOTE Services bringing valuable maritime expertise to the project,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-05). “Together, they are creating skilled union jobs, investing billions into our regional economy, and helping deliver capabilities that strengthen our national defense.”

Source: https://interestingengineering.com/military/next-gen-missile-tracking-ship