TOTE Services Picks Hanwha Defense USA for $269 Million US Navy Landing Ship
The first ship of the US Navy's medium landing ship program will be built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard under the Vessel Construction Manager model, with an option for three more.
TOTE Services, the US Navy's Vessel Construction Manager, has selected Hanwha Defense USA to build the first medium landing ship (LSM) of the program under a $269 million contract awarded on October 30. Construction is scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of 2027 at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Philadelphia, and the award includes options for three additional vessels within a fleet plan of 35 ships.
The release highlights the speed of the Vessel Construction Manager model: the request for proposals was issued in July 2026 and the contract followed roughly three and a half months later. The approach places a single accountable commercial manager over design and construction while standardizing fleet configuration — a contracting pattern that navies and defense ministries in other countries, including Indonesia, are watching as they seek to shorten procurement cycles.