Navy flexes new acquisition muscles with TOTE’s $269M LSM award to Hanwha

Image of a medium landing ship, from a Congressional Budget Office report. (CBO)

WASHINGTON — Maritime company TOTE Services has selected Hanwha Defense USA (HDUSA) for the Navy and Marine Corps’ Landing Ship Medium (LSM) program, the company announced today, in the first-ever award under a new setup for Navy acquisition.

The award, worth $269 million for one LSM vessel built at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, marks the first shipyard selection from TOTE Services as the vessel construction manager of the LSM program for the Navy. The contract also includes options for up to three additional vessels.

“Since acquiring Philly Shipyard in 2024, Hanwha has made significant investments in its workforce and technology to pave the way to build ships for the U.S. Navy and other federal customers,” HDUSA President and CEO Michael Coulter said in a statement today. “PAE (Portfolio Acquisition Executive) Maritime has made it clear this program is a priority for the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, and Hanwha looks forward to working with TOTE Services to ensure an on-time and on-budget delivery.”

The VCM model is common in commercial shipbuilding, but is a new one for Navy shipbuilding. The Navy announced in July that TOTE would serve as the service’s first VCM, as part of a $2.2 billion contract award the Navy said aimed to “maximize commercial practices to accelerate delivery, improve cost discipline, and expand the U.S. shipbuilding industrial base.”

According to the Navy, the VCM serves as the prime contractor and therefore carries direct contractual oversight of construction and delivery for the LSM. Hanwha’s selection comes after TOTE had put out a request for proposals in July.

Prior to the Navy selecting TOTE Services as VCM for the LSM, the service had tapped Bollinger Shipyards to construct the initial LSM and awarded a contract to Fincantieri Marinette Marine for long-lead time materials for another four vessels. TOTE said today that it’s engaged in “productive contract discussions” with both these shipyards, and that they are still “expected to play a meaningful role in building the LSM fleet,” according to a news release.

“This award shows the speed at which the VCM model can move from RFP to contract,” Jeff Dixon, president of TOTE Services, said in a statement today. “Through a competitive process, we secured strong terms that benefit the government, along with build positions that allow construction to start in the fourth quarter of 2027.”

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The Navy and Marine Corps revealed in December 2025 that the foundation for the LSM program was derived from a ship design from Dutch shipbuilder Damen. The ship aims to haul Marines and their equipment through island chains in the Indo-Pacific region.

While the Navy said in July that the first LSM was slated for delivery in 2029, TOTE’s announcement today claims the first vessel’s delivery is now expected in 2030.

TOTE is familiar with the VCM model and is also the VCM for the National Security Multi-Mission Vessel program for the US Maritime Administration. Hanwha also builds those vessels.

Ownership Stakes At Philly

Today’s news comes days after Hanwha Defense USA unveiled plans to acquire a controlling stake in Hanwha Philly Shipyard, which Hanwha had purchased in December 2024.

Currently, Hanwha Systems has a 60 percent stake, with Hanwha Ocean holding the remaining 40 percent, according to a news release from Tuesday. It was not clear from the release how much of a percentage Hanwha Defense would actually have, but it is apparently large enough that the yard will now operate under the leadership of the Korean-giant’s defense arm, with Tom Anderson, a retired US Navy rear admiral, overseeing the shipyard.

“As Hanwha Defense USA continues to grow its multi-domain presence across the U.S., bringing the Philly Shipyard under HDUSA will further align our government and commercial shipbuilding efforts,” said Coulter in a statement. “We look forward to continuing to invest in our Philly Shipyard facilities and workforce in preparation for exciting work ahead.”

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图片为一艘中型登陆舰，出自美国国会预算办公室（CBO）的报告。

华盛顿——海事公司 TOTE Services 今天宣布，已选择韩华防务美国公司 (HDUSA) 承建海军和海军陆战队的中型登陆舰 (LSM) 项目，这是海军采购新体制下的首个授标项目。

这份价值2.69亿美元的合同将用于在韩华费城造船厂建造一艘LSM舰艇，标志着TOTE Services公司首次被选中担任海军LSM项目的舰艇建造管理方。合同还包含最多增建三艘舰艇的选项。

“自2024年收购费城造船厂以来，韩华已对其员工队伍和技术进行了大量投资，为向美国海军和其他联邦客户建造舰艇铺平了道路，”HDUSA总裁兼首席执行官迈克尔·库尔特今天在一份声明中表示。“PAE（投资组合收购执行机构）海事部门已明确表示，该项目是美国海军和海军陆战队的优先事项，韩华期待与TOTE Services合作，确保按时按预算交付。”

VCM模式在商业造船业中很常见，但对海军造船业来说却是全新的。海军在7月份宣布，TOTE将作为该军种的首个VCM项目，这是海军授予的22亿美元合同的一部分。海军表示，该合同旨在“最大限度地利用商业实践来加快交付速度、提高成本控制水平并扩大美国造船工业基础”。

据海军方面称，VCM公司是主承包商，因此对登陆舰的建造和交付负有直接的合同监督责任。韩华公司是在TOTE公司7月份发布招标书后被选中的。

在海军选定TOTE Services作为LSM的VCM之前，海军曾委托Bollinger Shipyards建造首艘LSM，并与Fincantieri Marinette Marine签订合同，采购另外四艘舰艇的长周期材料。TOTE今天在一份新闻稿中表示，公司正与这两家船厂进行“富有成效的合同谈判”，并且预计它们仍将在LSM舰队的建设中“发挥重要作用”。

TOTE Services总裁杰夫·迪克森今天在一份声明中表示：“此次中标表明，VCM模式能够迅速从招标阶段过渡到合同签订阶段。通过竞争性流程，我们为政府争取到了有利的条款，以及能够确保项目在2027年第四季度开工建设的建设位置。”

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致力于实现长期运营价值。

美国海军和海军陆战队于2025年12月透露，LSM（登陆舰）项目的基础设计源自荷兰达门造船厂的一款舰艇。该舰旨在将海军陆战队员及其装备运送至印太地区的岛链。

虽然海军在 7 月份表示，第一艘 LSM 计划于 2029 年交付，但 TOTE 今天宣布，第一艘舰艇的交付时间现在预计将在 2030 年。

TOTE公司熟悉VCM模型，同时也是美国海事管理局国家安全多用途船舶项目的VCM供应商。韩华公司也负责建造这些船舶。

费城的所有权股份

就在韩华防务美国公司宣布计划收购韩华费城造船厂控股权几天后，传出了今天的消息。韩华于 2024 年 12 月收购了韩华费城造船厂。

根据周二发布的新闻稿，目前韩华系统持有该船厂60%的股份，韩华海洋持有剩余的40%。新闻稿并未明确韩华防务的实际持股比例，但显然规模相当可观，该船厂将由这家韩国巨头旗下的防务部门负责运营，并由美国海军退役少将汤姆·安德森（Tom Anderson）担任船厂主管。

“随着韩华防务美国公司（Hanwha Defense USA）在美国不断扩大其多领域业务，将费城造船厂纳入HDUSA旗下将进一步协调我们面向政府和商业领域的造船业务，”库尔特在一份声明中表示。“我们期待继续投资费城造船厂的设施和员工队伍，为未来激动人心的工作做好准备。”

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