Hanwha Group said it is prepared to participate in the construction of nuclear-powered submarines for the US Navy at its shipyard in Philadelphia, as a US-Korea shipbuilding project known as “Make American Shipbuilding Great Again,” or MASGA, begins to take shape.
The remarks came as US President Donald Trump earlier this week mentioned Hanwha Group as a partner in building US Navy’s new class of frigate, recognizing the South Korean shipbuilding and defense conglomerate’s role in Washington’s efforts to revive naval shipbuilding with the support of allies.
On Monday, Hanwha’s US executives outlined progress on the MASGA project and the shipyard’s development plan during a media briefing at Hanwha Philly Shipyard in Pennsylvania, marking one year since the company acquired the facility for $100 million.
MASGA is a Korea-US cooperation project to revitalize the American shipbuilding industry through a $150 billion South Korean government-backed investment fund, formed as part of a broader bilateral trade deal, with Hanwha positioned as a key industrial partner.
Tom Anderson, president of US shipbuilding at Hanwha Defense USA and a retired US Navy rear admiral, told reporters that the company had already began groundwork for nuclear submarine construction. These preparations include workforce expansion, productivity enhancement, facility investments and technology transfers drawing on best practices from South Korean shipyards, he said.
“Hanwha has a clear understanding of what is required to build US nuclear-powered submarines at its Philly Shipyard, and it possess the capabilities to execute the project,” Anderson was quoted as saying by Hanwha Group. “Hanwha Philly Shipyard possesses a key strength in realizing joint nuclear-powered submarine production with our strongest ally, Korea.”
Alex Wong, Hanwha Group’s global chief strategy officer and a former White House deputy national security adviser, said that there is growing consensus within the Trump administration that America must expand shipbuilding capabilities through collaboration with allied nations like South Korea.
“Once each government decides what type of submarines they want to build at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, Hanwha is fully prepared to respond accordingly,” Wong said.
As part of its effort to modernize US Navy’s undersea fleet, the Navy aims to expand Virginia-class nuclear-powered submarines to 66 vessels by 2054. So far 24 have been completed. Meeting this target would require construction of roughly two submarines a year, and Hanwha Philly Shipyard has been cited as a potential production site as the US seeks to increase capacity.
Hanwha has not previously built nuclear-powered submarines, a factor frequently cited as a limitation. Anderson said, however, that Virginia-class submarines utilize a mature and validated design, enabling newcomers to “catch up” and accelerate capability development.
Hanwha stressed that the Philadelphia shipyard is geographically well positioned for the construction of such submarines. It is located near the two US shipyards currently building Virginia submarines: Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport News Shipbuilding in Virginia and General Dynamics Electric Boat in Connecticut, allowing for direct collaboration and efficient transportation of parts and module. The site is also close to the sires of US Naval Reactors organizations and the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program.
Anderson highlighted that the goal was to combine Hanwha’s accumulated shipbuilding expertise with the US Navy’s experience in designing, building and operating nuclear-powered submarines, while leveraging a wider supply network that includes South Korean shipbuilding partners.
“To improve production schedules for submarines built for the US Navy, we will actively utilize the strong supply chains of Korean shipyards,” he said.
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