The U.S. Coast Guard has awarded Whiting-Turner Contracting Co. a $69 million design-build contract to construct two new hangars and supporting facilities at Air Station Barbers Point in Kapolei, Hawai’i, according to a Sept. 16 announcement.
The Baltimore-based contractor will be responsible for delivering two fully enclosed membrane tension hangars designed to house and service the base’s HC-130J Super Hercules long-range search-and-rescue aircraft. Each aircraft spans about 133 feet, and the current facilities at Barbers Point are only capable of partially sheltering one plane at a time. This has left the fleet vulnerable to the harsh saltwater environment, accelerating wear and corrosion.
The Coast Guard emphasized that the new hangars will provide critical weather protection and long-term aircraft preservation, while also enhancing maintenance efficiency. Beyond protecting the Super Hercules fleet, the project will directly support the Coast Guard’s heavy airlift missions and long-range maritime patrol operations across the vast 12.2 million-square-mile Oceania District.
Additional scope of work includes construction of aircraft maintenance shops, an aviation materials office, personnel office space, locker rooms, and load cages near the hangars, according to the Coast Guard.
Construction is slated to begin in 2026, with completion expected by early 2028. The project is being managed by the Facilities Design & Construction Center, part of the Coast Guard Program Executive Office Shore, which oversees major facility modernization and recapitalization efforts.
This award builds on Whiting-Turner’s growing portfolio of military and federal work. Recently, the company secured a contract worth up to $137 million to modernize the Coast Guard’s base in Seattle, which includes widening berths, upgrading marine infrastructure, and demolishing outdated facilities.
By winning the Hawai’i hangar project, Whiting-Turner continues to strengthen its position as a trusted contractor for mission-critical federal projects in strategic coastal and maritime locations.
Originally reported by Matthew Thibault in Construction Dive.
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