U.S. military construction in Guam is continuing with several different projects, and Navy officials indicated that they expect to award contracts for at least two sizable works later this year. 

In its latest workload projections updated March 31, Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) Pacific said it expects to award a construction contract for a Guam Defense Radar System Command Center along with a related power generation facility, fuel storage and other infrastructure. The contract’s value is estimated between $250 million and $500 million. 

Construction of the facility will need to meet seismic requirements, according to procurement documents. The contract is also planned to encompass demolition of existing housing units, civil site preparations and other related work. The project is expected to take about three years and seven months to complete. 

Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, called the Guam Defense System “a cornerstone of regional deterrence and a critical component of U.S. [integrated air and missile defense] strategy” while testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee earlier this month.

NAVFAC Pacific also plans to award a contract this year for construction of a joint consolidated communications center at Andersen Air Force Base on Guam. Its value is also estimated between $250 million and $500 million. The project would consolidate various functions into one two-story, reinforced concrete structure. 

Work in Progress

Other work is already underway across different U.S. Dept. of Defense facilities in Guam. The U.S. Marine Corps formally reactivated Base Camp Blaz in 2023. Work building the base’s facilities is overseen by the Officer in Charge of Construction, a temporary command under NAVFAC. The OICC is managing 19 different contractors working on various projects at the base. 

Work also recently started on a $571-million project to repair the Glass Breakwater. The 3-mile-long structure impounds Apra Harbor but was damaged by a typhoon in 2023. The harbor is home to both Naval Base Guam and the Port of Guam. 

NAVFAC officials say rapid coordination and early contractor engagement allowed work to start ahead of schedule. 

“We are focused on stabilizing the structure, ensuring safe operations and maintaining project momentum through disciplined oversight and construction,” said Capt. Troy Brown, commanding officer of NAVFAC Marianas, in a statement.

The project’s contractor is TPC-Nan JV, a joint venture of Tutor Perini Corp. and Nan Inc. Tutor Perini has said its local subsidiary, Black Construction Corp., is executing its share of the work. The work was awarded under an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for the Navy’s Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization Program. 

The first stage of work involves relocating large stones weighing between 10 and 15 tons each from the breakwater’s crest to the most severely damaged sections in order to form a tightly packed temporary barrier. Later work involves installing interlocking concrete armor units each weighing about 42 tons. 

Completion for the Glass Breakwater project is scheduled for 2029.