Hawai'i's military is receiving at least $243 million in federal stimulus money, an amount that could grow as part of the ongoing effort to jump-start the economy, officials said.

The latest allotment of $59 million, announced on Tuesday, is on top of $184 million previously identified for Hawai'i, and will go toward improvements at Schofield Barracks, Fort Shafter, Wheeler Army Airfield and Pohakuloa Training Area on the Big Island, according to Hawai'i's congressional delegation.

U.S. Sens. Daniel K. Inouye and Daniel K. Akaka issued a joint statement yesterday saying, "As veterans and as lawmakers sensitive to the needs of our armed forces and the needs of Hawai'i, particularly during these tough economic times, we are pleased to announce this round of stimulus funding.

"This stimulus funding will create numerous construction industry jobs that will boost Hawai'i's economy during this difficult time, while repairing and improving facilities our troops use to train before their deployments."

Among 51 Army projects will be the addition of photovoltaic systems at Pohakuloa; termite repairs and youth center and library work at Fort Shafter; roofing and photovoltaic work at Schofield; and hangar window and parking apron repairs at Wheeler.

The Navy and Marine Corps in Hawai'i have been allotted $105.2 million, and the Air Force is receiving $49.6 million as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

A total of $7.4 billion is being provided to the Defense Department largely for projects at defense installations across all 50 states and two territories.

Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawai'i yesterday announced a third contract using the stimulus funding.

A $20.7 million award was made to Bulltrack-Watts, a joint venture out of Marysville, Calif. for runway repairs at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kaua'i. Watts Constructors has a permanent office in Honolulu and hires "much" of its workforce locally, the Navy said.

"The repair of runway 16-34, taxiways 1-19, and aprons have come at a critical time," said Capt. Aaron Cudnohufsky, the commander of PMRF. "The asphalt surfaces are at the end of their 25-year service life, and the repair costs over the past few years for patching and sealing the failing surfaces have significantly increased."

The Navy engineering command awarded its first stimulus funding contract to Healy Tibbitts Builders of 'Aiea on Friday. The $10.6 million contract includes repairs and upgrades to deteriorating wharf Sierra 1 at Pearl Harbor, used to berth submarines.

Denise Emsley, a spokeswoman for Naval Facilities Engineering Command Hawai'i, said the awards were all for "ready to go" projects that were planned for fiscal 2010, but now have been moved up.

A second Navy contract award was made on Monday for $11.3 million to Hawaiian Dredging Construction Co. Inc. out of Honolulu for repairs to Pearl Harbor's Bravo 4 pier and Bravo 5 wharf.

Hawaiian Dredging will renovate the pier superstructure, concrete supporting piles and concrete deck curbing of pier Bravo 4, built in 1928, and wharf Bravo 5, built in 1932.

The work also will include repairs to deteriorating asphalt topping, timber pile fender system, mooring hardware and utilities.