DEFENSE BUDGET TO AID REGION.

Byline: Bill Hillburg Washington Bureau

WASHINGTON - Congress has put the finishing touches on a $310 billion defense budget that includes good news for aerospace workers in the Antelope and San Fernando valleys plus improved benefits for military retirees.

The plan, which received final approval late Wednesday and was signed by President Clinton, will deliver billions of dollars of defense contracts and military base improvements to Southern California.

Rep. Howard P. ``Buck'' McKeon, R-Santa Clarita, a member of the House Armed Services Committee, secured $225 million for ongoing development of the joint strike fighter at Edwards Air Force Base.

McKeon also inserted language in the spending bill that requires the Pentagon to study the cost-effectiveness of building the JSF in the Antelope Valley.

Boeing and Lockheed Martin, competing prime contractors on the $760 billion program, the largest defense project in history, have proposed doing final JSF assembly in either St. Louis, Mo., or Fort Worth, Texas.

McKeon, backed by Gov. Gray Davis and other state officials, has argued that the Palmdale-Lancaster area is the logical assembly site, citing existing test and production facilities and the presence of a large, skilled work force.

Production of the JSF, to be deployed by the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, will span 20 years and create an estimated 40,000 jobs.

The budget also provides $82 million to upgrade B-2 bombers at Northrop Grumman's Palmdale plant as well as $25.4 million to refurbish rocket test stands and $28 million for new housing and medical facilities at Edwards Air Force Base.

Key San Fernando Valley projects in the new budget include a $14 million upgrade for Marine H-1 helicopters at Litton Industries in Northridge and $8 million for Navy submarine sonar systems at L3 Communications in Sylmar.

McKeon was a primary author of legislation that will increase benefits for military retirees with 20 years or more of service and their dependents, as well as vets with service-related disabilities.

The measure, known as The Promise Bill, includes lifetime health-care coverage with no copayments or premiums for vets over 65, plus expanded pharmacy services. Disabled vets will receive a new $300-a-month benefit.

``This bill allows Congress to finally fulfill the pledge given to millions of military retirees that they would have lifetime medical coverage in return for their selfless service to the nation,'' McKeon said.

The defense bill also includes a 3.7 percent raise, effective Oct. 1, for all active-duty military personnel, up to $500 per month in assistance for low-income military families and an enhanced bonus program to encourage reenlistment.

Rep. Elton Gallegly, R-Oxnard, secured more than $20 million in improvements for the Navy base at Point Mugu and also gained two new C-130 transport planes for the California Air National Guard.

The giant planes, to be based in Ventura County, will be used to fight brush fires throughout the Southland.

BY THE NUMBERS

Here are some elements of the defense budget:

--$225 million for development of joint strike fighter. Work to be done at Edwards Air Force Base by Boeing and Lockheed Martin.

--$82 million to upgrade B-2 bombers. Work to be done by Northrop Grumman in Palmdale.

--$14 million to upgrade Marine H-1 helicopters. Work to be done at Litton in Northridge.

--$8 million to produce TB-23 Array acoustic senor for Navy submarines. Work to be done at L3 Communications in Sylmar.

--$3 million for Miniature Air Launch Decoy. Work to be done by Northrop Grumman in Palmdale.

--$12 million for Global Hawk, Air Force unmanned surveillance aircraft. Work to be done at Northrop Grumman in Palmdale.

--$4 million to support Angel Gate Academy, a program for at-risk Los Angeles middle schoolers at the California National Guard's Camp San Luis Obispo.

--$25.4 million to rebuild and update rocket test stands at Edwards Air Force Base.

--$28 million for military housing and medical facilities at Edwards Air Force Base.

--$3 million from Department of Defense to clean up perchlorate pollution at the the Porta Bella property in Santa Clarita, former site of a munitions plant.

--$208 million for two new C-130 Air National Guard tanker transports, to be based in Ventura County and used to fight wildfires.

--$23 million to upgrade Navy EA-6B Prowler jets, work to be done at Point Mugu by Northrop Grumman.

--$12 million to purchase Shortstop Electronic Protection System, which explodes incoming enemy missiles and artillery shells, from Condor Systems Inc. of Simi Valley.

--$10.2 million for new combat engineering facility at Point Mugu Navy Base.

--$12.6 million to renovate Navy Range Operations Center at Point Mugu.

--Pentagon is required to conduct a study on best site for assembling joint strike fighter, including Air Force Plant 42 in Palmdale. The value of the contract is estimated at $760 billion.

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Box: BY THE NUMBERS (See text)