WASHINGTON, D.C.-- The U.S. Senate today approved a continuing resolution that includes the fiscal year 2009 Defense Appropriations Bill with funding for Bath Iron Works, the University of Maine, Saco Defense, Pratt & Whitney, and other Maine companies, according to the office of Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine.

The bill appropriates $1.5 billion for the first year of funding for the third DDG-1000 destroyer, anticipating that an additional $1 billion will be provided in fiscal year 2010. The bill also includes $200 million in advanced procurement for funding to preserve the option to restart the DDG-51 destroyer program.

In addition, $100 million was added for Littoral Combat Ships (LCS) for a total of $1.02 billion and an additional $200 million for DDG-51 modernization to extend the service life of these important surface combatants. One of the two LCS variants is being designed and built by a Bath Iron Works-led team.

The Senate also appropriated a 3.9 percent across-the-board pay increase for service members, 0.5 percent above the president's budget request.

Other funding:

•$6.8 billion for continued development of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), including the continued development of the F135 engine. Pratt & Whitney builds the F135 engine for the JSF with work performed at the Pratt & Whitney North Berwick facility and other plants.

•$6.4 million for the University of Maine. The authorized funding will support continued research and development of lightweight modular ballistic tent insert panels designed by the University of Maine's Army Center of Excellence in Orono.

•$2.91 billion for procurement of the F-22A Raptor as well as an additional $523 million that may be used for additional advanced procurement. Pratt & Whitney builds the F119 engine for the F-22A with work performed in part at the Pratt & Whitney North Berwick facility.
•$554.8 million for C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, the engines of which are built by Pratt & Whitney plants, including the Pratt & Whitney North Berwick facility.

•$99.9 million for M2HB .50 Caliber Machine Guns and $17.3 million for MK19 MOD 3 40mm Grenade Launchers, $8 million for the new lightweight .50 Caliber LW50MG Machine Guns, and $3.6 million MK47 Mod 0 Striker40 Grenade Launchers both of which are manufactured at Saco Defense in Saco.

•$5 million for the Maine Army National Guard to field the Rapid Data Management System, developed by Global Relief Technologies in Kennebunk and Orono, Maine and in Portsmouth, New Hampshire in support of critical medevac operations in Iraq.

•$2 million for continued development of the autonomous SKYBUS "Lighter-Than-Air" Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technology, which has a variety of surveillance and communications applications for defense and homeland security purposes, by the Telford Group, Inc. in Bangor.

•$2 million to optimize the Mark V.1 "MAKO" for improved signature and weight performance. The Mark V.1 was developed by Maine Marine Manufacturing in Portland, the University of Maine in Orono, and Hodgdon Yachts in East Boothbay as part of the Mark V replacement patrol boat program to meet the U.S. Special Operations Command's requirement for a high-speed Medium-Range Endurance Craft.

• $1.6 million to develop software which will secure content delivery and provide host authentication both of which are of critical importance to protect the Department of Defense's technological edge. This software will be developed by ANGEL Secure Networks, Inc. in Orono, Maine.

•$1.6 million to enable technology to be rapidly configured and deployed on Navy Special Warfare craft. This funding will support a broad range of applications allowing the Commanders to tailor the system for Special Warfare Operators and their associated special equipment. This technology is being developed by Technology Systems, Inc. in Brunswick, Maine.

•$1.6 million to develop and demonstrate the production capabilities of the DiscoTexTM discontinuous fabric technology for aerospace composite materials and structures. This technology, which was developed by Pepin Associates, Inc. in Greenville, has a variety of applications for military and civilian aircraft platforms.

•$1.6 million to provide the Department of Defense with a tool which will provide heading/compass information from a non-magnetic source, as a back-up system for the Global Positioning System (GPS). This technology is being developed by CrossRate Technologies, LLC in Standish, Maine.

•$1.6 million for continued research and development of high powered density propulsion engines that are being developed by Applied Thermal Sciences, Inc. in Sanford.

•$1.2 million to weaponize the Ripsaw Unmanned Ground Vehicle platform designed by Howe & Howe Technologies, Inc. in North Berwick.

•$1.2 million to continue development of a chemical and biological infrared detection system designed by Orono Spectral Solutions in Orono.

•$1 million for the development of a mobile valve and flex hose maintenance program will identify all valves and flex hoses onboard Navy ships in order to reduce life cycle costs.

• $800,000 to complete development of a prototype "Smart Valve," which Portland Valve, LLC in South Portland has designed to replace bleed air regulating, control, and relief valves on naval ships.