House passes defense funding act, to help vital 25th District military programs

Congressman Steve Knight shakes the hands of students as they exit a forum at College of the Canyons on Monday, March 13, 2017. Katharine Lotze/The Signal
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The House of Representatives passed an annual bill Thursday for national defense funding that funds military programs throughout the 25th Congressional District.

Rep. Steve Knight, R-Palmdale, said many of these programs in the Antelope, Simi and Santa Clarita Valleys strengthened the military and boosted the local economy.

“Santa Clarita is home to many small businesses who serve as subcontractors to produce crucial parts and components for a variety of Department of Defense programs,” he said. “While the final planes and completed systems may not be rolling off the assembly floor here, the local industry plays an equally important role in the production and supply chain for these projects.”

Programs that Knight support include:

  • Additional F-35 aircrafts, known as “stealth strike-fighter aircrafts”
  • B-21 Raiders, which modernize bomber fleets
  • RQ-4 Global Hawk & MQ-4 Triton, platforms that enhance the military’s ability to maintain constant surveillance and situational awareness of battlespace
  • Hypersonics weapons programs, which develop missiles that travel at high speeds
  • F-15 Eagle Passive Active Warning and Survivability System, which ensures the aircraft’s survivability on the modern battlefield
  • ASARS-2B upgrades, which provide warfighters with additional capabilities to meet current and future operational requirements while also reducing risk associated with future radar upgrades

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