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WASHINGTON — The Bush administration will ask Congress to let the U.S. military spend $104.2 billion on weapons in fiscal 2009, an increase of 5.3 percent over the amount approved this fiscal year, according to Defense Department documents.

The proposal includes money for planes produced by Lockheed Martin Corp., trucks built by General Dynamics Corp. and BAE Systems Plc, a new family of armored vehicles built by Boeing Co. and missile-defense systems made by Raytheon Co. and others.

Fiscal year 2009 begins this Oct. 1.

The Pentagon's overall budget — not counting $70 billion more for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan — totals $515.4 billion and would be the 11th straight year of increase.

This "has been a remarkable period of sustained growth" — one not seen since World War II, said Steven Kosiak, vice president of budget studies for the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington.

The fiscal 2010-2013 defense plan presented last year anticipated minimal growth, with defense spending declining when adjusted for inflation, he said.

"A new administration could change things," but it would "be very tough to continue with anything like the significant increases" seen "over the past seven years or so, given growing concerns about the size of the federal deficit and other budgetary pressures," Kosiak said.

The Pentagon's $515.4 billion base budget doesn't include $21 billion for the Department of Energy's nuclear weapons.

The Army's request totals $140.7 billion, an increase of 9 percent over the $128.9 billion Congress approved this fiscal year and almost 26 percent above the fiscal 2007 amount.

The Army's proposed budget includes $4.1 billion to buy weapons, vehicles and ammunition, spending that will benefit contractors General Dynamics, BAE Systems and Alliant Techsystems Inc. The Army's full procurement request is $24.5 billion, up from $23.8 billion this fiscal year.

Other proposals include $3.6 billion to continue development of the Boeing-Science Applications International Corp. Future Combat Systems of armored vehicles, drones, robots and radio networks.

Navy cuts

Two of the Navy's highest-profile programs would be cut: the Littoral Combat Ship and the VH-71 presidential helicopter.

The littoral ships, low-cost vessels designed to operate close to shore, are being built by Lockheed and General Dynamics. The Navy would buy two, four fewer than planned, because cost overruns have eroded congressional support.

Overall, the Navy is requesting $16.9 billion. This includes funding to continue development of the CVN-21 Gerald Ford class aircraft carrier built by Northrop Grumman Corp. and the purchase of one DDG-1000 destroyer, one Virginia-class submarine and two high-speed cargo vessels.

The Air Force's proposed budget contains $3.8 billion to buy 20 more F-22 fighters from Lockheed, capping the program at 183. The budget also includes $3.4 billion for continued development of the Lockheed Joint Strike Fighter and $1.1 billion to research and develop an unmanned bomber.

For missile defense, the Pentagon requests $10.5 billion, including $719.8 million to continue development of a system to be based in Poland and the Czech Republic.

In addition, the budget requests $344.2 million for competing efforts by Lockheed Martin and Raytheon to develop a missile that can fire multiple warheads — like a shotgun blast — at an incoming enemy missile.

The missile-defense budget also includes $405.8 million for Boeing's Airborne Laser program that would use high- powered lasers on a 747 aircraft to shoot down ballistic missiles shortly after launch; and $375.7 million for Northrop to continue to develop a high-speed rocket booster.