Defense contractors offer work to NC businesses

RALEIGH -- Aerospace defense contractors who land big military contracts are getting together with smaller North Carolina companies able to perform some of the work. A conference on Tuesday at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh aims to beef up North Carolina's aerospace industry. Primary contractors will describe their defense and commercial aerospace projects to smaller companies who may be able to deliver needed products or services. The conference was arranged by the North Carolina Aerospace Alliance Foundation, an effort financed by the state's Golden Leaf Fund to expand jobs supplying products for commercial and military aircraft industries. Defense Department spending in North Carolina grew by 22 percent last year to $3.6 billion. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)