On Friday, Smiths Aerospace, an aerospace company based in Grand Rapids, was awarded an adjustment to a previously awarded military contract for the supply of AV-8B Warfare Mission Computers. The contract modification is worth $9,826,024 and requires Smiths to supply 52 computers by January of 2008. The computers will be used in the AV-8B Harrier, an attack aircraft that has been used extensively in Iraq.
Despite the fact that Smiths Aerospace performs much of its work for the military and creates components for weapons systems, Governor Jennifer Granholm praised the company two weeks ago and described the company as doing "outstanding work." Smiths Industries, whose world headquarters is in England, has been targeted by activists for its contributions to weapons systems used in Iraq. In February of 2004, Media Mouse released a report detailing the local companies that have received military contracts.
