BLL Ball Corp

BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has been selected as the prime contractor by Sandia National Laboratories to develop and build the phased array antenna system for the Ground Nuclear Detection Terminal (GNT) Integrated Correlation and Display System (ICADS). The antenna system is part of the nation's early warning system to detect, locate and characterize ground-based nuclear detonations worldwide. The ICADS will relay multiple satellite signals to ground-based command and control sites. The Ball Aerospace antenna system will also be used on the GNT, a transportable version of the system. The GNT ICADS phased array system will build on previous antenna programs Ball Aerospace has undertaken for Sandia National Laboratories, including the Global Antenna System and the existing GNT system. "Ball Aerospace is pleased to continue its work with Sandia National Laboratories to protect our national interests," said Drew Crouch, vice president and general manager for Ball's Advanced Technologies & Products business unit. "For more than three decades, Ball Aerospace has provided specialized antennas that offer a superior level of performance." Ball Aerospace is scheduled to deliver two Enhanced Antenna Subsystem qualification units and 10 production units by 2010. Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions of important national agencies such as the Department of Defense, NASA, NOAA and other U.S. government and commercial entities. The company develops and manufactures spacecraft, advanced instruments and sensors, components, data exploitation systems and RF solutions for strategic, tactical and scientific applications. For over 50 years, Ball Aerospace has been responsible for numerous technological and scientific 'firsts' and acts as a technology innovator for the aerospace market. Sandia is a multi-program laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin company, for the U.S. department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. With main facilities in Albuquerque, N.M., and Livermore, Calif., Sandia has major R&D responsibilities in national security, energy and environmental technologies, and economic competitiveness. Ball Corporation (NYSE:BLL) is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products for beverage, food and household products customers, and of aerospace and other technologies and services, primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ more than 15,500 people worldwide and reported 2006 sales of $6.6 billion. Forward-Looking Statements This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied. The company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Key risks and uncertainties are summarized in filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including Exhibit 99.2 in our Form 10-K, which are available at our Web site and at http://www.sec.gov/. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials, including recent significant increases in resin, steel, aluminum and energy costs, and the ability to pass such increases on to customers; competitive packaging availability, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve anticipated productivity improvements or production cost reductions, including our beverage can end project; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; and changes in foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries. Factors that might affect our aerospace segment include: funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts. Factors that might affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: accounting changes; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including tax, environmental and workplace safety; governmental investigations; technological developments and innovations; goodwill impairment; antitrust, patent and other litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or other effects. DATASOURCE: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. CONTACT: Roz Brown of Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., +1-303-533-6059, Web site: http://www.ballaerospace.com/

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