Ball Aerospace Delivers 500 Tactical Fast Steering Mirrors for Guardian Program
December 09 2008 - 9:04AM
PR Newswire (US)
BOULDER, Colo., Dec. 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace
& Technologies Corp. has delivered 500 Tactical Fast Steering
Mirrors (TFSMs) to Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) for the
Guardian(TM) Miniature Pointer Tracker Program, with an additional
300 units currently in production. (Photo:
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081209/LA50928) Fast steering
mirror technology is used to compensate for jitter in adaptive
optics systems. The Ball Aerospace-provided TFSMs for the Northrop
Grumman Guardian(TM) System rely on technology refined since the
company first began design and development in 1983 of one-off,
custom fast steering mirrors (FSMs). The Guardian(TM) System is a
defensive aid utilizing fielded military technology to defend
against the threat posed by MANPADS - anti-aircraft, shoulder-fired
missiles. Currently in operation with the armed forces of the
United States and allied powers, the autonomous system is also of
interest to the Department of Homeland Security to protect U.S.
commercial aircraft from terrorist attack. Upon detection of a
launched missile, the system directs a safe, non-visible laser to
the seeker head of the incoming missile, disrupting its guidance
signal and diverting its flight path. "For the past 25 years, Ball
Aerospace has diligently advanced its proven technology for TFSMs
and is proud to have been selected to provide Northrop Grumman's
Guardian program with a design that helps protect the war-fighter,
enhances our country's security and may someday protect America's
flying public," said Jeff Osterkamp, Vice President for Ball's
national defense business execution unit. Ball began delivering
TFSMs to Northrop Grumman's Guardian program in 2004. Ball's
mechanism design differs from other technologies due to its unique
suspension which provides two-axis rotation about the front surface
of the mirror. In addition, the ruggedized TFSM is also lightweight
for optimal performance and adapted for tactical environments. Ball
Aerospace has designed and produced more than 50 unique FSM designs
in the past 25 years incorporating a range of substrate materials
and technologies. The mirrors' responsiveness and high accuracy
have made them a key component for numerous applications such as
laser communications, astronomical telescopes, Earth-observation
surveillance satellites, gimbaled sensors and high-energy laser
systems. 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. Since 1956, Ball Aerospace has been responsible for
numerous technological and scientific 'firsts' and is a technology
innovator in aerospace. 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 15,000 people
worldwide and reported 2007 sales of $7.4 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; changes in senior management; the
current global credit squeeze and its effects on liquidity, credit
risk, asset values and the economy; successful or unsuccessful
acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; integration of
recently acquired businesses; regulatory action or laws including
tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including in
respect of chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the
manufacturing process; 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.
http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20081209/LA50928
http://photoarchive.ap.org/ 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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