Ball Aerospace Awarded Stalker Contract to Protect U.S. Navy Ships

BOULDER, Colo., May 7, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has been awarded a $23.9 million dollar firm-fixed-price contract for the Stalker long-range electro-optical infrared laser sensor system (SLREOSS) under a contract to the NATO Seasparrow Project Office.  The contract includes $10 million in options for additional work.

The contract effort includes Stalker transition to production of the current Stalker developmental prototype design and subsequent fabrication, test and installation of production assets.  This effort includes both the Stalker director mount (DM) and the independent mount (IM) configuration (which can be deployed on ships not having the Seasparrow missile system).  Options include spare system components, field support, and sustaining engineering.

The Stalker system will significantly enhance the Navy's ability to detect, classify, identify and determine hostile intent of potential threats to its ships.  This includes characterizing the intent of small boats and other surface contacts to give ships additional time to respond. Ball's support to the NATO Seasparrow Project Office spans more than four decades and is the longest continuously running project at Ball Aerospace.

"Stalker provides an important capability to the NATO Seasparrow missile system," said Rob Freedman, vice president and general manager for Ball's Tactical Solutions business unit. "Ball's improved technology and independent mount application will provide increased ship self-defense capability across more of the U.S. Naval fleet – providing protection against new threats at sea."

"Navy Syscom, Fleet headquarters and Ball Aerospace cooperative efforts have filled an urgent need for long range electro-optics on large deck ships," according to Blair Thurmond, Stalker lead engineer in the NATO Seasparrow Project Office. "The fast-lane approach to development and fleet operational test/evaluation under real conditions has resulted in best value to the Navy."

Ball's three (3) Experimental and eight (8) Developmental LREOSS prototypes are based on Ball's original Stalker sensor system, currently installed on multiple ships within the Navy's fleet.  Since 2008, these sensor systems have demonstrated outstanding reliability, having logged more than 150,000 hours of service for more than 25 operational deployments.

Ball Aerospace has more than 40 years of experience designing and producing robust military sensors, providing a variety of full MIL-Spec and derivative EO systems available to meet military, paramilitary, and other specialized mission requirements.

Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. supports critical missions for 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 more information, visit www.ballaerospace.com/.

Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) supplies innovative, sustainable packaging solutions for beverage, food and household products customers, as well as aerospace and other technologies and services primarily for the U.S. government. Ball Corporation and its subsidiaries employ 14,500 people worldwide and reported 2013 sales of $8.5 billion. For more information, visit www.ball.com/, or connect with us on Facebook or Twitter.

Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains "forward-looking" statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates" and similar expressions 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 in our Form 10-K, which are available on our website and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect: a) our packaging segments include product demand fluctuations; availability/cost of raw materials; competitive packaging, pricing and substitution; changes in climate and weather; crop yields; competitive activity; failure to achieve productivity improvements or cost reductions; mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; political instability and sanctions; and changes in foreign exchange or tax rates; b) our aerospace segment include funding, authorization, availability and returns of government and commercial contracts; and delays, extensions and technical uncertainties affecting segment contracts; c) the company as a whole include those listed plus: changes in senior management; successful or unsuccessful acquisitions and divestitures; regulatory action or issues including tax, environmental, health and workplace safety, including U.S. FDA and other actions or public concerns affecting products filled in our containers, or chemicals or substances used in raw materials or in the manufacturing process; technological developments and innovations; litigation; strikes; labor cost changes; rates of return on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; pension changes; uncertainties surrounding the U.S. government budget, sequestration and debt limit; reduced cash flow; ability to achieve cost-out initiatives; interest rates affecting our debt.

Photo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20140507/85191

Logo - http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130108/LA39163LOGO

SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.