DAYTON, Ohio, July 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force National Air and Space Intelligence Center (NASIC) to continue providing Measurement and Signature Intelligence and Advanced Geospatial Intelligence (MASINT/AGI) to warfighters through the Advanced Technical Exploitation Program (ATEP). The five-year, indefinite quantity contract has a ceiling value of $600 million to be competed among three contractors.

ATEP continues Ball's prime contractor role on MASINT/AGI with NASIC, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. NASIC is the nation's premier source of air and space intelligence for DoD and national intelligence consumers. Ball Aerospace has provided on-site and off-site remote sensing and analysis support to NASIC's MASINT programs for more than 25 years.

"Ball Aerospace has participated in the development and implementation of innovative data exploitation technologies as a prime contractor since the early 1980s and we are very pleased that our strong performance has earned the trust and confidence of NASIC to continue advancing emerging MASINT/AGI capabilities," said Ball's President and CEO, David L. Taylor.

Ball's ATEP team will support ten key NASIC mission areas: overhead non-imaging; infra-red; synthetic aperture radar; spectral; thermal infrared; ground moving target indication forensics; line of sight radar; over the horizon radar; airborne electro-optical; laser intelligence; and radio frequency measurement and signature intelligence.

Ball's expertise in AGI and MASINT includes conducting research and development, developing algorithms and data analysis tools, building end-to-end data exploitation systems, and working on site at NASIC analyzing and reporting on data collected by overhead, airborne, and ground-based sensors.

Ball Aerospace has career opportunities for qualified advanced geospatial intelligence professionals including Intel analysts, spectral scientists, software developers and former warfighters.

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.

Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging 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 14,000 people worldwide and reported 2008 sales of approximately $7.6 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 www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in product demand and preferences; availability and cost of raw materials; 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.

SOURCE Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.

Web site: http://www.ballaerospace.com/