Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp. has named Rich Auerbach as director of antenna and video technologies. He will spearhead the company's development and production activities for advanced antennas, RF communication subsystems and specialty cameras. Ball Aerospace technology is deployed on a wide variety of platforms -- aircraft, spacecraft, ships, missiles, helicopters and land vehicles. Auerbach replaces Jeff Osterkamp, who has accepted the position of vice president of program management for the company.

"Rich Auerbach is a seasoned aerospace leader, with a wealth of experience in radar technologies," said Mike Cerneck, vice president of defense operations for Ball Aerospace. "His expertise will prove invaluable as we advance our market-leading position in providing antenna, video and camera products for our nation's military and space priorities."

Auerbach joins Ball Aerospace from Raytheon Company where he served as the director of B-2 radar programs. During the initial B-2 radar development, he was instrumental in the development, integration and test of the multi-mode radar employing low observable and low probability of intercept techniques. Most recently, he managed the B-2 Radar Modernization Program, developing an active electronically scanned antenna to be integrated into the legacy B-2 radar. He has additional experience in advanced RF concept development, radar signal processing techniques and precision GPS navigation. Other professional assignments include development work in navigation systems at Rockwell Collins and the U.S. Air Force.

Auerbach holds a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Iowa State University, a master's in business administration from the Krannert Business School, Purdue University, and a master's degree in electrical engineering from the University of Southern California.

Ball Corporation is a supplier of high-quality metal and plastic packaging products to the beverage and food industries. The company also owns Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., which develops sensors, spacecraft, systems and components for government and commercial markets. Ball employs more than 13,200 people worldwide and reported 2004 sales of $5.4 billion.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this news release contains "forward-looking" statements and other statements concerning future events and financial performance. Words such as "expects," "anticipates," "estimates," and variations of same and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Forward-looking 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 the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, especially in Exhibit 99.2 in the most recent Form 10-K. These filings are available at our Web site and at www.sec.gov. Factors that might affect our packaging segments include fluctuation in consumer and customer demand; availability and cost of raw materials, particularly the 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; fruit, vegetable and fishing yields; industry productive capacity and competitive activity; lack of productivity improvement or production cost reductions; the German mandatory deposit or other restrictive packaging laws; changes in major customer or supplier contracts or loss of a major customer or supplier; international business risks, including foreign exchange rates, tax rates and activities of foreign subsidiaries; and the effect of LIFO accounting on earnings. Factors that might affect aerospace segment include: funding, authorization and availability of government contracts and the nature and continuation of those contracts; and technical uncertainty associated with segment contracts. Factors that could affect the company as a whole include those listed plus: acquisitions, joint ventures or divestitures; regulatory action or laws including environmental and workplace safety; governmental investigations; goodwill impairment; antitrust and other litigation; strikes; boycotts; increases in employee benefits and labor costs; rates of return projected and earned on assets of the company's defined benefit retirement plans; reduced cash flow; interest rates affecting our debt; and changes to unaudited results due to statutory audits or management's evaluation of the company's internal control over financial reporting.

SOURCE: Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.