Ball Aerospace has been selected by the Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) to develop a prototype of a multi-band, low-observable satellite communications antenna for the U.S. Navy's stealth ships, the DDG 1000 Zumwalt-class destroyers, the company reported on Tuesday.
"Our multi-band, multi-beam phased array heritage and conformal antenna expertise directly supports the warfighter by addressing emerging threats and taking on new missions," said Dr. Jake Sauer, vice president and general manager, Tactical Solutions, Ball Aerospace.
Ball will integrate its electronically steerable phased array antenna technologies and high-performance stealth technologies to develop a solution that can operate over multiple frequency bands, meet existing signature requirements and integrate into the Naval ships.
The company’s efforts will support DIU's Multi-Domain Tactical Communications (MDTC) program. Under the program, Ball will develop the antenna architecture, beamforming approach and prototype.
Ball's phased array antennas provide numerous benefits over traditional dish antennas, including a modular design to enable scalable solutions and fast, seamless and accurate steering and tracking between satellites for reliable connectivity.
With the selection, Ball will expand its history of providing innovative solutions to the federal marketplace. Ball has five decades of experience designing and building electronically steerable phased array antenna systems for the U.S. military.
Ball’s support has enabled mission-critical communications for warfighters. The company's experience covers a variety of frequencies, including L, S, X, Ku, K, and Ka-band, and applications, from aviation and maritime to land and space.
"We are pleased to partner with DIU and the U.S. Navy to explore ways to quickly and cost-effectively increase the capabilities of the DDG 1000," added Sauer.
About Ball Corporation
Ball Corporation (NYSE: BLL) supplies innovative, sustainable aluminum packaging solutions for beverage, personal care 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 more than 18,300 people worldwide and reported 2019 net sales of $11.5 billion.
