Ball Aerospace Tactical Video & Sensors
Ball Aerospace has more than 40 years’ expertise in research, development and manufacture of advanced video technologies and products for air, land, sea and space military users. Based on a history of innovation and pioneering technology, Ball Aerospace offers a complete line of cameras, sensors and electro-optical equipment employed on specialized vehicles. Ball Aerospace has worked for the Department of Defence and several major prime contractors
Ball Aerospace equipment has been deployed on:
- Fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft, including the MQ-1 Predator remotely piloted aircraft
- Naval surface vessels
- Manned and unmanned ground combat vehicles, including the M1 A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank
Their low light level camera technology for missiles, originally developed for SeaSparrow, has evolved to offer cost-effective, around-the-clock imaging for search, surveillance, target identification, fire control, and navigation at sea in all light conditions.
Military Cameras
Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared Camera
Ball Aerospace produces a custom packaged day-light targeting camera for the Advanced Targeting Forward-Looking Infrared (ATFLIR) pod used on the F/A-18. This miniature, two-piece camera was designed for the rigours of the fighter aircraft environment, including operating at up to 60,000 feet. The camera provides both analogue and digital video outputs, with stringent performance requirements for advanced video trackers and targeting. The ATFLIR pod, features state-of-the-art third-generation mid-wave infrared and visible targeting and navigation.
Seasparrow
Seasparrow camera is Ball Aerospace’s oldest and longest-running program. This camera has served maritime imaging needs from surveillance to missile fire control in all weather and light conditions for 40 years. Since 1972 numerous upgrades have improved and expanded its performance aboard U.S. and allied warships. This technology provides day and night imaging for search, surveillance, target acquisition and identification, fire control, and navigation for naval ships with the Seasparrow Self Defence Missile System.
Long Range EO/IR/LRF Sensor System
Ball Aerospace developed the Long Range EO/IR/LRF Sensor System (LREOSS) demonstration hardware that is being evaluated for operational use by the U.S. Navy, with three LREOSS prototype hardware systems fielded on Navy ships. This new LREOSS will provide a significant improvement over the current LLLTV in the ability to detect, recognize, identify, and determine hostile intent of air, surface, and land targets at ranges out to the horizon.
MK 20 Marine All-light-level Television Camera
Ball Aerospace’s MK 20 Marine all-light-level television camera provides search, surveillance, target identification, fire control, and navigation for the U.S. Navy. Replacing tube-based Vidicon cameras, the MK 20 uses an image intensified CCD developed specifically for military applications with high resolution and improved haze and fog penetration requirements.
Mast-Mounted Sight Camera
The Mast-Mounted Sight (MMS) camera is a fully integrated, multi-sensor mission equipment package used on Army OH-58D Kiowa helicopters. Ball Aerospace provides the daylight CCD camera for adverse weather, extended stand-off range reconnaissance, surveillance, intelligence gathering, and threat and target damage assessment.
Phalanx
The Phalanx Close-In Weapon System (CIWS) camera built by Ball Aerospace features a 12:1 zoom lens, intensified military RS-170 camera, interface control module. The Phalanx CIWS, the last line of defence against today’s modern littoral and anti-ship threats, is used by the United States Navy on every class of surface combat ship and used by the navies of 23 allied nations.
Multi-spectral Targeting Sensor
The Multi-spectral Targeting Sensor (MTS) intensified night vision camera is installed in the Raytheon turret and flies on the Predator UAS. The MTS system provides long-range surveillance, target acquisition, tracking, range finding and laser designation for HELLFIRE and tri-service/NATO-guided munitions.
High-definition Cameras - Enhanced Night Vision Camera
Ball Aerospace revolutionized night imaging by developing a High-definition Night Vision Camera using proprietary technology to create a complete, unique, high-resolution camera in one compact unit. The lightweight, real-time, enhanced high-definition intensified camera can be helmet mounted or integrated into a turret. This high-definition camera offers up to 1900 X 1080 lines with digital or analogue output.
High-Definition Complementary Metal Oxide - Semiconductor Camera
Ball Aerospace has combined the results of recent advances in CMOS imaging sensor, signal processing, and embedded computing technologies to produce a new high-performance video camera for use in military airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and targeting and pilotage applications. Key features of this camera include: rugged, small physical size, wide operating temperature range, low operating power, high frame rate, and automatic gain control for all-light-level applications. This camera also features a novel pixel decimation filter to provide custom image sizes and video output formats.
Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp
1600 Commerce St.
Boulder, CO
80301
United States
Tel: 303-939-4000
Fax: 303-939-6104
Web: www.ballaerospace.com