Astronics expands product lines into avionics databus applications with acquisition of Ballard Technology
Dec. 2, 2011
Ballard Technology designs and builds avionics databuses for military and commercial aircraft according to industry standards such as MIL-STD-1553, ARINC 429, ARINC 664/AFDX, ARINC 708, and ARINC 717, as well as board, box, and software for embedded, test, and simulation applications.Astronics is acquiring Ballard for $24 million in cash, plus $5.5 million in incentives if Ballard meets revenue targets over the next five years. Ballard projects 2011 revenue of $11 million.Over the past several years Ballard has introduced XMC and PMC avionics databus interface cards, the Avionics BusBox 2000 DO-160-validated lightweight embedded computer for commercial and military avionics applications, portable USB 2.0 interfaces for avionics databus protocols, and a PC/104-Plus-compliant card for ARINC 429 and ARINC 717 avionics databuses.
For more information contact Astronics online at www.dmecorp.com, or Ballard Technology at www.ballardtech.com.
John Keller is editor-in-chief of Military & Aerospace Electronics magazine, which provides extensive coverage and analysis of enabling electronic and optoelectronic technologies in military, space, and commercial aviation applications. A member of the Military & Aerospace Electronics staff since the magazine's founding in 1989, Mr. Keller took over as chief editor in 1995.
