Semiconductors: A National Defense Priority

A single modern fighter jet processes more data in one mission than entire air fleets did during the Vietnam War. Hypersonic missiles make course corrections in milliseconds using AI-powered chips. Satellite networks autonomously reconfigure to avoid anti-satellite weapons, all powered by semiconductors.

This isn't just technological progress. It's a fundamental shift in how nations project power. The U.S. Department of Defense now classifies advanced chip production as "critical infrastructure." China's military-civil fusion strategy pours billions into semiconductor independence. Russia's struggles in Ukraine have shown what happens when access to advanced chips is cut off.

For engineers, this changes the game. The same chip design that powers a smartphone camera could guide a missile. The processor architecture you're optimizing today might become subject to export controls tomorrow.

We've entered an era where semiconductor innovation is about performance, power efficiency, and national security. And that puts engineers at the center of global power dynamics in ways we're only beginning to understand.

Military Systems Run on Specialized Silicon

Modern military systems demand semiconductors that go far beyond the capabilities of consumer chips. While commercial processors chase higher speeds and better power efficiency, defense-grade silicon must operate in environments where failure could mean catastrophic consequences. These chips power everything from satellites enduring cosmic radiation to hypersonic missiles surviving extreme G-forces, all while maintaining flawless operation across punishing temperature ranges from Arctic cold to desert heat.

The F-35's radar system exemplifies these extreme requirements. Its gallium nitride (GaN) transmit/receive modules deliver ten times the performance of previous systems while occupying just one-tenth of the space. Similarly, nuclear command systems rely on processors that can withstand electromagnetic pulses capable of instantly disabling commercial electronics. These applications demand specialized semiconductor solutions that prioritize reliability above all else.

Military semiconductors generally fall into three critical categories. Radiation-hardened processors, often using silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology or specialized doping techniques, must operate flawlessly for 15 years or more in the harsh environment of space. Secure cryptochips incorporate physical anti-tamper meshes that automatically erase sensitive data if breached, while also resisting sophisticated side-channel attacks. AI edge processors provide the neural acceleration needed for autonomous systems to process sensor data and make critical decisions without relying on vulnerable cloud connections.

Interestingly, these mission-critical applications rarely use the most advanced manufacturing nodes. While consumer electronics race toward 3nm processes, most military systems still rely on proven 28nm to 90nm technology - the optimal balance between performance and reliability. This has led to innovative approaches like the Pentagon's "More Than Moore" initiative, which focuses on advanced packaging techniques to enhance the capabilities of mature process nodes rather than chasing the bleeding edge of fabrication technology.

The Fragility of Global Supply Chains

The semiconductor supply chain is both a marvel of globalization and its greatest vulnerability. While it enables unprecedented technological advancement, its concentration in geopolitically sensitive regions creates critical risks for national defense. Consider the stark realities: 92% of the world’s most advanced chips are manufactured in Taiwan, while the Netherlands holds a monopoly on the extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography machines required to produce them.

This dependence became painfully clear when Russia invaded Ukraine. Western sanctions cut off access to critical semiconductors, forcing Russian defense manufacturers to scavenge chips from consumer appliances. The incident exposed a harsh truth: modern military power relies on supply chains that may not survive geopolitical crises.

In response, nations are taking drastic measures. The U.S. CHIPS Act allocates $52 billion to rebuild domestic semiconductor production, while China has committed over $150 billion to achieve self-sufficiency. The European Union has launched its own €43 billion semiconductor initiative, recognizing that technological sovereignty is now inseparable from national security.

For engineers, this shift presents new challenges. Designs must now account for potential supply disruptions, requiring creative solutions like chiplet architectures that mix components from multiple sources. The era of optimizing purely for performance is over, and resilience has become the new imperative.

In an age of great-power competition, the most advanced chip is worthless if you can’t reliably produce it. National security now depends as much on supply chain integrity as it does on technological superiority.

The New Arms Race: Specialized Military Chips

The semiconductor industry is splitting in two. While consumer devices chase thinner transistors and higher clock speeds, military applications demand something different: chips that can survive war.

Radiation is the invisible enemy. In space, cosmic rays can flip bits and corrupt memory. On the battlefield, nuclear blasts emit electromagnetic pulses that fry unprotected circuits. The solution? Radiation-hardened processors built on specialized silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates, with error-correction systems that detect and fix bit flips in real time. These chips sacrifice raw performance for something more valuable: certainty.

Security is also physical. Military semiconductors incorporate tamper-proof meshes that erase sensitive data if breached. Some use "security dies" - separate processor layers that monitor for intrusion attempts. The Pentagon's Trusted Foundry program ensures these chips are manufactured under strict supervision, from raw silicon to final packaging.

The AI revolution reaches the edge, as autonomous drones need neural networks that work without cloud connections. New military AI chips combine low power consumption with extreme durability, processing sensor data in environments where a single crash could mean mission failure.

But here's the paradox: while consumer tech races toward 3nm, most defense applications still use 28nm or larger nodes. Smaller transistors are more vulnerable to radiation and harder to radiation-harden. The military solution? "More than Moore" approaches like 3D chip stacking and advanced packaging that boost capability without chasing the latest process node. 

Remember: consumer devices fail gracefully. Military systems must not fail at all.

Read More: How Military Tensions are Driving the Next Semiconductor Chip Race

Policy as a Technological Weapon

Semiconductors have become the new currency of geopolitical power. Unlike traditional arms races measured in warheads and warships, today's tech cold war is being fought with export controls and fabrication restrictions. The rules of engagement have changed: a single piece of manufacturing equipment can now be more strategically valuable than a squadron of fighter jets.

The U.S. fired a decisive shot when it blocked ASML from shipping EUV lithography machines to China. These $200 million systems are the only way to produce chips at 5nm and below. Without them, China's semiconductor ambitions were abruptly capped at older process nodes. The move revealed a new reality: in modern conflict, cutting off access to advanced manufacturing capability can be as effective as a naval blockade.

China responded with brute-force investment. SMIC's surprise 7nm breakthrough using older DUV machines proved that sanctions can be circumvented - at least temporarily. Meanwhile, Huawei developed its own EDA tools after being cut off from Western software, demonstrating how restrictions accelerate domestic innovation.

The ripple effects extend beyond superpowers. Russia's military has reportedly resorted to stripping chips from commercial appliances after sanctions cut off access to specialized components. North Korea has built entire semiconductor fabs in underground facilities. Even allies aren't immune; Taiwan's TSMC was forced to suspend shipments to Huawei despite their long-standing business relationship.

For engineers, this creates impossible dilemmas. The same open-source RISC-V architecture that enables innovation can become a geopolitical football overnight. Supply chains that seemed stable for decades now carry existential risks. Designing a chip in 2024 requires understanding not just transistors and architectures, but UN sanction lists and trade policies. Technological leadership now depends as much on policy savvy as engineering brilliance.

The Engineer’s Dilemma: When Ethics Meets Innovation

The most complex challenge in military semiconductors isn’t technical, it’s ethical. A neural network accelerator designed for medical imaging can be repurposed for autonomous weapons with a firmware update. An open-source chip architecture intended to democratize innovation becomes a tool for geopolitical leverage. Engineers now face uncomfortable questions with no easy answers.

The Dual-Use Problem

Commercial technologies increasingly power defense systems. NVIDIA GPUs train both cancer-detection algorithms and missile guidance systems. The same RISC-V cores used in smartwatches now appear in military drones. This blurring of lines means engineers can no longer pretend their work exists in a civilian bubble.

The Accountability Void

Modern chip design involves hundreds of contributors across global supply chains. When a processor ends up in questionable applications, who bears responsibility? The architect who defined the instruction set? The verification engineer who tested the security features? The foundry worker who manufactured the wafer?

Emerging Frameworks

Some companies now implement:

●      Ethical review boards for defense contracts

●      "Know-your-customer" checks for chip sales

●      Design guardrails that limit military adaptation

But these measures remain inconsistent across the industry.

The hard truth: there are no perfect solutions, only tradeoffs. Avoiding defense work altogether cedes the field to less scrupulous actors. Participating risks complicity. Increasingly, engineers must make these calls themselves, because the world won’t wait for clear guidelines.

Silicon Sovereignty: The Path Forward

The semiconductor industry stands at a crossroads. Nations recognize that technological leadership now determines military and economic power, while engineers grapple with the ethical weight of their creations. The path forward requires balancing three competing imperatives:

Strategic Autonomy Without Isolationism

Complete self-sufficiency in semiconductors is impossible and counterproductive. Even the U.S., with its CHIPS Act investments, still relies on Dutch lithography machines and Japanese photoresists. The goal should be resilience, not total independence.

Ethical Innovation Frameworks

The industry needs standards that go beyond export controls, like:

●      Dual-Use Transparency: Chipmakers could tag designs with metadata indicating intended applications, similar to "conflict-free" mineral certifications.

●      Open Architecture Safeguards: RISC-V foundations might implement review boards for military-use variants.

Rethinking Engineering Education

Future chip designers need training in:

●      Geopolitical supply chain risks

●      Ethical decision-making frameworks

●      Secure design principles

Semiconductors have become the ultimate dual-use technology. The same chips that enable medical breakthroughs and climate solutions also power autonomous weapons and surveillance systems.

For engineers, this means accepting a new responsibility: every design choice carries geopolitical and ethical consequences. The nations and companies that thrive will be those that recognize silicon’s strategic weight without stifling its world-changing potential. 

And Microchip USA is the right partner to help you source the silicon you need for your next defense project. Our international presence and experienced team of supply specialists deliver first-class customer service while operating in full alignment with EU and US regulations. Whatever components you need, we’ll get them for you on time, and at a competitive price. Contact us today!