Defense contractor BAE Systems and pure play foundry GlobalFoundries are collaborating to strengthen the supply of semiconductors for national security programs as well as boost domestic fabrication and packaging of secure chips for use in the aerospace and defense sectors.
Both companies recently received direct funding through the CHIPS and Science Act. BAE Systems was the first company to receive funding with $35 million given to the company to modernize its microelectronics center in New Hampshire. GF, meanwhile, received $1.5 billion to create new manufacturing capacity and capabilities at its Malta, New York, and Essex Junction, Vermont, fabs.
The deal
Under the agreement, both companies will long-term plan for emerging technologies as well as collaborate on R&D for technologies like:
- Advanced chip packaging
- Gallium nitride on silicon
- Silicon photonics
- Advanced processes
The non-exclusive agreement builds on previous agreements between the companies regarding defense systems. Last year, GF became a U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) trusted supplier that allows it to manufacture secure semiconductors for aerospace and defense applications. A few months later, the DoD awarded GF a $3.1 billion, 10-year long contract for aerospace and defense chips.
Recently, the companies collaborated on BAE Systems’ radiation-hardened semiconductors for space applications. These chips, which were manufactured on GF’s 12LP and 12S0 platforms, can be integrated into electronic systems to withstand the harsh environment of space.
