A new partnership between GlobalFoundries and BAE Systems was announced with the aim of bolstering the supply of vital semiconductors for national security initiatives. In accordance with the terms of the strategic agreement, the businesses will coordinate their technological roadmaps and work together to develop long-term plans for boosting semiconductor innovation and production in the United States. Their shared objective is to advance the domestic production and packaging of safe chips and solutions for use in defence and aerospace systems.
The companies will work together on research and development in various fields such as advanced semiconductor packaging and integration, gallium nitride on silicon chips, silicon photonics, and advanced technology process development. They will also engage in long-term planning for emerging technologies. The long-standing partnership between GF and BAE Systems is strengthened by the new non-exclusive partnership, which additionally pulls together BAE Systems’ expertise in microelectronics for critical defence systems with GF’s expertise as one of the world’s leading high-volume semiconductor manufacturers and the most advanced supplier of secure, essential chips to the U.S. Department of Defence (DoD).
According to Terry Crimmins, head of BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems division, “our leadership in microelectronics for critical defence systems is predicated on a reliable and secure supply chain and the availability of trusted, uncompromised semiconductors. BAE Systems must advance technology overmatch thresholds, stay ahead of the increasingly complex defence environment, and enable creative solutions to mitigate the growing challenges to both the integrity of microelectronics and their associated supply chains.” This new collaboration with GlobalFoundries, with its expertise in secure chip manufacturing, is imperative.
Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GF, stated, “GF is committed to strengthening the semiconductor supply chain for national security and innovating to meet the future needs of the aerospace and defence sector.” “We are pleased to enhance supply chain resilience and fortify our strategic partnership with BAE Systems. Working together, we will secure the manufacturing of vital chips for a variety of vital defence applications and expedite the research and development of a new generation of crucial technologies.
In order to securely manufacture chips in collaboration with the DoD Defense Microelectronics Activity (DMEA) for use in some of the country’s sensitive national security and critical infrastructure systems on land, air, sea, and in space, GF’s U.S. manufacturing facilities have received accreditation as Trusted Foundries from the U.S. government. A new $3.1 billion, ten-year contract worth of safely built, American-made semiconductors for use in a variety of vital aerospace and defense applications was given to GF by the DoD in 2023. This new 10-year contract marked the third consecutive one of its sort between the DoD and GF’s Trusted Foundry business team.
