DoD Awards $197M to Advance American Microelectronics

The Department of Defense has awarded over $197M to advance microelectronics technology and strengthen the American microelectronics industrial base.

According to DoD, microelectronics is critical for the development of its technology priorities such as artificial intelligence, 5G communications, quantum computing and autonomous vehicles.

“The microelectronics industry is at the root of our nation’s economic strength, national security, and technological standing,” said Michael Kratsios, acting undersecretary of defense for research and engineering and a two-time Wash100 awardee.

Kratsios added that the awards demonstrate DoD’s bid to promote and secure the microelectronics supply chain and to advance the highest end of the technology.

DoD said the awards will be issued through the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes using Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project Phase 1 Other Transaction Award and the State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integration Prototypes Program Phase 2 OTA.

The RAMP Phase 1 OTA worth 24.5M will be awarded to Microsoft and IBM to advance the physical back-end design methods and security of commercial microelectronics.

Intel Federal and Qorvo will receive the SHIP Phase 2 OTA worth $172.7M to create an approach to measurable secure, heterogeneous integration and test of advanced packaging solutions.

DoD said the awards demonstrate a commitment to quickly and securely building and deploying leading-edge microelectronics technologies.

The new awards are also a shift from how the business with leading-edge firms was done previously, the department added.

“It’s critical for the DOD and American industry to work together in meaningful partnerships to ensure the United States leads the world in microelectronics far into the future,” Kratsios said.