Intel To Bolster Domestic Chip Manufacturing With Pentagon Deal

The world’s top semiconductor maker has been tapped by the U.S. Department of Defense to help develop next-generation electronic components for both commercial and national security purposes. Intel announced that it was named to lead the first phase of the Pentagon’s Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes-Commercial, or RAMP-C, program, which aims to establish a domestic manufacturing ecosystem for vital electronics. Under the award, the Silicon Valley chip giant will work with IBM, Cadence, Synopsys, and other companies on the capabilities needed to develop and fabricate chips using Intel’s most advanced process technology. The RAMP program, launched in late 2020, follows years of concerns about global chip production shifting from Western nations to contract manufacturers in Asia. The latest announcement, however, also comes amid a highly publicized shortage of semiconductors that has particularly hammered the auto industry. The White House is seeking more than $2 billion in Pentagon funding to bolster the U.S. microelectronics sector, and the Wall Street Journal reported that Intel discussed its efforts with administration officials last month.