US – IT Pro – Intel wins contract with Pentagon to set up chip manufacturing ecosystem in News

Intel Foundry Services heads the U.S. Department of Defense chip manufacturing program. So the company will work in an organization FoundryEcosystem for chip design and production within the United States.

Intel The contract is awarded Under RAMP-CU.S. Defense Program. The project enables the production of commercial chips using the US-based semiconductor manufacturing ecosystem, for example, for the Pentagon’s “critical systems”.

The United States does not currently have access to US-based foundry technology that can meet the long-standing needs of the defense industry for advanced microelectronics manufacturing. Project proposal From the Pentagon. The RAMP-C program aims to replace it.

Intel Foundry Services, the Intel chip manufacturing division established this year, will lead the effort. To this end, the company will collaborate with other companies in the chip industry, including IBM. The company also refers to two companies that make up the software used to design the chips, Gatens and Synopsis. More and more companies are participating in this program, but they are not specifically mentioned in Intel’s press release.

Companies participating in the RAMP-C program must design and manufacture the requirements of the U.S. government Integrated circuits To support. To do this, companies must establish an American semiconductor ecosystem for the design and production of chips. Test chips should be prepared for this Intel’s 18A processIt is planned for 2025.

The Pentagon is for the RAMP-C program Total budget $ 100 million, he writes Ars Technica. However, it is not clear how much has been charged to Intel; The company did not disclose the amount the chip manufacturer will receive for participating in the program.

Intel has been investing in chip manufacturing for some time. The company announced in March Its IDM 2.0 strategy The manufacturer said it would also produce chips for other companies. Intel is investing $ 20 billion in new chip factories in Arizona and, among other things, is considering building more US factories that could increase prices. Up to $ 120 billion. At the same time, the chip company plans to set up a new factory in Europe in part EU ambitions To strengthen its position in the chip industry.