Department of War Invests $16M for 45nm Silicon-on-Insulator Qualification

July 7, 2026 |

The Department of War announced today a July 2, 2026, investment of $16 million in Defense Production Act (DPA) Title III funds to BAE Systems. The investment will expand the domestic production capability for radiation-hardened microelectronics (RHM) necessary for national defense. This investment supports the Secretary of War's priorities to reestablish deterrence and rebuild the military by investing in key defense industrial base capabilities that increase supply chain resilience.

"Radiation-hardened microelectronics are critical for DoW missile, space, and strategic systems," said Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy, the Honorable Michael Cadenazzi. "This project ensures qualified products are available to the DoW."

These DPA Title III funds will enable BAE Systems to create, maintain, protect, and expand domestic industrial base processing and production capabilities and capacity that are essential for RHM components. Specifically, the project will reestablish BAE Systems' RH45® Storefront capability for trusted Radiation Hardened by Design 45nm Application Specific Integrated Circuit and Application Specific Standard Product offerings. Once reestablished, BAE Systems' RH45® Storefront will be a self-sustaining hub where customers can access a range of standard processing products and resources to develop and produce their own custom chips.

"This effort ensures that 45nm silicon-on-insulator technology remains available to DoW systems," added Mr. Jeffrey Frankston, Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Resilience, who oversees the Warfighting Investment, Resourcing, and Execution (WIRE) directorate. "This provides cost-avoidance, so programs are not forced to redesign and requalify their systems."

This is one of five DPA Title III investments totaling $102.6 million made by the WIRE directorate since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026. For more information on the WIRE directorate, please visit: https://www.businessdefense.gov/ibr/wire.html.

About the Office of the Assistant Secretary of War for Industrial Base Policy (OASW(IBP)

The OASW(IBP) works with domestic and international partners to forge and sustain a robust, secure, and resilient industrial base enabling the Warfighter, now and in the future. OASW(IBP) also uses a new Defense Industrial Base Consortium Other Transaction Agreement (DIBC OTA) to solicit new ideas for research or prototype project solutions for critical supply chain resiliency focus areas. This OTA underscores the Department's ongoing dedication to safeguarding the integrity of our crucial supply chain and promptly giving our Warfighters the materials and technologies they need to accomplish their missions. To learn more about the DIBC OTA, please visit: https://www.dibconsortium.org.