BAE Systems develops future microelectronics for US
BAE Systems to develop next-generation radiation hardened by design (RHBD) microelectronics. (Image: BAE Systems)
BAE Systems has been awarded a contract to design microelectronics, radiation-hardened for use in space.
BAE Systems has been awarded a $60 million contract from the Army Contracting Command to develop certain types of next-generation, radiation-hardened by design microelectronics.
The main goal of the contract is to expand onshore access to state-of-the-art microelectronics technology for the US government and aerospace community.
The limited supply of microelectronics leads to supply chain challenges and time lags for delivery.
With this contract, BAE System’s FAST Labs TM research and development organisations will harness Intel’s commercial foundry process to build a new design library.
This will be used to develop advanced, high-reliability microelectronics and expand the domestic supply of this technology, which can be used for environmentally rugged missions like those occurring in space.
This award opens a roadmap for the US defence and aerospace community to access more advanced process nodes for the development of Application Specific Integrated Circuits.
Currently, the development of RHBD ASICs uses a 45nm process, but with this contract, there is potential to deploy more advanced technology nodes and enables more functionality and faster processing in smaller areas and low power.
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