New Lockheed Martin Partnership Targets Domestic Semiconductor Manufacturing

June 15, 2023

Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Jim Taiclet; U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer; President and CEO Dr. Thomas Caulfield announced the new Lockheed-GF semiconductor partnership. (Image: GlobalFoundries)

Lockheed Martin has partnered with GlobalFoundries to advance U.S.-based semiconductor manufacturing and innovation and to increase the security, reliability and resiliency of domestic supply chains for national security systems.

This collaboration will enable Lockheed Martin to more quickly and affordably produce secure solutions that increase the competitiveness and national security of the United States. The announcement was made today at GF’s advanced manufacturing facility in upstate New York with U.S. Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer, Lockheed Martin Chairman, President and CEO Jim Taiclet and GF President and CEO Dr. Thomas Caulfield.

The companies will leverage GF’s differentiated technology and trusted manufacturing practices to increase anti-fragility in microelectronics systems and supply chains. The collaboration will explore critical needs in semiconductor innovation and secure manufacturing across a range of advanced and next-generation chip technologies, including 3D heterogeneous integration for optimized chip packaging that improves performance; silicon photonics for low-power and high-speed data transport; and gallium nitride on silicon to help chips work at higher temperatures. The companies will also work to develop a chiplet ecosystem to produce chips more rapidly and affordably.

The collaboration between Lockheed Martin and GF directly supports the CHIPS and Science Act’s objectives of increasing traceability, provenance, and onshore production of critical semiconductor technologies to strengthen national and economic security and domestic supply chains.

“This major new partnership between GlobalFoundries and Lockheed Martin brings together two giants of Upstate NY industry to ensure that the chips used in the technology that keep our country and our troops safe are made right here in the Capital Region. That means that more of the most complex, critical components we need to protect our national security going forward are going to be stamped ‘Made in New York’,” said Senator Schumer. “I wrote my CHIPS & Science Act to spark partnerships like this that will secure our domestic supply chains and lead to job growth and investment in places like Upstate New York. Now more than ever, we need to secure our supply chains, and make sure the chips that our military relies on are built in places like the Capital Region, not overseas, and GlobalFoundries and Lockheed Martin are leading the charge to ensure that we build America’s tech future here in Upstate NY.”

“Lockheed Martin is focused on delivering cutting-edge 21st Century Security capabilities that advance deterrence and keep our customers ahead of emerging threats,” said Jim Taiclet, chairman, president and CEO of Lockheed Martin. “This begins with securely manufactured semiconductors. We look forward to working with GlobalFoundries to help increase access to domestically produced microelectronics – a true national security imperative.”

“The GF team has been a trusted partner of the U.S. government and the aerospace and defense industry for decades,” said Dr. Thomas Caulfield, president and CEO of GF. “We are proud to collaborate with Lockheed Martin to address the growing need for a reliable supply of trusted, feature-rich semiconductors for mission-critical security systems. Today's announcement is another example of GF's commitment to innovation, our global manufacturing footprint, and enabling a more resilient semiconductor supply chain in the U.S. and abroad.”

GF’s manufacturing facilities in New York and Vermont have Trusted accreditation from the U.S. government and are authorized to produce secure chips for use in the nation’s most sensitive systems on land, air, sea, and in space.

Both companies are committed to helping strengthen the supply chain for semiconductors used in critical defense systems. To further advance this shared goal, Lockheed Martin and GF will jointly pursue external funding opportunities, technology development, and collaboration with the U.S. government.

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