Northrop Grumman’s Microelectronics Center is now open for aerospace and defence companies to access its three US government-accredited semiconductor manufacturing facilities, expanding the secure production of defence microelectronics on US soil.
The open-access business model allows:
- External entities, including commercial businesses, aerospace and defence companies, the US Government, academia, federally funded research and development centres and others, to design, manufacture, package and test microelectronics domestically for commercial and defence applications
- Access to end-to-end US-based advanced packaging facilities with reliable semiconductor design, post-processing, assembly and test for current and future generation technologies
- Purchase of Northrop Grumman-produced semiconductor products and components via an online storefront
“By opening our defence-grade manufacturing facilities to partners, Northrop Grumman is expanding and strengthening the resilience of America’s semiconductor industry and supply chain. We are providing partners with unprecedented access to design and develop domestic chips as well as the ability to directly purchase from us, enhancing collaboration across the broader defense industrial base,” said Vern Boyle, Vice President of the Northrop Grumman Microelectronics Center.
The centre is comprised of three manufacturing facilities: two US government-accredited semiconductor foundries in California and Maryland, and an advanced packaging facility in Florida.
The packaging facility is capable of 100mm-300mm wafer bumping, probing, and dicing, which allows multiple smaller, specialised chips to be combined into a single, more powerful electronics package. Unlike traditional methods that place multiple chips side-by-side into a system, advanced packaging integrates multiple specialised chips together with high-density connections into a 3D chip stack. This approach is critical for meeting the demands of next-generation devices.
According to industry research, 98% of advanced packaging needs are sent offshore, which poses a risk to threats from global impacts. Northrop Grumman is one of few defence companies who can package chips within the US.
Northrop Grumman designs, manufactures, assembles, tests and packages millions of microelectronics annually to support next-generation defence and commercial systems in the United States, ensuring the American supply chain is protected and sustainable to strengthen national defense infrastructure. From design, fabrication, to field, the company’s mission-tailored microelectronics serve as the crucial intelligence powering next-generation military and commercial systems and are foundational to mission success.
