Tablets used by the military are assembled with parts that trace back to companies under China’s control, with some flagged by Congress for ties to the Chinese military.
The problem isn’t just about microelectronics that have shifted offshore over the last several decades. Rather, it’s about failure to act, even as the path forward is staring at us in the face.
Ensuring our allies adopt semiconductor export controls that mimic the U.S. policies regarding these primary adversaries, especially China, would provide a nonpareil military advantage to the U.S.
The next administration must do dramatically better in understanding both the semiconductor industry and its fundamental role in the modern world with robust national security policies reflecting this understanding.
It will take years to purge the myriad military systems containing content from our adversaries. In the meantime, we remain at risk for a catastrophic event that could disrupt military operations and cripple critical infrastructure.
The new NATO secretary general has the opportunity and experience necessary to lead a global effort to cripple Russia’s war against Ukraine by tightening global export controls on semiconductors that are currently enabling Moscow’s arsenal.
The damage to the U.S. semiconductor industry is compounded from a national security perspective because of the improved armaments China will now have to menace Taiwan and its other neighbors, such as the Philippines, in addition to the U.S.
President Biden’s proposed defense budget for fiscal year 2025 eliminates further funding to bridge the shortfall in electronic components needed for semiconductors to function.
Our national defense and economic security are at risk because we rely so heavily on adversaries and geopolitical competitors for the technologies that power our military systems and critical infrastructure.
The semiconductor industry is enjoying a rare moment in the sun. Thanks to supply shortages and the U.S. government’s belated realization of the role semiconductors play in weapons systems and elsewhere, congressional leaders and the Biden administration are committing taxpayers to spending billions on domestic chip factories. It’s been a long time coming.
