BAE to Expand Access To Radiation-Hardened Microelectronics.

• Author: Easley, Mikayla

* The Army has contracted BAE Systems to help the service expand access to high-tech microelectronics in the United States.

Army Contracting Command-Rock Island awarded the firm a $60 million contract to develop next-generation, radiation-hardened by design microelectronics, the company recently announced. The work completed under the contract could lead to U.S. defense and aerospace communities having better access to more advanced process nodes in the future, according to a BAE researcher.

Used to support capabilities ranging from global positioning systems to satellite communications to fighter jets, microelectronics have become an essential technology for the Pentagon's modernization efforts. However, COVID-19 and a shift in production of microelectronics to places such as China have created supply chain woes for the defense industry.

Radiation-hardened microelectronics undergo a process to be more resistant to exposure from radiation and extreme temperatures than commercial-grade products--ideal components for space systems, said Chris Rappa, director of BAE's FAST Labs research and development organization.

The radiation hardening process also makes them more reliable, he added.

"When you're talking about space--space electronics in particular--the idea of reliability is very important because you don't get to go up and swap...