One Supply Chain Monopoly Comes to an End.

• Author: Hart, Martin

Over the last few years, we have been sounding the alarm over what we have perceived as a potential threat to U.S. defense--the very real possibility of a critical shortage of field programmable gate array components. These electronic devices--integrated circuits designed to be configured by a customer or a designer after manufacturing--form a vital part of many defense and aerospace guidance systems.

Without these mission-critical devices, warfighters might not fly, and critical defense guidance systems might not operate.

The threat, however, has been hiding in plain sight; there has been only one supplier in the nation qualified to perform a specific type of assembly service needed to produce these parts, specifically the attachment of copper-wrapped solder columns to the integrated circuits as one critical step in their manufacture.

Makers of the ruggedized devices have depended upon a single subcontractor designated on the Defense Logistics Agency's Qualified Manufacturer List as a provider of copper-wrapped solder column attachment services for the entire field programmable gate array industry.

We maintain that such a monopoly is inherently dangerous because any supply chain dependent upon a single vendor is inherently vulnerable. Considering the ongoing military threats by foreign actors against the United States, it should be no wonder that we've been shouting that action is needed to develop a solution to resolve this vulnerability.

We have sounded the alarm, described the problem and proposed viable solutions through various channels. We wondered if indeed we were heard, or even noticed; but now I can say, happily, that it seems that the concerns and call to action have finally been heard after all.

Should a real field programmable gate array shortage occur --for whatever reason--the danger to national defense cannot be emphasized strongly enough.

However, the defense and aerospace industry at last has a solution and is moving forward to qualify multiple vendors for critical processes, including column attachment services. This remedy also requires a relatively low investment by device makers. Fabrication of copper-wrapped solder columns is not a simple matter and requires correct know-how, manufacturing equipment and proficient operator skills to achieve.

We can't be sure why there has been a sea-change in direction. Perhaps global instability, the COVID-19 pandemic and the demonstrated fragility of the global supply chain has...