IBM Selected for Department of Defense Award to Support Advancing the United States Microelectronics Technology Design Capabilities

Rhea-AI Summary

On December 21, 2020, IBM announced a Phase 1 Other Transactions Agreement under the RAMP Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project, aimed at enhancing U.S. microelectronics technology. This initiative, administered by the Naval Surface Warfare Center and funded by the Department of Defense, focuses on developing secure microelectronics, including Application Specific Integrated Circuits and Systems on a Chip. IBM's collaboration aims to establish a self-sustainable supply chain that meets DoD requirements while improving performance and reliability.

Positive

• IBM's engagement in a crucial defense technology project enhances its status as a key supplier for the Department of Defense.
• Development of secure microelectronics can lead to increased demand and potential revenue growth.
• The project aligns IBM with national security priorities, potentially improving its government contracts.

Negative

• None.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) today announced a Phase 1 Other Transactions Agreement under the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes (RAMP) Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project through the Strategic and Spectrum Missions Advanced Resilient Trusted Systems (S²MARTS) Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) to support advancing U.S. microelectronics technology. The project is administered by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and is funded by the Office of Secretary of Defense (OSD) via the Trusted & Assured Microelectronics Program. 

Microelectronics, also referred to as semiconductors, underpin U.S. defense and national security capabilities. The objective of RAMP is to leverage commercial industry's expertise and demonstrate measurably secure physical design of State-of-the Art (SOTA) microelectronics technologies, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), and Systems on a Chip (SoC).

For the next several months, IBM's deeply experienced, multifaceted Research and Services teams, and its partners will support the integration and development of these capabilities with an integrated approach to help identify and mitigate threats. These combinations are intended to enable measurably secure microelectronics with lower power consumption, improved performance, reduced physical size, and enhanced reliability. 

"The semiconductor industry is critical for our nation's security, technology leadership and economic growth," said Jay Bellissimo, IBM's General Manager, U.S. Public and Federal Market. "IBM is proud to be one of DoD's suppliers in this critically important mission and put our cutting-edge technologies and expertise in service of the defense community."

More specifically, IBM and its partners will deliver a solution that involves:

• A verifiable end-to end quantifiable assurance approach, for implementing a microelectronics supply chain and operational security standards based on commercial best practices and tools;
• A multi-foundry SOTA product pipeline, to provide the DoD with quantifiably secured access to multiple SOTA fabrication on-shore foundries; and
• A self-sustainable, commercially operated set of capabilities that support DoD Program of record microchip demand, built upon commercial best practices.

About IBM

For more information about IBM, visit www.ibm.com

Contact:
Francisco Pelayo
(786) 537-2345
fran.pelayo@ibm.com

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SOURCE IBM

FAQ

What is the purpose of IBM's recent agreement with the Department of Defense?

IBM's recent agreement aims to enhance U.S. microelectronics technology, focusing on secure designs for defense applications.

How does IBM plan to support microelectronics technology under the RAMP project?

IBM will leverage its research and services teams to develop secure microelectronics and integrate them into a self-sustainable supply chain.

What funding supports IBM's project on microelectronics?

The project is funded by the Office of Secretary of Defense via the Trusted & Assured Microelectronics Program.

What technologies are involved in IBM's microelectronics project?

The project involves Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs) and Systems on a Chip (SoC) to advance microelectronics capabilities.

Who administers the RAMP Advanced Commercial Capabilities Project?

The project is administered by the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Crane Division.