BAE Systems and Rocket Lab Secure CHIPS Program Funding
Slice of Manufacturing Team
12/03/2024
Key Highlights:
- BAE Systems awarded $35.5M for modernizing its Microelectronics Center in Nashua, NH, quadrupling production capacity and enhancing national defense capabilities.
- Rocket Lab awarded $23.9M to expand Albuquerque, NM facility, increasing space-grade solar cell production by 50% and creating 100+ jobs.
- CHIPS Program focuses on strengthening U.S. semiconductor supply chain resilience and supporting critical national defense and space programs.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
Quotes
“ "By finalizing these awards, we are strengthening America’s domestic semiconductor supply chain resilience and broadening our manufacturing capabilities." ”
Laurie E. Locascio, Under Secretary at Commerce
Our Take:
These awards signal a critical leap in U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, aligning with the nation’s goals to reduce reliance on foreign supply chains. By targeting defense and space-grade technologies, the CHIPS Program strategically invests in sectors vital to national security and technological leadership. BAE Systems’ focus on defense applications and Rocket Lab’s advancement in space technology underscore the synergy between innovation and resilience in maintaining U.S. global competitiveness.
