What's Happening?
Field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) are critical components in U.S. military systems, automobiles, and cloud computing. However, the supply chain for these chips faces significant risks related to cost, availability, and security. The U.S. government is being urged to intervene to mitigate these risks, especially as China's semiconductor manufacturing capacity grows. The CHIPS and Science Act has been a major legislative effort to bolster domestic semiconductor production, but specialized chips like FPGAs have not received adequate policy attention. The report recommends several interventions, including using government infrastructure for data sharing, investing in FPGA security, and building a stockpile of critical FPGAs.
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Why It's Important?
FPGAs play a vital role in national security and economic sectors, including AI, telecommunications, and automotive industries. The growing involvement of China in the FPGA supply chain poses additional security and availability risks. U.S. firms have prioritized cost over security and availability, leading to potential vulnerabilities. Government intervention is necessary to ensure the resilience of the FPGA supply chain, which is crucial for maintaining U.S. technological leadership and national security capabilities.
What's Next?
The U.S. government is advised to implement four policy interventions to address FPGA supply chain risks. These include launching a data-sharing hub, investing in FPGA security, building a national stockpile of critical FPGAs, and preparing for potential supply chain disruptions. These measures aim to secure the supply chain and support American technological leadership.
Beyond the Headlines
The report highlights the need for tailored policies for FPGAs, which differ from other semiconductors due to their flexibility and long lifecycle. The unique characteristics of FPGAs require distinct approaches to address supply chain risks, particularly given China's expanding capabilities in semiconductor manufacturing.
