Military power today is inseparable from computing power. From advanced fighter aircraft to missile defense systems and cyber operations, every next-generation defense capability relies on semiconductors. Chips determine not only speed and precision but also resilience in complex environments. As adversaries invest heavily in military modernization, ensuring U.S. compute superiority has become a national security priority. Erik Hosler, an expert on the role of emerging technologies in defense, highlights that chips are no longer background components. They are the engines of military capability. His perspective reflects the growing realization that microelectronics strategy is also a defense strategy.

This link between technology and security reshapes how nations think about semiconductors. A shortage of chips is no longer an inconvenience for consumer devices. It can directly compromise readiness, limit operations, and erode deterrence. For the United States, sustaining defense leadership requires not only funding and innovation but also trusted supply chains that guarantee secure and tamper-resistant chips for critical systems.

Why Chips Matter for Defense

Modern defense platforms are integrated systems that combine sensors, communications, and weapons, all of which rely on advanced computing. Chips enable real-time data processing for targeting, secure communications across networks, and AI-driven analysis for battlefield awareness.

For example, missile defense requires chips capable of processing vast amounts of sensor data in fractions of a second. Cyber defense depends on processors optimized for rapid detection and response. Autonomous vehicles and drones demand chips that balance high performance with low power consumption. Without advanced microelectronics, these systems cannot operate effectively.

The Strategic Vulnerability of Dependence

The U.S. military depends heavily on commercial supply chains for its chips. While these chains provide access to innovative technology, they also create vulnerabilities. Globalized production means that critical components may be fabricated overseas, where risks of tampering, counterfeiting, or disruption exist.

This dependence raises concerns about trusted supply. If adversaries gain access to compromised chips or deny supply altogether, U.S. defense systems could be degraded. Ensuring secure and resilient supply chains is therefore a central priority in defense planning.

Secure Microelectronics for Military Systems

The Department of Defense has long emphasized the need for trusted microelectronics. Programs that certify suppliers, verify hardware, and establish secure production lines aim to guarantee reliability. Yet as systems become more advanced, the challenge grows.

Future military platforms will require chips that deliver performance, resist tampering, and provide transparency. Security features embedded at the hardware level—such as cryptographic protections and detection systems- will be essential. Defense systems cannot afford hidden vulnerabilities.

The Semiconductor Industry’s Role

The defense sector cannot develop secure chips in isolation. It must rely on the broader semiconductor industry to provide technologies and manufacturing capacity. Erik Hosler says, “The semiconductor industry and its technology are essential to building a useful quantum computer.” His observation, while focused on quantum, underscores a larger truth. The same industry that powers consumer devices is also the foundation for defense systems. Without it, breakthroughs in secure and advanced military compute would be impossible.

This insight reinforces the importance of aligning defense needs with commercial innovation. Military-specific chips can be developed, but advances in the broader industry will always shape them. Building bridges between commercial leaders and defense programs ensures that military systems benefit from meaningful developments.

Policy Levers for Defense Superiority

To sustain compute leadership in defense, policymakers must use multiple levers. Investment in domestic fabs ensures a secure supply. Export controls protect sensitive technologies from reaching adversaries. Research funding accelerates breakthroughs in areas such as AI-optimized processors and radiation-hardened chips for space.

Public–private partnerships play a vital role here. Defense demand alone may not sustain innovative technologies, but combined with commercial markets, innovations can thrive. By sharing risks and aligning priorities, partnerships ensure that defense systems receive secure and advanced chips without duplicating costs.

Integrating AI and Next-Gen Capabilities

One of the most transformative uses of advanced chips in defense is enabling AI integration. From predictive maintenance of aircraft to autonomous navigation in drones, AI relies on massive compute power. The chips that train and run these models are therefore directly tied to military readiness.

High-performance computing also supports simulations for weapons testing and strategy planning. These simulations reduce costs, speed up development, and allow for scenarios that cannot be evaluated physically. Compute power becomes a force multiplier, enhancing both efficiency and capability.

Global Competition in Defense Compute

Adversaries are not standing still. China has prioritized civil-military fusion, investing heavily in semiconductors that support both economic and defense applications. Russia, while less advanced in manufacturing, continues to pursue asymmetric approaches that depend on secure and powerful computing.

The competition is global, and the stakes are high. If adversaries achieve breakthroughs in secure or advanced chips first, they could gain decisive military advantages. The U.S. must therefore treat compute superiority as a continuous race, not a one-time investment.

Toward Resilient Military Leadership

Compute superiority in defense is about more than technology. It is about ensuring that chips are secure, supply chains are trusted, and innovation is continuous. The U.S. must recognize that semiconductors are as critical to defense as ships, aircraft, or missiles.

Achieving this requires sustained investment, policy coordination, and collaboration between defense agencies and the semiconductor industry. It also requires recognition that innovation will continue to accelerate globally, making complacency dangerous.

The lesson is clear. National defense in the twenty-first century depends on microelectronics as much as on traditional weapons. By securing chip leadership, the United States ensures not only military readiness but also long-term security in an era defined by technological competition.