How the Pentagon Buys Microchips Like a Foundry

Defense stocks are surging — Lockheed Martin up 13% and RTX up 12% in five days — while chip stocks get hammered. The irony? The Pentagon is becoming one of the most important customers for advanced microchips. This episode of The Defense Tech Podcast examines how the Department of Defense is procuring custom semiconductors for systems like the F-35 and missile defense, using trusted foundry programs and multiyear design contracts. Lucas and Luna break down the economics of buying chips 'like a foundry' — paying for wafer starts, design IP, and rad-hard certification. They discuss the post-CHIPS Act landscape, Intel's role as a defense-adjacent manufacturer, and what the shift from off-the-shelf to bespoke silicon means for the defense industrial base. Plus, a look at how conflict in Ukraine and Iran is accelerating demand for secure microelectronics. #Pentagon #Microchips #Semiconductors #DefenseTech #Procurement #LockheedMartin #RTX #Intel #CHIPSAct #F35 #TrustedFoundry #MilitaryTech #SupplyChain #GovernmentContracting #Business #Technology #FexingoBusiness #BusinessPodcast Keep every episode free: buymeacoffee.com/fexingo