Oct. 24, 2022 — Intel Foundry Services (IFS) today launched a strategic addition to its design ecosystem Accelerator program. The new USMAG (United States Military, Aerospace and Government) Alliance brings together a trusted design ecosystem with U.S.-based manufacturing to enable assured chip design and production on advanced process technologies and meet the stringent design and production requirements of national security applications. A first in the industry, the program’s initial members include leading companies like Cadence, Synopsys, Siemens Digital Industries Software, Intrinsix and Trusted Semiconductor Solutions.

“Semiconductors enable technologies critical to U.S. national security and economic and global competitiveness. Intel is committed to restoring end-to-end U.S. chipmaking leadership through major investments in both R&D and scale manufacturing here in the United States. As the only U.S.-based foundry with leading-edge process capabilities, IFS is uniquely positioned to lead this effort and galvanize the ecosystem to build a more resilient and secure supply chain for U.S. military, aerospace and government customers,” stated Randhir Thakur, president of Intel Foundry Services.

Why It’s Important: National security and government applications focus on securing vital information systems and decision networks, requiring scalable chip design and production capabilities. Leading-edge semiconductors are the bedrock of these systems and networks. In addition to requiring the most advanced process technologies, MAG applications also impose unique functional requirements like radiation hardening by design, wide ambient temperature tolerance and others. Securing these chips requires end-to-end capabilities across the semiconductor design and manufacturing life cycle. A closely coordinated effort between advanced manufacturers and their electronic design automation (EDA), IP and design service alliance members is crucial to deliver the functional and operational security required by MAG applications.

How It Works: Through the USMAG Alliance, IFS will collaborate with members to enable their readiness to support MAG designs on leading-edge technology nodes. The alliance will ensure that EDA members’ tools are optimized to deliver secure design methodologies and flows and enabled to operate in secure design environments, while meeting the requirements of IFS’ process design kits (PDK). IFS will also work with IP-provider members to deliver design IP blocks that serve MAG specifications for quality and reliability. Finally, IFS will enable the members who provide design services to implement USMAG design projects using IFS reference flows and methodologies. The USMAG Alliance will provide an assured and scalable path for customers to deploy designs that fully achieve the unique requirements of MAG applications.

The new USMAG Alliance builds on IFS’ leadership role in the U.S. Department of Defense Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes – Commercial (RAMP-C) program. The RAMP-C program facilitates the use of a U.S.-based commercial semiconductor foundry ecosystem to fabricate the assured leading-edge custom and integrated circuits and commercial products required for critical Department of Defense systems.

About the IFS Accelerator: In February 2022, IFS launched its Accelerator design ecosystem program to help foundry customers bring their silicon products from idea to implementation. Through deep collaboration with industry-leading companies, IFS Accelerator taps the best capabilities available in the industry to help advance customer innovation on Intel’s foundry platform offerings. The IFS Accelerator provides customers a comprehensive suite of tools, including validated EDA solutions, silicon-verified IP and design services that allow customers to focus on creating unique product ideas.

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Source: Intel Corp.