While ties between the defence and semiconductor industries stretch back to the 1960s, their paths have significantly diverged. In my 27 years in the industry, I’ve seen this divergence result in lifecycle mismatches and supply challenges.
Today, leading semiconductor manufacturers prioritise high-volume consumer markets with rapid innovation cycles, compact, low-cost packages, and short product lifecycles – typically five to ten years. These features, ideal for commercial applications, do not meet the extended service lifecycles typical of defence and aerospace systems.
With geopolitical tensions rising, global defence spending is increasing. NATO members are hitting or exceeding the 2% GDP benchmark – Poland, for instance, is investing over 4%. These funds are directed not only at future capabilities but also at sustaining current platforms, extending their lifespan well beyond original projections. This intensifies obsolescence challenges, as OEMs and their suppliers struggle to maintain ageing systems with components never intended for such long-term use.
Supply chain resilience is more important than ever. Defence programmes involve long development times, demanding lifecycles, and rigorous reliability requirements. As electronics age, proactive obsolescence management becomes essential – requiring advanced planning, long-term procurement strategies, and clear transition pathways for sustaining or upgrading platforms.
Organisations today face a strategic choice: maintain sovereign capability and in-house control or embrace Commercial-Off-The- Shelf (COTS) components and outsourcing. Balancing these priorities is key to maintaining strategic autonomy amid global instability and supply disruptions.
Best practices for semiconductor supply chain risk mitigation include:
- Strategic alignment: partner with trusted suppliers for long-term value
- Dual sourcing: approve components from multiple OCMs when feasible
- Advanced warning systems: maintain early, transparent communication with suppliers
- Comprehensive lifecycle tracking: use tools and aftermarket sources to monitor and extend component viability
- Proactive collaboration: engage early with supply chain partners to shape investments
- Program Protection Plans (PPP): partner with authorised aftermarket manufacturers to ensure compliance and continuity
At Rochester Electronics, we’re uniquely positioned to support these needs. As an AS6496-compliant distributor and licensed manufacturer, we provide solutions across commercial, industrial, automotive, and military markets – long after OCM discontinuation. Our vast inventory comes directly from OCMs and includes military-grade components, supported by in-house hermetic assembly and authorised packaging.
We also offer ASIC-based replacements that are form, fit, and function compatible, easing requalification – even for DO-254 DAL-A applications. Obsolescence is inevitable. With Rochester Electronics, you’ll always be prepared.
Learn more: www.rocelec.com
By Luke Fitzpatrick, Director – Aerospace & Defence EMEA, Rochester Electronics
