Dec. 25 (Asia Today) -- South Korea's defense procurement agency is accelerating efforts to develop and certify defense-grade semiconductors, warning that reliance on foreign supply chains for critical chips could delay weapons deployment and weaken long-term competitiveness in arms exports.
Modern weapon systems increasingly depend on semiconductors for core functions including missile guidance and navigation, radar detection and tracking, encrypted military communications and autonomous operation in drones and unmanned platforms, defense officials and industry experts say.
Analysts say dependence on overseas sources for such components creates vulnerabilities that go beyond cost. If access is disrupted by export controls, manufacturing changes or supply discontinuation, military programs can face delays because defense-grade parts often require retesting and recertification even after minor design or packaging changes.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration said it launched a task force in January 2024 to prepare for a Defense Semiconductor Center and has been building a roadmap for project planning and management along with a dedicated reliability evaluation and certification function, according to a notice posted on the government innovation portal.
