China is raring to go with 3rd-generation chips

Beijing’s recent export controls on gallium – an essential component in US military radars – could have a limited impact on the Pentagon’s supply chain because American defence leaders will look for alternative supplies, experts say.
This month, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce announced it would implement export controls on items related to gallium and germanium from August 1 to safeguard “national security and interests”, a move viewed as retaliation for US-backed sanctions on the Chinese semiconductor industry.
The restriction requires Beijing’s permission to export the strategic metals, and violations could lead to administrative punishment or criminal charges.
When announcing the restriction, China’s Ministry of Commerce said germanium and gallium products served clear dual military and civilian purposes.
allium is widely used in advanced microelectronics, ranging from semiconductors to LEDs, and has long been an essential material in US advanced defence systems and the military supply chain. It has been mainly used in high-energy radars, such as the US Navy’s AN/SPY-6 and the Marine Corps’ AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR radars.
The AN/SPY-6 is a three-dimensional radar to be deployed on the latest model of Arleigh Burke class of destroyers built around the Aegis combat system that are responsible for air and missile defence.
The AN/TPS-80 G/ATOR is also a 3D short and medium-range radar designed to detect objects such as uncrewed aerial systems, cruise missiles, air-breathing targets, rockets and artillery. These systems rely on gallium nitride (GaN) technology to support their antennas and other essential components that are difficult to substitute.
Eugene Gholz, an associate professor of political science at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in the US, said Beijing was in part aiming to disrupt the defence supply chain by countering the semiconductor export control, considering Washington’s “fear of vulnerability” as an opportunity to increase its leverage against the US.
“I think the way China hoped the gallium export controls would ‘work’ is by disrupting the US defence supply chain – annoying the United States in response to the United States annoying China by disrupting Chinese ability to import semiconductors,” Gholz said.
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However, he said that while China’s export controls would cause a shift in the global gallium trade, its substantial influence in the defence supply chain would be limited as Washington found alternative sources.
“China’s export controls may shift around some of the patterns of trade … but they are unlikely to constrain the availability of gallium because substitute suppliers are available in the overall market,” Gholz said.
“There may be some temporary friction or slight cost increases as the market adjusts to actual enforcement of Chinese export controls.”

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