This New GaN Chip Provides W-Band Wireless Links for Military Radars - Tech Briefs

Northrop Grumman has developed a new gallium nitride (GaN) chip that sets a new performance standard for both military and commercial applications, particularly in W-band wireless communication for ra... Read original →

Northrop Grumman’s W-band GaN chip isn’t just a component—it’s a catalyst reshaping the RF semiconductor stack. By collapsing size, power, and cost barriers, it forces LDMOS and GaAs incumbents into an existential race: upgrade to GaN within 18 months or exit high-frequency markets. The DoD’s DREAMS hub exemplifies a new defense innovation playbook—leveraging public-private-academic triads to compress R&D cycles, effectively locking non-U.S. foundries out of next-gen military electronics through ITAR and export controls. Commercial players like TSMC or STMicro may counter with GaN-on-Si platforms for 6G infrastructure, but mil-spec reliability remains a moat. Within 24 months, W-band GaN PAs will anchor integrated space-to-ground networks, triggering co-design breakthroughs in thermal management and heterogeneous packaging.