Beyond the Board: How a Diminished Supplier Base Affects Complex PCB Manufacturing Readiness in Defense
Defense Speak Interpreted: Hypersonics Report Back After Six Years of Silence
American Made Advocacy: American Microelectronics Power the Future of High Technology
IPC, PCBAA Urge Congress to Fully Fund Printed Circuit Boards or Face Continuing National Security and Economic Risks
February 7, 2024 | PCBAAEstimated reading time: 2 minutes
WASHINGTON – February 6, 2024 – In a letter signed by 54 microelectronics executives, IPC, the global association for electronics manufacturing, and the Printed Circuit Board Association of America (PCBAA) are calling on Congress to fully fund the Defense Production Act Purchases Account at the House-passed level of $618 million and $1.08 billion for the Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program.
These funding sources are crucial to restore American leadership in the strategically vital printed circuit board (PCB) industry. The United States currently produces only four percent of the world’s supply compared to 30 percent at the turn of the century. PCBs are central to all electronics across all industries including defense, healthcare, telecommunications, aviation, and automotive.
The semiconductors funded by the CHIPS and Science Act gain functionality through their placement on PCBs. As chips have increased in sophistication, so too have the PCBs upon which they are placed. U.S. armed forces depend on PCBs found in everything from night vision goggles and drones to avionics and satellites.
“Semiconductor chips are powerful examples of modern innovation, but they require an electronic system to operate,” said John W. Mitchell, IPC president and CEO. “Chips have no functionality until they are packaged and placed on PCBs by electronics manufacturers who assemble systems. IPC and our member companies urge Congress to reinvigorate a domestic PCB industry that is critical to U.S. industrial resiliency, economic competitiveness, and national security. ”
“America’s leadership in microelectronics has implications for our national and economic security,” said PCBAA Chairman Travis Kelly, “As they did with the CHIPS Act, Congress must invest in American printed circuit boards.”
For years, experts inside and outside of government have warned that the Department of Defense’s (DOD’s) reliance on a long and vulnerable supply chain creates unacceptable risk.
- 2017: The Department of Commerce Bureau of Industry and Security issued a warning to DOD regarding the health of the PCB industry
- 2018: The White House recommended that the DOD expand direct investment in the lower tier of the industrial base.
- 2022: The Departments of Commerce and Homeland Security warned of serious risks because of the lack of PCB manufacturing and recommended investment incentives and funding of Title III of the Defense Production Act.
- 2023: The House Select Committee on the United States Competition with the Chinese Communist Party recommended financial assistance programs for American PCB manufacturing and research. This was the first of 150 recommendations in their report.
- 2024: The Department of Defense named microelectronics as a key area of risk for the defense industrial base.
For a PDF of the full text of the letter, please click here.
Share on:
Testimonial
"Our marketing partnership with I-Connect007 is already delivering. Just a day after our press release went live, we received a direct inquiry about our updated products!"
Rachael Temple - AlltematedSuggested Items
Driving Precision: All4-PCB’s Push for Smarter Inspection and Better Boards
04/17/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOAt APEX EXPO 2026, all4-PCB's booth stayed busy until the very end. In this interview, Managing Director Ralph Jacobo highlights what he sees as strong market momentum in North America driven by increased demand for advanced PCB manufacturing technologies. He emphasizes investments in multilayer lamination, propelled by AI infrastructure, aerospace, and HDI complexity, where precision and uniformity are critical.
Applications, Challenges, and the Future of Flex–Packaging Integration, Part 2
04/16/2026 | Anaya Vardya, American Standard CircuitsIn the second of this two-part series, Anaya Vardya of American Standard Circuits examines applications, challenges, manufacturing considerations, and future trends emerging from the convergence of flexible printed circuit boards and advanced semiconductor packaging. Applications driving the convergence include consumer electronics, automotive systems, medical, wearables, aerospace and more.
OKI Launches EMS for AI Server Equipment Featuring Proprietary High Heat Dissipation Technology
04/07/2026 | BUSINESS WIREOKI will launch Comprehensive Electronics Manufacturing Services (EMS) for AI server equipment on March 25, 2026.
Take the Mic: Photo Chemical Systems: 50 Years Strong
04/03/2026 | Real Time with... APEX EXPOPhoto Chemical Systems is celebrating 50 years in the bare board PCB market. David Graves and Jason Averette discuss how they've expanded into assembly, leveraging strong relationships and a customer-centric approach to navigate supply chain challenges. With innovative solutions and future growth strategies, including AI integration and new market ventures, Photo Chemical Systems continues enduring success.
Ensuring the Next Generation of U.S. Weapons Has Homegrown Electronics
03/31/2026 | David Schild, PCBAAThe U.S. has in the works several new weapons to counter emerging enemy threats. These include new warships, fighter aircraft, bombers, submarines, drones and a network of air defenses to defend the entire U.S. against missile and air attacks. And yet the U.S. will be challenged to produce key electronics within these systems known as printed circuit boards (PCBs), which are primarily sourced domestically. While the U.S. government has played a key role in helping to revive the domestic semiconductor industry, with the exception of some funding through the Defense Product Act it has largely ignored domestic production of PCBs.