Global Sourcing Spotlight: Building a Supply Chain That Bends, Not Breaks
Smart Automation: The Journey of a Component Through an SMT Factory
Powering the Future: Why Thermal Management Defines the Future of Electronics
Raytheon Technologies to Boost Domestic Supply of Critical Materials
February 19, 2026 | Raytheon TechnologiesEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Raytheon, an RTX business, was awarded a contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to develop a domestic production capability for thin film lithium niobate (TFLN) wafers, a material essential to high‑speed, secure communications and advanced sensing systems.
TFLN is used in next-generation photonics for many defense applications and a broad set of commercial applications, including AI and computing technologies, data centers, and telecommunications. With supply currently dominated by foreign sources, Raytheon aims to ensure the U.S. has a secure, domestic alternative that will be available to the entire defense industrial base and commercial industries.
"Global access to TFLN has become increasingly constrained, with supply consolidation leaving U.S. companies vulnerable to international disruptions," said Colin Whelan, president of Advanced Technology at Raytheon. "Through this effort, Raytheon will stand up an independent U.S. supplier of next‑generation TFLN, building an open, third-party source that can serve a broad range of defense and commercial customers."
Under the contract, Raytheon's Advanced Technology team will leverage its expertise in ion slicing to assist US-based company G&H in developing the process for manufacturing high-quality TFLN wafers. Once the process is established, production will transition to G&H in early 2026, who will manufacture the TFLN wafers at low-rate initial production. Raytheon and G&H will continue to collaborate closely to ensure successful technology transfer and production readiness.
"Establishing G&H as a robust, domestic merchant supplier of thin film lithium niobate is essential for creating next-generation faster and more efficient photonic transmission and sensing systems," said Dr. Stratos Kehayas, president, Photonics at G&H. "G&H's vertically integrated crystal and wafer manufacturing capabilities enable the reliable transition of this technology into U.S.-based production, strengthening supply chain resilience for both defense and commercial applications."
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
RTX's Raytheon Delivers Second Missile-warning Sensor to U.S. Space Force
04/29/2026 | RTXRaytheon, an RTX business, has delivered its second sensor to Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Space Force's Next-Generation Overhead Persistent Infrared (Next-Gen OPIR) Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) Block 0 satellite program.
RTX's Raytheon Completes First Flight Test for RAIVEN® Sensing System
04/15/2026 | RTXRaytheon, an RTX business, has successfully completed the first flight test of its RAIVEN® Staring system, an air-cooled sensor suite that delivers greater situational awareness and operator survivability, on a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter.
RTX's Raytheon Unveils First Event-Based MWIR Camera for Real-Time High-Speed Threat Tracking
04/13/2026 | PRNewswireRaytheon, an RTX business, successfully demonstrated a new event-based mid-wave infrared (MWIR) camera that tracks high speed objects in real time while dramatically reducing processing and power demands.
Netherlands Awards RTX $627M Patriot Defense Contract
04/13/2026 | RTXRaytheon, an RTX business, was awarded a $627 million contract to supply the Netherlands with Patriot® air and missile defense system equipment.
RTX's Raytheon Completes $115 Million Expansion of Alabama Missile Integration Facility
03/16/2026 | RTXRaytheon, an RTX business, has completed a 26,000 square-foot expansion of its Redstone Raytheon Missile Integration Facility, backed by a $115 million capital investment that will increase the facility's integration and delivery capacity by over 50% and grow the company's footprint in the state to more than 2,200 employees.