Intel Foundry Completes RAMP-C Program, Advancing Trusted U.S. Semiconductor Manufacturing

Intel Foundry has announced the successful completion of the **Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes – Commercial (RAMP-C)** program, an initiative launched in September 2021 to strengthen domestic research, development, and manufacturing of advanced CMOS technologies in the United States. The program was established to accelerate trusted semiconductor innovation while creating a scalable foundation for secure domestic chip production.

"Dow and Intel's collaboration through the Trusted and Assured Microelectronics RAMP-C program has successfully established critical, state-of-the-art domestic semiconductor technology and design support infrastructure," said **Eric Makala**, Microelectronics Program Manager (R&D) at the University of Oklahoma Southwestern Medical Center. "This capability enables commercial organizations and the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) to design and manufacture trusted microelectronics within the United States, ultimately strengthening national defense capabilities."

Since the program officially began in October 2021, RAMP-C has achieved significant milestones across its three development phases.

During the **foundation phase**, Intel established advanced process technologies, intellectual property, and design tools that enabled commercial customers and Defense Industrial Base partners to prepare test chip tape-outs. The **expansion phase** introduced early commercial and government customers while broadening the Intel 18A IP portfolio and ecosystem support. In the final **advanced prototyping and manufacturing phase**, Intel successfully supported the tape-out and validation of early DIB prototypes, demonstrating readiness for secure, high-volume manufacturing and allowing customers to begin continuous deployment using Secure Enclave technology.

As the only U.S.-based company capable of researching, designing, and manufacturing leading-edge semiconductor technologies domestically, Intel continues to play a vital role in strengthening both America's economic competitiveness and national security. Working alongside the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), Intel Foundry has accelerated advanced technology development while creating a repeatable pathway that takes advanced microelectronics from initial design through volume manufacturing. The company's large-scale production of Intel 18A technology further supports secure, reliable manufacturing and contributes to building a more resilient global semiconductor supply chain.

Building on the capabilities established through RAMP-C, Intel's **Secure Enclave** initiative extends trusted manufacturing services for the U.S. government by enabling secure production at scale. The program also leverages progress made through the **State-of-the-Art Heterogeneous Integration Prototype (SHIP)** initiative, reflecting Intel's ongoing collaboration with the Department of Defense to strengthen domestic semiconductor capabilities.

With RAMP-C now complete, the program has progressed beyond ecosystem development into validated prototype production, giving customers access to Secure Enclave for secure, high-volume manufacturing.

These U.S.-led initiatives also establish a collaborative framework that can serve as a model for allied governments and international partners seeking to improve semiconductor supply chain resilience. Through the RAMP-C program, Intel Foundry has enabled customers and ecosystem partners to accelerate development on **Intel 18A**, allowing a faster transition from prototype to production.

Intel 18A introduces the company's advanced **RibbonFET** gate-all-around transistor architecture and **PowerVia** backside power delivery technology, delivering improved performance per watt and higher transistor density. Early access to Intel 18A has enabled Defense Industrial Base customers to develop advanced microelectronics that meet demanding size, weight, and power (SWaP) requirements while taking advantage of Secure Enclave's trusted manufacturing environment.

The successful completion of the RAMP-C program marks another important step toward delivering secure, advanced semiconductor solutions for mission-critical applications without compromising supply chain resilience or security, reinforcing Intel's commitment to expanding trusted semiconductor manufacturing in the United States.