Counterfeit semiconductor mitigation in defense and military systems
Rochester Electronics explains how counterfeit mitigation requires authorised sourcing, lifecycle planning, traceability and rigorous supply chain management
Counterfeit semiconductors pose a growing threat to US and allied defense system reliability, safety and security. Modern military platforms rely on long lifecycle electronic components, but global supply chains and rapid obsolescence create vulnerabilities to substandard or fraudulent parts. Mitigation involves policy enforcement, authorized sourcing, lifecycle planning and risk-based supplier management.
Counterfeits appear in many forms. We’ve moved well beyond the days when visual inspections (like those outlined in AS6081) could easily spot incorrect manufacturer logos or empty IC packages. Today’s counterfeiters can replicate nearly every step of the production process and even fabricate convincing evidence of authenticity.
Counterfeit semiconductors include: remarked devices, where scrap or substandard parts are relabeled as higher-grade components; recycled components, harvested from electronic waste through chemically and mechanically aggressive processes; and non-functional or failed devices, reintroduced with forged documentation.
These processes expose semiconductors to heat, humidity, corrosive chemicals and mechanical stress, leading to hidden defects such as bond pad corrosion, bond wire degradation and contamination. Failures can occur months or years after deployment.
Broader analysis underscores the scale of the threat. According to the Semiconductor Industry Association, counterfeit semiconductors cost US companies billions of dollars annually and represent a persistent vulnerability in defense supply chains. Research by The Defense Systems Information Analysis Center (DSIAC) identifies insufficient supply chain control and reliance on offshore manufacturing as contributing factors that allow counterfeit components to infiltrate military equipment.
The US government has enacted strict policies to mitigate the risk of counterfeit parts in defense systems. Department of Defense (DoD) Instruction 4140.67 (2024) establishes explicit responsibilities for preventing the use of counterfeit electronic parts across all levels of the DoD supply chain. It mandates robust prevention, detection and reporting processes within defense organizations.
Complementing this, DFARS 246.870–2 requires contractors to obtain electronic parts only from:
Original component manufacturers (OCMs)
Authorized distributors
Authorized aftermarket manufacturers
Independent oversight further validates these concerns. A 2016 US Government Accountability Office (GAO) investigation found that while DoD agencies and contractors reported counterfeit incidents through the Government Industry Data Exchange Program (GIDEP), the effectiveness of reporting varied and improved oversight is needed to reduce supply chain risk.
Testing can potentially identify suspicious parts, but it is not a substitute for authorized sourcing. Test programs created by test houses are not OCM test programs. Visual inspection (AS6081), x-ray imaging and electrical testing (AS6171) each have limitations—many sophisticated counterfeits can evade detection, while datasheet level functional testing cannot replicate the extensive coverage of an original component manufacturer’s original test program, which may have involved tens of man-years of test program development.
Fully authorized semiconductor distributors, such as Rochester Electronics, are compliant with the SAE Aerospace Standard, AS6496. They are authorized by the OCM to provide traceable, guaranteed products, with no quality or reliability testing required, as the parts are sourced only from the OCM.
Fully authorized distributors and licensed aftermarket manufacturers provide complete traceability, environmental controls and access to original test programs, yielding components that meet original specifications.
For long lifecycle defense platforms, aftermarket manufacturers such as Rochester Electronics offer OCM licensed production of obsolete devices using known–good–die and original test protocols. This avoids costly system redesigns and ensures continuity of supply for decades long military sustainment programs.
www.rocelec.com
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