Intel Foundry completes RAMP-C program, opening a path to trusted U.S. chip manufacturing
Intel Foundry has completed the Rapid Assured Microelectronics Prototypes – Commercial program, better known as RAMP-C, marking an important milestone for advanced semiconductor development and manufacturing in the United States. The program was created to help customers move beyond early test chips and toward secure, domestic high-volume production of cutting-edge microelectronics.
Launched in 2021, RAMP-C focused on strengthening the U.S. semiconductor ecosystem by supporting leading-edge CMOS technology, design tools, intellectual property, and manufacturing capabilities. The goal was clear: give commercial companies and the defense industrial base a reliable way to design, prototype, and eventually manufacture trusted chips on U.S. soil.
According to U.S. defense officials involved in the effort, the collaboration helped establish a critical domestic infrastructure for advanced microelectronics. This includes the technology and design resources needed for companies to build secure chips that can support both commercial innovation and mission-critical defense systems.
The RAMP-C program progressed through three major stages.
The first stage centered on foundation building. Intel developed the technology, IP, and design enablement tools required to help customers prepare for early test chip tape-outs. This phase created the base needed for companies to begin working with advanced process technology in a trusted environment.
The second stage focused on expansion and customer onboarding. Intel brought in early commercial and defense industrial base customers while broadening the available IP and ecosystem solutions for designs based on Intel 18A. This was a key step in making the platform more accessible to customers developing next-generation chips.
The third stage moved into advanced prototyping and manufacturing readiness. Intel supported the tape-out and testing of early product prototypes for defense-related customers. This demonstrated that the technology could support secure development and positioned customers for future scaled production through Secure Enclave.
The completion of RAMP-C is significant because Intel remains one of the few companies capable of researching, developing, and manufacturing leading-edge semiconductor technology in the United States. That position gives Intel a central role in efforts to improve U.S. economic competitiveness, reduce supply chain risk, and support national security priorities.
Intel 18A is a major part of this strategy. The process technology introduces RibbonFET and PowerVia, two innovations designed to improve performance per watt, transistor density, and overall chip efficiency. For customers building advanced microelectronics, especially those working on systems with strict size, weight, and power requirements, early access to Intel 18A provides a strong foundation for next-generation products.
RAMP-C also connects directly to Intel’s Secure Enclave initiative, which is designed to support trusted, at-scale manufacturing of advanced semiconductors for the U.S. government. Secure Enclave builds on the work completed through RAMP-C and extends the pathway from prototype development to high-volume production.
The program also complements earlier efforts such as the State-of-the-art Heterogeneous Integrated Packaging program, known as SHIP. Together, these initiatives reflect a broader push to rebuild and expand domestic semiconductor capabilities, from chip design to advanced packaging and manufacturing.
For customers, the biggest outcome is a more reliable route from design enablement to production readiness. Instead of relying heavily on overseas manufacturing for advanced chips, companies can now work within a U.S.-based ecosystem designed around trust, security, and scalability.
For the broader semiconductor industry, RAMP-C offers a model that allied governments and international partners may look to adopt. As global chip supply chains remain under pressure, trusted domestic manufacturing has become a strategic priority. Programs like RAMP-C show how government and industry can work together to support resilient supply chains and reduce dependence on vulnerable manufacturing routes.
With RAMP-C now complete, Intel Foundry is positioned to help commercial and defense customers transition from validated prototypes to secure high-volume manufacturing. The result is a stronger domestic semiconductor base and a clearer path for deploying advanced microelectronics in critical systems without sacrificing security, performance, or supply chain resilience.
