Gallium nitride chip developed for military radar and wireless links by Northrop Grumman
NewsJune 10, 2026
REDONDO BEACH, California. Northrop Grumman built a new gallium nitride (GaN) chip for military and commercial radio frequency applications, the company announced in a statement.
The chip uses the W-band spectrum, a range of high-frequency radio waves, to support wireless transmission of data for military radar systems and satellite communications, the statement reads. Northrop Grumman says the chip is also intended to support future fifth-generation and sixth-generation wireless connectivity.
The component is designed to strengthen wireless signals while reducing the size and power needs of related equipment, according to the company.
Northrop Grumman manufactured the chip at its semiconductor facility in California through a project with the Microelectronics Commons California DREAMS hub, where the company is a partner, the statement reads.
The Microelectronics Commons program is funded by the Office of the Under Secretary of War for Research and Engineering as part of an industry, government, and academic effort to move microelectronics technology into fielded use, the company says.
