Issue link: https://iconnect007.uberflip.com/i/1467744
52 PCB007 MAGAZINE I MAY 2022 It's been more than 800 days since the global COVID-19 pandemic upended the sup- ply chains of almost every industry. Whether it's a shortage of commercial and consumer electronics, or automobiles, businesses and their customers are bearing the brunt of what decades of offshoring and billions in foreign manufacturing subsidies have caused. One sector that sometimes escapes the attention of everyday Americans is aerospace and defense, where high-tech platforms and equipment are essential to mission success. Our modern world relies on electronic sys- tems, and defense applications are no excep- tion. When a semiconductor is connected to a printed circuit board, amazing feats of engi- neering are possible. e PCB is the central nervous system that connects chips to every- thing from night vision goggles to next genera- tion fighter aircra. Put simply, planes don't fly, ships don't float, tanks don't roll, and weapons don't fire with- out modern and trusted microelectronics. Leaders at the Pentagon understand this reli- ance. at's why the civilian and uniformed leaders have been calling for increased invest- ment by Congress and other agencies of gov- ernment. e Honorable Heidi Shyu, the Undersecretary of Defense for Research and Engineering, has emphasized repeatedly the need for America to reshore its microelectron- ics manufacturing capacity. She and others in DoD is Unarmed Without the PCB American Made Advocacy by Travis Kelly, PCBAA