The US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations announced on Thursday that it will hold a hearing next Tuesday regarding the use of American-made semiconductors in Russian weaponry deployed in the Ukraine conflict.
Senator Richard Blumenthal, the Democratic chair of the subcommittee, revealed that the hearing will feature testimonies from executives of Analog Devices, Advanced Micro Devices (AMD), Intel, and Texas Instruments. The committee examines whether these companies’ products in recovered Russian weapons comply with export controls designed to prevent Russia from accessing US technology. As detailed in a February Senate memo, preliminary data shows a notable increase in exports to countries that Russia might use to circumvent these controls.
In February, Blumenthal emphasized the need for US semiconductor manufacturers to enhance efforts to prevent their chips from unlawfully entering Russian military equipment. Reports have indicated that despite stringent US export controls imposed in 2022 following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, US-origin chips and technology are still being found in various Russian military equipment, including drones, radios, missiles, and armored vehicles.
Intel declined to comment, and the other three companies have not responded to inquiries. Each company is sending vice presidents responsible for trade compliance to provide testimony. Intel stated in February that its contracts mandate compliance with regulations and that it actively tracks and addresses potential distributor issues. AMD supported strengthening public/private partnerships to combat illicit product diversion. Texas Instruments highlighted its significant investment in preventing its chips from reaching malicious actors, while Analog Devices noted its proactive measures to mitigate risks from the gray market.
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