Western-tech Russian missiles infographic
Graphic shows Russian weapons that are using Western microchips.
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MILITARY

Russian weapons powered by Western microchips

By Duncan Mil

August 15, 2022 - Despite tough sanctions, supplies of Western computer parts continue to power devastating Russian weapons deployed in Ukraine, according to a report by Britain’s Royal United Services Institute and Reuters.

A research team made up of RUSI staff in partnership with Reuters news agency, and iStories -- a Russia-focused investigative news site -- inspected 27 Russian weapons systems and pieces of military equipment collected since the beginning of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24, 2022. RUSI identified at least 450 unique microelectronic components inside these systems produced by companies based in the U.S., Europe and East Asia.

Of the 450 components found by RUSI, 317 appear to have been made by U.S. companies, including Texas Instruments Inc.; Altera, owned by Intel Corp.; Xilinx, owned by Advanced Micro Devices Inc.; and Maxim Integrated Products Inc., acquired last year by Analog Devices Inc. Chips made by Cypress Semiconductor, now owned by Germany’s Infineon AG, were also found.

Components from Japan, Taiwan, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Germany, China, South Korea, the UK, Austria and others were also present in the equipment examined by the team.

Among the 450 components RUSI examined, over 200 appear to have been manufactured by just 10 U.S.-based companies. And approximately 18 per cent are covered by U.S. export controls for their possible application in military systems.

Sources
PUBLISHED: 15/08/2022; STORY: Graphic News
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