Europe’s effort to strengthen control over its semiconductor supply chain has reached a significant milestone. GlobalFoundries and Dutch chip designer Qualinx have completed what they describe as the continent’s first fully European end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing flow.

The achievement shows that security-sensitive chips can move from design to fabrication entirely within Europe. The approach targets applications where supply chain control carries strategic importance, including aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure.

Qualinx served as the first customer to validate the manufacturing process using one of its advanced satellite navigation chips designed for secure timing and positioning applications.

Securing the supply chain

The project centers on Qualinx’s QLX3xx Global Navigation Satellite System system-on-chip, developed for Positioning, Navigation and Timing applications. These technologies support systems that require precise synchronization and resilient navigation capabilities.

Potential uses include military platforms, critical communications networks, and ultra-low-power connected devices operating at the edge. The chip was manufactured using GlobalFoundries’ FDX platform at the company’s Dresden facility in Germany.

Under the manufacturing framework, sensitive design files and production materials remain within European borders throughout the process. The initiative also receives support through the European Chips Act, which seeks to strengthen the region’s semiconductor capabilities and reduce reliance on overseas suppliers.

“We are demonstrating that Europe can rely on a secure, end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing flow that meets the highest requirements of aerospace and defense,” said Dr. Manfred Horstmann, senior vice president and general manager at GlobalFoundries.

He added that the Qualinx project proves complex, security-focused chip designs can already enter production through a trusted European manufacturing route.

Sovereign production roadmap

GlobalFoundries plans to expand the capability over the next several years. The Qualinx tape-out represents the first operational step toward a fully automated sovereign manufacturing process.

The company expects to complete that transition in Dresden by the end of 2026. Beginning in 2027, aerospace, defense and critical infrastructure customers could access the manufacturing flow through standard foundry engagements.

GlobalFoundries also plans to incorporate additional European partners into the ecosystem, including intellectual property providers, mask houses, and outsourced semiconductor assembly and test companies.

According to the company, several European system manufacturers and infrastructure operators have already begun evaluating future products for the trusted manufacturing path. The successful Qualinx project could help lower both technical and regulatory barriers for follow-on programs.

Building trusted infrastructure

The effort extends beyond wafer fabrication and chip production. GlobalFoundries is also working with European telecommunications and cloud providers to keep production data within the region.

In a separate initiative with Deutsche Telekom, the company is examining how manufacturing information can travel through European networks and reside in European data centers. The work covers encryption practices, secure data routing, and access controls for highly sensitive workloads.

For Qualinx, the project validates both its technology and the broader concept of sovereign semiconductor production.

“This first secure product demonstrates that a fully European manufacturing path is already a reality today,” said Tom Trill, chief executive officer of Qualinx.

He said the collaboration optimized the company’s Digital RF technology on GlobalFoundries’ FDX platform while preserving control over intellectual property, data, and the supply chain.

As governments around the world seek greater control over strategic technologies, Europe’s latest semiconductor milestone suggests trusted regional manufacturing is evolving beyond policy ambitions. It is increasingly becoming an industrial reality.

America’s first commercial-scale plant producing jet fuel from captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity has begun operations in Washington state, marking a major milestone for a technology that could reshape how aviation fuel is made.

Twelve, a California-based industrial technology company, opened AirPlant One in Moses Lake, Washington. The facility produces E-Jet fuel, a synthetic sustainable aviation fuel created through a power-to-liquid process that combines captured CO2, water and renewable electricity.

The launch moves power-to-liquid technology beyond pilot programs and laboratory testing. It also establishes a new model for domestic fuel production that does not depend on crude oil extraction. In addition to aviation fuel, the plant manufactures E-Naphtha, a chemical feedstock used to make thousands of everyday products.

Turning air into fuel

At the heart of AirPlant One is an electrolyzer-based system that transforms captured carbon dioxide and water into liquid hydrocarbons. Renewable electricity powers the process, enabling the plant to produce synthetic jet fuel that is chemically identical to its fossil-derived counterpart.

The resulting E-Jet fuel meets ASTM certification standards for commercial aviation use. Airlines can use it as a drop-in fuel without modifying aircraft engines, airport fueling equipment, or existing infrastructure. That compatibility removes one of the biggest barriers facing alternative aviation fuels.

The facility has already begun producing on-specification fuel for commercial use. The achievement moves power-to-liquid technology into real-world operations and demonstrates that synthetic aviation fuel can be manufactured at commercial scale.

“We broke ground on AirPlant One with a simple thesis: that the fuels powering the global economy could be made from renewable electricity and air,” said Nicholas Flanders, co-founder and chief executive officer of Twelve. “Today, that thesis is operational.”

The technology also differs from many sustainable aviation fuel pathways currently under development. Most existing SAF production relies on biological feedstocks such as used cooking oil, agricultural waste, and other organic materials.

Those resources face limitations tied to land availability and supply. Power-to-liquid production instead uses captured carbon dioxide and renewable electricity, inputs that supporters argue offer greater scalability and flexibility.

Beyond aviation fuel

AirPlant One also produces E-Naphtha, a synthetic alternative to petroleum-derived naphtha. The material serves as a building block for thousands of products, including plastics, packaging materials, solvents, and synthetic fibers.

Because E-Naphtha is chemically identical to conventional naphtha, manufacturers can integrate it into existing production systems without redesigning equipment or processes. Twelve has previously demonstrated its use in applications ranging from automotive components to consumer products.

The addition of E-Naphtha production broadens the plant’s role beyond aviation. It highlights how carbon utilization technologies could support both transportation and industrial manufacturing sectors.

Rewriting fuel economics

The launch of AirPlant One introduces a different model for fuel production. Traditional jet fuel prices often fluctuate alongside crude oil markets and geopolitical disruptions.

Electricity-based manufacturing could offer greater cost stability through long-term power agreements. Twelve says its E-Jet fuel can cut lifecycle carbon emissions by up to 90 percent compared with conventional jet fuel.

The company also says the process requires less land than many biofuel pathways while strengthening domestic supply chains. For an aviation industry searching for practical ways to reduce emissions, AirPlant One represents more than just another demonstration project.

The Moses Lake facility shows that commercial-scale production of synthetic jet fuel from air and renewable electricity is no longer theoretical. It is operating today, producing certified fuel designed for use in existing aircraft and infrastructure while offering a new path for domestic fuel manufacturing.

As military helicopters face growing threats from small attack drones, Airbus Helicopters and German defense technology firm Quantum Systems are betting that the answer could come from the aircraft themselves. The companies announced a cooperation agreement at the ILA Berlin Air Show to explore equipping Airbus military helicopters with counter-drone interceptors developed by Quantum Systems.

The effort will begin with the H145M, a light multirole helicopter already used by several armed forces around the world. The partnership does not yet involve a production contract or deployment timeline. Instead, it marks an early step toward determining whether helicopters can carry dedicated systems designed to detect and defeat hostile drones before they reach their targets.

Rising drone threat

The battlefield has changed rapidly in recent years. Small unmanned aircraft have evolved from reconnaissance tools into low-cost weapons capable of threatening troops, vehicles, and aircraft.

For helicopters, the danger is especially acute during takeoff, landing, and low-altitude operations. Those flight phases often leave crews with fewer options to evade incoming threats.

Commercial drones modified to carry explosives and purpose-built attack systems have demonstrated how vulnerable traditional platforms can be in contested environments. Existing helicopter self-protection suites were largely designed to counter missiles and conventional aircraft rather than swarms of small drones.

Airbus and Quantum Systems want to close that capability gap.cStefan Thomé, executive vice president of programs at Airbus Helicopters, said the company continues to seek new operational capabilities that deliver practical value to military customers.

He described the agreement as an important move toward expanding what military helicopters can do in increasingly complex airspaces. “The H145M, with its advanced open system architecture and exceptional growth potential, serves as the ideal launching pad for this joint initiative,” Thomé said.

Why the H145M?

The H145M already performs a wide range of missions. Operators use the twin-engine helicopter for special operations support, medical evacuation, reconnaissance, and light attack roles.

Its modular design allows crews to add sensors, weapons, and mission equipment without extensive redesign. Airbus argues that flexibility makes it a natural candidate for testing counter-drone technologies. The helicopter also serves several NATO members and export customers across multiple regions, giving any future capability broader relevance.

Europe’s defense experiment

Quantum Systems built its reputation through reconnaissance drones, particularly its Vector fixed-wing platform. Several European militaries have evaluated the system, and Ukrainian forces have used it operationally. Counter-UAS technology represents a newer area of focus for the Munich-based company.

Martin Karkour, Quantum Systems’ chief revenue officer, said the partnership highlights how European defense companies can combine specialized expertise to address emerging threats. “Current developments show that aerial systems need answers to drone threats,” Karkour said.

Airbus also used ILA Berlin to showcase the U145, an uncrewed version of the H145 family. A mockup on display featured Quantum Systems’ counter-drone capability. Many questions remain unanswered. The companies have not disclosed technical details, testing schedules, or qualification plans.

Still, the initiative reflects a broader shift in military aviation. As inexpensive drones reshape modern warfare, aircraft manufacturers are increasingly searching for ways to ensure crewed platforms can survive in skies crowded with uncrewed threats.