GlobalFoundries (GF) and Qualinx have completed the first fully European, end-to-end semiconductor manufacturing flow at GF’s Dresden fab, proving that security-critical chips can be designed, manufactured, and delivered entirely within Europe.
The milestone
Qualinx served as the launch customer, taping out a GNSS SoC (QLX3xx) for secure Positioning, Navigation and Timing (PNT) applications. The design targets aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure use cases—including resilient timing networks and ultra-low-power GNSS receivers at the connected edge. This marks the first operational proof that complex, security-relevant ASIC designs can be industrialized using a fully European, trusted manufacturing path.
European sovereign manufacturing flow
Co-funded by the European Chips Act, GF’s Dresden fab is establishing a sovereign manufacturing flow that consolidates every step—design intake, mask services, and wafer manufacturing—within the European Union. No sensitive design data or physical materials leave Europe, satisfying strict regulatory and security requirements from European governments, defense agencies, and critical infrastructure operators. GF is also working with Deutsche Telekom to assess how production-related data can be processed, transported, and stored entirely within Europe on European networks and cloud infrastructures.
Roadmap and scaling
The Qualinx tape-out is the first milestone toward GF’s fully automated trusted European flow, targeted for completion by the end of 2026. Starting in 2027, aerospace, defense, and critical infrastructure customers will be able to use this automated flow as part of regular foundry engagements, integrating European IP partners, mask houses, and OSAT service providers. Several European system and module manufacturers are already in discussions with GF to map upcoming product generations onto this sovereign manufacturing model.
Forward-looking significance
This achievement demonstrates that a fully European semiconductor supply chain for security-critical applications is not a future aspiration but an operational reality today. By reducing technical and regulatory risks for subsequent programs, GF and Qualinx have set a benchmark that positions Europe to secure its own trusted chip production for the most sensitive defense and infrastructure workloads.
