Vishay welcomes APPG report on securing UK semiconductor capability for defence and national security
September 2026
Vishay was pleased to attend the launch of a new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Semiconductors examining the critical role of semiconductors in supporting the UK’s defence, national security and sovereign industrial capability: Defence and National Security: Securing a Sovereign Semiconductor Capability.
The report was prepared by the APPG’s Advisory Board, of which Sam Evans of Vishay Intertechnology is a member. The report examines how the UK can strengthen the resilience, security and competitiveness of the semiconductor technologies that underpin modern defence systems. The launch brought together parliamentary, government and industry representatives, with contributions from APPG Chair Ruth Jones MP, Stephen Kinnock MP, Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry Luke Pollard MP, AI Minister Kanishka Narayan MP and Advisory Board Chair Drew Nelson OBE.
The report highlights that semiconductors are fundamental to a growing range of defence capabilities, including radar, secure communications, electronic warfare, autonomous systems, AI, precision weapons and advanced sensing. With the Government’s Defence Investment Plan committing £298 billion to defence spending over the next four years, it argues that there is a significant opportunity to retain more strategic and economic value within the UK semiconductor ecosystem.
It’s recommendations include greater prioritisation of secure UK semiconductor suppliers where feasible; the creation of a UK Defence Semiconductor Initiative jointly led by the Ministry of Defence and the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; and a dedicated programme to strengthen semiconductor and advanced packaging capabilities. It also calls for action to address skills shortages, improve access to growth capital and accelerate dual-use semiconductor innovation.
The report identifies compound semiconductors, photonics, advanced packaging and semiconductor design as areas where the UK can build greater sovereign capability. It also highlights the importance of technologies such as gallium nitride, gallium arsenide and indium phosphide to defence applications including radar, electronic warfare, communications and advanced sensing.
South Wales has an important role to play in this ambition, with the region’s compound semiconductor cluster bringing together advanced manufacturing, research, skills and innovation capabilities that can contribute to stronger and more resilient UK defence supply chains.
Vishay welcomes the report’s focus on strengthening domestic semiconductor capability and improving alignment between defence investment, industrial strategy and semiconductor policy. Ensuring that UK defence programmes can draw on secure and resilient domestic supply chains will become increasingly important as demand for advanced electronics grows and geopolitical pressures place greater emphasis on technological sovereignty and security of supply.
As a major UK semiconductor manufacturer, Vishay remains committed to supporting the growth of the UK semiconductor sector, strengthening domestic manufacturing capability and working with government, industry and partners across the South Wales cluster to ensure the UK has access to the technologies, skills and supply chains needed for the future.
About Vishay
Vishay manufactures one of the world’s largest portfolios of discrete semiconductors and passive electronic components that are essential to innovative designs in the automotive, industrial, computing, consumer, telecommunications, military, aerospace, and medical markets. Serving customers worldwide, Vishay is The DNA of tech®. Vishay Intertechnology, Inc. is a Fortune 1,000 Company listed on the NYSE (VSH). More on Vishay at www.Vishay.com.
Forward Looking Statement
Statements contained herein that relate to the Company’s future performance, including capital investment, capacity expansion and cash flow generation, are forward-looking statements within the safe harbor provisions of Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Words and expressions such as “will,” “expect,” “focus,” “intend,” “committed, “goal” or other similar words or expressions often identify forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on current expectations only, and are subject to certain risks, uncertainties and assumptions, many of which are beyond our control. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results, performance, or achievements may vary materially from those anticipated, estimated or projected. Among the factors that could cause such material variations include: that the fab will not be integrated successfully into the Company’s overall business; that the expected benefits of the acquisition may not be realized; that the fab’s standards, procedures and controls will not be brought into conformance within the Company’s operation; difficulties in transitioning and retaining fab employees following the acquisition; difficulties in consolidating facilities and transferring processes and know-how; the diversion of our management’s attention from the management of our current business; risks of foreign operations, including excessive operation costs, labor shortages, changes in tax rates; changes in foreign currency exchange rates; uncertainty related to the effects of changes in foreign currency exchange rates; difficulties in new product development; changes in U.S. or foreign trade regulations and tariffs, and uncertainty regarding the same; changes in applicable domestic and foreign tax regulations, and uncertainty regarding the same; and other factors that are set forth in our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including our annual reports on Form 10-K and our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q. We undertake no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.
The DNA of tech® is a trademark of Vishay Intertechnology.
