Microchip Technology Inc has announced that its semiconductor manufacturing facility in Nantes, France, has achieved Qualified Manufacturers List (QML) Class Y certification under the MIL-PRF-38535 standard, strengthening its ability to serve aerospace and defense customers with advanced high-reliability semiconductor solutions. The certification expands the facility’s existing qualification scope, which has included QML Classes Q and V since 1999. The addition of Class Y enables the site to support a broader range of advanced packaging technologies, including non-hermetic solutions, allowing for greater integration, enhanced performance, and support for next-generation military and space applications.
The milestone reinforces Microchip’s long-standing commitment to delivering reliable semiconductor technologies for mission-critical environments. With a heritage spanning more than six decades in the aerospace sector, the company’s products have supported numerous landmark programs, from early space exploration missions to modern defense and spaceflight initiatives.
Patrick Johnson, Senior Corporate Vice President of Microchip’s Aerospace and Defense Group, said the certification demonstrates the company’s ongoing investment in quality, reliability, and innovation. He noted that Microchip components are widely deployed across military systems and space programs, where performance and long-term dependability are essential.
The Nantes facility now joins a select group of highly qualified manufacturing sites within Microchip’s global network. In addition to its QML certifications, the facility holds ESCC QML and AS9100:2018 accreditations, reflecting adherence to rigorous aerospace and defense manufacturing standards.
The site is also equipped to support qualification and testing activities for Microchip’s PIC64 High-Performance Spaceflight Computing platform, a family of radiation-hardened and radiation-tolerant 64-bit microprocessors designed for advanced space exploration missions. These capabilities enable the company to provide comprehensive support for customers requiring high levels of electrical testing, qualification, and mission assurance in extreme operating environments.
Microchip maintains specialized qualification facilities across North America and Europe, supporting a broad portfolio of digital, analog, mixed-signal, discrete, and hybrid microelectronics products. This global infrastructure ensures consistent quality standards while providing customers with access to reliable manufacturing and testing resources across multiple regions.
The company’s aerospace and defense portfolio includes radiation-tolerant and radiation-hardened microcontrollers, processors, field-programmable gate arrays, Ethernet solutions, timing products, RF devices, power management technologies, and advanced system-level solutions.
The latest certification underscores Microchip’s continued focus on supporting evolving aerospace and defense requirements through investment in manufacturing excellence, advanced technologies, and long-term reliability. As demand grows for sophisticated electronics in increasingly complex missions, the company remains committed to delivering solutions capable of meeting the industry’s most stringent performance standards.
