Intel wraps RAMP-C chip pilot for 18A

Intel Foundry has completed RAMP-C, a United States government program awarded in 2021 to build a secure domestic leading-edge chip ecosystem around its 18A process. The effort funded commercial and defense partners to run test chips on an unfinished design kit, giving Intel feedback before broader production for external customers.

The publicly known RAMP-C roster includes Nvidia, Microsoft, IBM, Qualcomm, Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Trusted Semiconductor Solutions, and Reliable MicroSystems. Intel said the work helped shape its Secure Enclave manufacturing flow, which spans design, chip fabrication, and advanced packaging for sensitive defense industrial base products.

Nvidia, Microsoft, and IBM were running RAMP-C-paid test chips as of February 2024, with the funding covering costs tied to immature PDKs. Intel received PPAC data in return, measuring how prospective customers viewed 18A on power, performance, area, and cost.

Secure Enclave is worth up to $3 billion and was finalized alongside Intel’s $7.86 billion CHIPS Act award in November 2024. Intel Foundry reported $293 million in external revenue last quarter against $5.8 billion in total segment revenue and a $2.1 billion operating loss in Q2 2026, while its first publicly named external customer, Fortinet, is using Intel 4 rather than 18A.