U.S. Army Awarded Power Semiconductor Contract to Navitas
The Army Research Laboratory tapped Navitas to develop 10 kV silicon carbide power technology for defense applications.
Updated on Sept. 28, 2026 in Semiconductors
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The U.S. Army has selected Navitas Semiconductor to lead the ALATTIS program, an initiative focused on developing high-voltage power semiconductors. This research-stage project aims to create 10 kV power electronics to support defense and infrastructure capabilities.
Why it matters
High-voltage electronics are essential for future military and infrastructure power systems, and this award accelerates the development of a domestic supply chain for 10 kV components. The program bridges the gap between existing power standards and the high-performance requirements of modern defense infrastructure.
The program seeks to engineer 10 kV silicon carbide semiconductor technology, significantly surpassing the company's existing 650 V to 6.5 kV commercial lineup. Navitas will utilize a trench-assisted planar architecture, a method of vertical power device design, to achieve these performance targets.
The players
Navitas Semiconductor
A California-based company focused on wide-bandgap power semiconductors, including gallium nitride and silicon carbide technologies for high-performance applications.
Army Research Laboratory
The foundational research laboratory of the U.S. Army that oversees the development of technologies for defense systems and infrastructure.
The details
The ALATTIS program involves an iterative cycle of design, fabrication, and testing to validate a domestic manufacturing process for 10 kV-rated insulated-gate bipolar transistors (IGBTs). IGBTs are high-efficiency switches used in high-power applications that combine the rapid control of a transistor with the power-handling capability of a thyristor. By utilizing a trench-assisted planar architecture—a structural layout that embeds control features within a semiconductor trench to reduce electrical resistance—the program aims to push the boundaries of current power silicon carbide capabilities.
Timeline
2010: Navitas released 6.5 kV silicon carbide thyristors.
2012: Navitas released 10-15 kV PiN diodes.
2021: Navitas released 6.5 kV silicon carbide MOSFETs.
September 28, 2026: The U.S. Army awarded the ALATTIS contract to Navitas.
The Tech Race
This effort marks a pivot from commercial power components toward specialized high-voltage infrastructure needs within the ALATTIS research framework. It positions Navitas to expand its silicon carbide stack beyond its current 6.5 kV commercial threshold, competing in the niche for high-power, high-resilience military hardware.
This development is a long-term research effort for defense infrastructure and does not currently impact consumer hardware or power electronics. Readers should look for updates on the first domestic 10 kV test results as the program moves through its iterative design phase.
The takeaway
The program signals an aggressive push to mature 10 kV power electronics for national security and critical infrastructure. Watch for future milestones regarding the first operational domestic 10 kV IGBT prototypes produced under this mandate.
Further reading
For more on the latest research and developments in this field, visit Semiconductors.
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