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5N+ awarded US$7.3m to establish US production of GaAs components for defence applications
**5N Plus (5N+) Awarded US$7.3M to Establish Domestic Gallium Arsenide Production for US Defence Applications** 5N Plus Inc (5N+), a specialty semiconductor and performance materials producer based in Montréal, Québec, Canada, has been selected by the US Department of War to receive a US$7.3 million award to establish domestic production of gallium arsenide (GaAs) components for US defence applications. This award follows the company’s proposal presentation at the inaugural Defense Industrial Base Accelerator (DIBX) Pitch Competition held in Philadelphia from 25–27 August. GaAs is critical for advanced sensing systems and other defence electronics, yet no qualified domestic source currently exists, forcing US defence contractors to rely on foreign suppliers. The funding will address this supply chain gap by setting up a qualified US source at 5N+’s production facility in St. George, Utah, strengthening domestic supply security and supporting an immediate defence requirement. President & CEO Richard Perron stated that the selection recognizes 5N+ as a trusted strategic partner to the US defence industrial base, with proven expertise to support national security priorities. The company plans to expand its Utah operations by adding crystal-growth and GaAs compounding equipment, along with necessary process controls and inspection capabilities. 5N+ will work with initial customer Lockheed Martin to complete product qualification before moving to controlled, low-rate production, with a potential follow-on production agreement. The capabilities developed at the Utah facility could also support future production of GaAs substrates and other advanced semiconductor materials for defence and space applications, including space solar cells and high-frequency semiconductor devices, broadening 5N+’s addressable market and creating significant long-term growth potential.