This exclusive Cogs of War interview is with Rakesh Kumar, the author of Chip Age: How Semiconductors Became the World’s Most Powerful Resource. Rakesh has worked as a co-founder, professor, researcher, and advisor in the chip industry for more than two decades. Chipmaking is an evergreen technology with ever-increasing geopolitical implications, and so we asked him to share his thoughts on his book and the field’s future.  

There are a handful of truly monumental collective achievements in our history: Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, the Pyramids of Giza, and perhaps, if we’re being generous, the Roman aqueducts. Modern global civilization has made one contribution to this eternal pantheon. It is not the moon landing. It is the semiconductor supply chain.

Alexander Suvorov, 52, a Russian national, has been charged by a criminal complaint with three counts related to the unlawful exporting of micro-electronic components from the United States to Russia via a front company based in Hong Kong. 

NEW YORK — A contractor linked to Super Micro Computer has pleaded guilty in a scheme to illegally export computer servers containing advanced Nvidia AI chips to China, a federal court filing showed on Friday.

The representative of a private maintenance company and its technicians have been referred to trial for forging parts used in Air Force fighter jets and embezzling maintenance payments by passing them off as genuine U.S.-made components.

Taiwan prosecutors have indicted 10 tech executives for running illicit procurement rings. The rings smuggled NT$360 million ($11.33 million) worth of export-controlled military chips into China and Hong Kong. The New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office filed aggravated fraud charges against the group.

Semiconductor sales were $159.7bn during August 2026, an increase of 8% compared to the July 2026 total of $147.9bn and 144.3% more than the August 2025 total of $65.4bn, says the SIA.

The challenges facing today’s electronics manufacturers are wide and far reaching. Like many businesses, global instability has led to supply chain fragility and the sourcing of semiconductors, rare earth materials and passive components remains volatile due to trade restrictions, transport bottlenecks and heavy regional over-concentration.

Conflict Armament Research (CAR) trace investigations have determined that some missiles and uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) deployed in the conflict in Ukraine contain counterfeit electronic components, including items that mimic major European or US brands. The presence of counterfeit elements is particularly prominent in analysed remnants of North Korean Hwasong-11-series missiles  documented in Ukraine : half of the 81 components that CAR successfully traced with branded manufacturers have been flagged as suspected or confirmed counterfeits.

Cybersecurity teams often focus on software and digital perimeters. However, physical components deserve similar attention. A defective semiconductor or circuit board can also cause failures, weaken security functions or create conditions that attackers can exploit.