In Geopolitics Today - Tuesday, November 9th
Taiwan’s Increasingly Important Role in the US Defence Industry and Israel Consents to Increased Egyptian Military Presence in Sinai
Taiwan’s Increasingly Important Role in the US Defence Industry
Advanced semiconductors are playing a critical role in defence industries across the world. As microelectronics for both commercial and military applications become less distinct, commercial semiconductors provide significant value to complex weapons systems. Perhaps more so than the armed forces of other states, the United States military is increasingly relying on relatively few high-quality systems which are powered by advanced semiconductors. Yet much of the production of these semiconductors intended for military use has increasingly shifted abroad, leading to a situation where Taiwan has become a critical supplier of the semiconductors necessary to power the sophisticated equipment of the US military.
Semiconductors produced in Taiwan continue to provide critical functionality for advanced US weapons such as advanced fighter jets and ballistic missile defence systems. Strategic electronic components used in sophisticated military systems utilise similar memory chips to those used in consumer electronics. As such, while Taiwan’s semiconductor supplies to the US defence sector in peace time are an efficient low-cost option for developing such advanced weapons, disruptions in Taiwan arising from a conflict could impact the production, maintenance, and repair of these weapons systems. And because the US defence sector bases much of its advanced systems on commercially available microelectronics platforms, other powers are able to access such technologies for their own defence sectors.
The increasing reliance of the US military on commercial technology firms poses a problem because many of these firms source their technology from Taiwan, creating an uncomfortable dependency for the US defence sector on semiconductor supply chains. At a time when defence technologies are heading toward more integrated, autonomous, and unmanned platforms, semiconductors will play an increasingly central role in the development and maintenance of advanced weapons systems. As the two leading semiconductor producers in the world, the United States and Taiwan are uniquely positioned to influence the next generation of defence platforms.
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Israel Consents to Increased Egyptian Military Presence in Sinai
The Sinai Peninsula is a strategic land bridge between Asia and Africa. While Israel withdrew its forces from the Sinai Peninsula by 1989 as a result of the Egypt–Israel peace treaty of 1979, certain stipulations have remained in place. The 1979 treaty limits the number of troops each side can station on either side of the Sinai border, with any military surge requiring a decision from a joint committee made up of senior officers from both military forces. Now, during a recent meeting between senior Israeli and Egyptian military officers, the Israeli side has agreed to Egypt's request for an increased military presence on the peninsula.
At the meeting, both sides agreed for the need of an increased military presence in the Rafah area, which borders both Israel and the Gaza Strip. Militants in Sinai have intensified their attacks on government troops and assets since the 2013 coup which deposed Mohamed Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood. Unrest in the Sinai threatens Israeli security interests as the Rafah crossing is the only overland route into the Palestinian Gaza Strip which is not controlled by Israel.
While no details were released of just how many extra troops or exactly what equipment would be deployed to the area, it is the first time the two sides agreed to increase the Egyptian troop presence since 2018. A statement released by the Israeli Defence Forces noted that the move was necessary to “reinforce the Egyptian military’s security control over the area.” The Egyptian statement regarding the deployment framed the move as an effort to “preserve Egyptian national security.”
The move is a signal that ties between the two countries are deepening. Egyptian intelligence played a key role in negotiating a ceasefire in May between Israel and Hamas in order to end 11 days of bloody fighting. Moreover, positive relations between Egypt and Israel are increasingly visible in public meetings held between officials from both countries. In September, Egyptian president Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met with Bennett in Sharm el-Sheikh in Cairo, where the two sides boasted of establishing a “foundation for deep ties in the future.” Both Egypt and Israel are now also said to be speaking daily regarding several key issues, including a potential long-term cease-fire deal in Gaza.
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