Anduril and Qualcomm Plan to Build Laptop With US Supply Chain

Defense tech startup Anduril Industries Inc. has joined forces with chipmaker Qualcomm Inc. to produce laptops that are designed and assembled in the US, an attempt to rebuild a manufacturing process that has largely moved overseas.

The companies unveiled a new product line on Tuesday called BlueChip intended to supply “America’s most critical industries — including government, defense, first responders and public safety,” according to a statement. The eventual goal is to establish an “end-to-end American supply chain” for the laptops and, more broadly, to rebuild US computer manufacturing, the companies said.

“The United States pioneered personal computing and continues to lead the world in designing advanced technology, but decades of offshoring have left America dependent on foreign manufacturers for the computers and components that power everything from personal devices to critical government infrastructure,” according to the statement. “This dependence creates a national security vulnerability.”

BlueChip laptops will be manufactured in the US, with circuit board assembly planned for Anduril’s sprawling Arsenal-1 defense manufacturing facility in Ohio. The Costa Mesa, California-based company manufactures drones, missiles and other defense technology. Qualcomm, which is based in San Diego, will supply the laptop’s general-purpose processing, graphics and on-device artificial intelligence.

Anduril founder Palmer Luckey said building an autonomous drone isn’t very different from building a computer. Both products have central processors and graphics chips, as well as “memory, storage, mainboard, battery, sensors, wireless radios — it’s basically all the same stuff,” he said. “The only difference is the shape, and that it has a screen and a keyboard.”

It’s become increasingly difficult for American technology companies to source critical parts in the US and allied countries, while still making products at competitive prices. Many of the key parts and raw materials in drones mostly come from China.

“In the near term, this is going to be more expensive than a laptop made in China,” Luckey said. “I am very optimistic about the long run that we’re going to be able to make computers here in America that are just as competitive.”

He declined to provide production targets for the laptops, but he said they would be the first of many BlueChip products. Anduril has produced functional prototypes of the BlueChip laptop and will begin taking orders next year, according to the companies.