Some critics of U.S. export control policy argue that the national security imperative for export controls on advanced chips is unjustified, as in their view, the U.S. military doesn’t use them. They point to the older legacy semiconductors in main battle tanks or even the Aegis missile defense system, arguing that these components are far from the cutting-edge chips made by companies like NVIDIA. This is indeed true—many battlefield platforms use older “legacy” chips, yet this argument misses the bigger picture, as U.S. national security also relies on advanced chips in ways that may not be apparent to the casual observer.
In reality, high-performance computing (HPC) systems or “supercomputers” bristling with advanced chips such as cutting-edge AI chips, CPUs, and FPGAs enable everything from nuclear deterrence modeling to rapid intelligence analysis. Simply put, these technologies drive the foundation of American strategic military advantage. Furthermore, the importance of HPC has also only intensified as artificial intelligence (AI) has gained traction in areas such as scientific discovery, biodefense, intelligence, and warfare.
While large language models and frontier AI often capture the public’s attention, advanced chips have always been the invisible engine powering next-generation fighter jet simulations, crunching massive datasets for intelligence, and modeling nuclear weapons. According to a joint report (PDF) on the importance of HPC by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA):
National security requires the best computing available, and loss of leadership in HPC will severely compromise our national security. HPC plays a vital role in the design, development, or analysis of many—perhaps almost all—modern weapon systems and national security systems: e.g., nuclear weapons, cyber, ships, aircraft, encryption, missile defense, precision strike capability, and hypersonics.
Far from being peripheral or niche, HPC forms the bedrock of American defense innovation. Downplaying or dismissing these applications isn’t just undercutting a core pillar of national security—it is also a remarkably short-sighted and naive view of what technological superiority truly entails.
High-performance computing systems enable everything from nuclear deterrence modeling to rapid intelligence analysis. Simply put, these technologies drive the foundation of American strategic military advantage.
Nuclear weapons stockpile stewardship illustrates the indispensable role of HPC and advanced chips. At Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, scientists rely on the newly installed El Capitan supercomputer—the world’s fastest— based on 43,000 of the latest generation of AMD GPUs, to run advanced nuclear codes. A recent National Academies report underscored that “high-performance computing is vital to simulate the complex physics of nuclear detonations without underground tests, ” and “exascale capabilities enable accurate assessments of warhead safety and reliability,” underscoring HPC’s critical role in sustaining the U.S. nuclear deterrent. In practice, this means no live tests and a more transparent commitment to responsible nuclear stewardship—critical to ensuring that U.S. deterrence remains credible without undermining global nonproliferation norms.
Just as HPC sustains the nuclear enterprise, it is also central to hypersonic weapons research. The Air Force Research Laboratory recently unveiled a new supercomputer, Raider, which based on cutting edge processors, promises to “compute years’ worth of data in days,” significantly accelerating breakthroughs in hypersonics. Traveling at speeds beyond Mach 5, hypersonic missiles are incredibly complex to design and test, and real-world experimentation is both risky and expensive. HPC makes it possible to refine aerodynamics, propulsion, and thermal management through sophisticated simulations. By bridging the gap between lab-based theory and operational reality, these systems advance the cutting edge of deterrent capabilities.
HPC is equally pivotal in the research and development of cutting-edge submarines to ensure the United States leads in undersea warfare. Through programs like the Navy’s CREATE-SH initiative, state-of-the art supercomputers tackle complex hydrodynamic challenges, predicting how new hull shapes and propulsion systems will perform deep underwater before any physical prototype is built, ultimately boosting (PDF) submarine stealth and survivability.
Similarly, advanced chips and HPC-driven simulations fortify America’s posture in space. The U.S. Space Force and the Air Force Research Laboratory’s rely on massive computational power to track satellites, monitor orbital debris, and enhance space domain awareness. By melding HPC capabilities with AI-driven analysis, organizations such as Sierra Space and the U.S. Space Force can identify and respond to potential threats in Earth’s orbit at unprecedented speed and accuracy—an invaluable edge in an era where space is increasingly contested.
Biodefense is another domain where supercomputing is indispensable. The U.S. Department of Defense recently introduced a new supercomputer focused specifically on biodefense, aiming to hasten research on disease outbreaks, vaccines, and protective measures. By running complex epidemiological models, evaluating containment strategies, and speeding up drug discovery, HPC helps safeguard both military personnel and civilians against emergent pathogens or engineered bioweapons.
HPC of course also remains vital for intelligence collection, analysis, and code-breaking. It is well known that the fastest chips are essential for maintaining an edge in code breaking or “cryptanalysis”—an effort that requires HPC’s brute-force strength. As encryption becomes more sophisticated, the computational demands for decrypting intercepted communications also grow. HPC systems with cutting-edge chips are also critical for sifting through and making sense of vast amounts of signals intelligence data. It’s no surprise then that the NSA invests billions in purchasing the most advanced HPC systems. HPC is also critical for analyzing petabytes of spy satellite imagery, enabling real-time terrain mapping, precise target detection, and other mission-critical intelligence processes. The U.S. National Geospatial Intelligence Agency is also investing billions in data centers and HPC systems.
U.S. strategic competitors including China clearly understand the importance of HPC and advanced chips for national security—and have long invested in achieving HPC leadership.
U.S. strategic competitors including China clearly understand the importance of HPC and advanced chips for national security—and have long invested in achieving HPC leadership. Beijing pours resources into building some of the world’s fastest supercomputers, aiming to erode or surpass the U.S. lead in HPC for military, economic, and scientific applications. In fact, a recent New York Times report highlighted how advanced imported NVIDIA chips were being used in China to “model missiles and torpedoes,” “analyze satellite imagery of China’s island-building program in the South China Sea and the radar signature of stealth fighters,” and to “study nuclear weapons.” There is no debate in China about whether cutting-edge chips matter for national security; Chinese officials and researchers view HPC capabilities as critical for achieving global strategic advantages. This attitude underscores why restricting exports of the most advanced chips is far from misguided protectionism—it is a prudent safeguard that preserves the U.S. national defense capabilities.
Ultimately, advanced semiconductor chips and HPC are at the heart of American deterrence and readiness and are becoming ever more important. As the National Academies recent report pointed out, increasing geopolitical tensions and new advanced weapons fielded by adversaries, such as Russia’s Avangard hypersonic missile or China’s Fraction Orbital Bombardment System, demand the best HPC and AI chips possible to “understand adversarial capabilities,” and design U.S. defensive systems, in order to “avoid with confidence the possibility of technical surprise.”
Thus, it is paramount that the United States retains its HPC advantage and prevents its adversaries from accessing advanced HPC systems and semiconductors. Failing to do so would create grave national security risks, which could weaken U.S. HPC leadership and thereby “reduce the U.S. nuclear deterrence and the sophistication of our future weapons systems,” and ultimately lead to “uncertainty in national policymaking, and incorrect responses to world events.” according to the NSA and the NNSA (PDF). As AI integrates more deeply with defense applications, HPC’s role will only expand. Critics who underestimate the military’s reliance on advanced chips not only misunderstand current defense capabilities—they also risk undermining the very strategic advantages that help maintain U.S. national security.
Source; rand.org
