Considering Redesign? Think Again

Complex military and aerospace equipment designed for long-term use is engineered in accordance with strictly defined requirements, from precise tolerances and detailed certifications to meticulous safety and testing specifications. When a semiconductor manufacturer signals they will no longer produce a component intrinsic to the design, a critical question ensues: find an alternative source of authentic inventory or initiate a redesign?

End of life (EoL) status can affect equipment in production or in the field. While a redesign may solve the manufacturing problem, it can cause expenses to balloon and delay schedules well beyond initial timelines. Redesign also does nothing to address the need for parts when repairs or replacements are necessary for flight-qualified hardware or mission-critical systems, not uncommon in equipment such as aircraft, radar and space systems meant to last decades.

However, it is rarely as simple as substituting one manufacturer’s component for another’s. Subsystems may require requalification under various aerospace and defense standards and take months for software validation, safety assessments, environmental testing and EMI/EMC assurance.

Fortunately, many components remain accessible even when they are declared EoL or obsolete. Semiconductor manufacturers often work with specialty authorized distributors to ensure that a steady supply of critical components is available to their customers for a period of time. This gives mil/aero equipment manufacturers breathing room, enabling them to postpone design changes without compromising safety, performance or delivery timelines.

Authorized component distributors help engineers reconcile last-time-buy windows with extended program requirements, providing a reliable procurement option for those seeking traceable, factory-authorized inventory ranging from everyday parts to military-grade components. Sourcing from authorized distributors reduces risk by guaranteeing authenticity, ensuring compliance with storage requirements such as JESD31 or MIL-STD-883 and providing unassailable documentation across the entire chain of custody.

When authorized components remain accessible regardless of an EoL/obsolete designation, defense programs can proceed without interruption using hardware that’s already qualified. The benefits include: reducing the risks associated with grey market procurement; predictable lifecycle planning and inventory management; eliminating the need for recertifications or documentation revisions; focusing engineering expertise on innovation, not redesign; and less downtime for maintenance, repairs and replacement.

Proactive EoL planning with an authorized distributor of obsolete components can help defense program managers and mil/aero engineers avoid headaches down the road. In addition to inventory availability and management, authorized distributors can offer long-term die banking, secure storage, lifecycle forecasting expertise and qualified alternate sourcing for parts requiring military specifications with a clear goal in mind: reprioritize costly redesign without compromising mission readiness.

To read the article on Electronics Sourcing, click here: https://electronics-sourcing.com/2025/08/08/considering-redesign-think-again/