BAE Systems’ FAST Labs™ research, development and production organisation has successfully completed Phase 1 of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Technologies for Heat Removal in Electronics at the Device Scale (THREADS) programme and has been awarded continued support to move into Phase 2, the company announced on 12 August 2026.

The THREADS programme aims to overcome temperature limitations in high-performance radio frequency (RF) electronics, specifically in gallium nitride (GaN) devices. Overcoming these limitations will significantly increase the power and range of vital military systems.

“We look forward to advancing to Phase 2 of the THREADS programme,” Isaac Wildeson, principal investigator at BAE Systems’ FAST Labs, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “The progress we’ve made during Phase 1 validates our approach to material and process enhancements and brings us closer to unlocking the full potential of RF-based systems for our warfighters.”

Successful thermal management developed through the THREADS programme will nearly triple the range of RF systems, enhancing the safety and engagement distances for military personnel, BAE Systems asserts.

The company’s work on THREADS is being conducted at its Microelectronics Center (MEC) in Nashua, New Hampshire, which is a US Department of War (DoW) Category 1A Trusted Supplier and has established expertise in the development and manufacturing of advanced GaN and gallium arsenide integrated circuits.

To accelerate the development of this critical technology, BAE Systems’ work on the THREADS programme includes collaboration with Modern Microsystems, Penn State University, Stanford University, the University of Notre Dame and the University of Texas at Dallas.