I do like the authour's comment in that article:

"TSMC runs a different kind of business model & engineering culture than Intel. They make money from these tech for a long long time, they still making 0.42um and 0.35um in their old fabs and make money, while intel have to make most of their money selling new tech."

if I was going to make something up, a TSMC angle is easy pickings: they're the largest global fab by far (5x larger than their nearest competitor), and easily exceed revenues of all of the others, combined.

but, all of their fabs are in Taiwan except for Fab 10 in China, and Fab 11 in Camas (WaferTech, about 20 miles outside Portland Oregon). very hard for me to stomach the idea that DoD easily allows POET IP offshore into alien hands. working in the facilities of almost any other allied nation makes much more sense. so it'd likely have to be Camas, or nothing.

except, neither TSMC nor the WaferTech subsidiary are known trusted suppliers.

I have to say I'm skeptical of the (possibly too specific?) reddit postings, and would -- like Rainer -- appreciate independent confirmation.

that said, when considering whether to continue posting on the topic, please be aware of Agoracom Rule #4.

GLAL,

R.