Karen Salmon, CEO of Force Technologies, will present on semiconductor continuity planning at ROM 2026 (Rebound Obsolescence Management Seminar) on 19 March 2026 at Newbury Racecourse. Her session addresses how defence and critical infrastructure organisations can build resilience against accelerating component lifecycle compression.
ROM 2026 is the UK’s leading obsolescence management event, bringing together procurement specialists, engineers, and supply chain leaders from the defence, aerospace, and industrial sectors. This year’s theme focuses on “Accelerated Lifecycles Due to Rapid Innovation”, examining how organisations can adapt their obsolescence strategies to meet increasingly compressed component availability windows.
What Is Driving Semiconductor Obsolescence in 2026?
Semiconductor obsolescence occurs when critical components are discontinued by manufacturers before the systems they support reach end-of-life. Defence and aerospace systems typically require 20-30 year operational lifespans, whilst commercial semiconductor support cycles now average just 7-10 years. This mismatch creates significant continuity risks.
Hundreds of thousands of electronic components reach end-of-life status annually. For organisations relying on legacy silicon in mission-critical applications, each discontinuation notice triggers urgent decisions about last-time buys, alternative sourcing, or costly redesigns.
Karen also notes that predicting which pressure point will trigger the next supply chain crisis has become increasingly difficult. Factors including geopolitical instability, AI-driven design changes, workforce shortages, and cyber threats are now deeply interconnected. Manufacturing capacity remains constrained, and political decisions can reshape global sourcing strategies with minimal warning.
What Will the Continuity Planning Session Cover?
“The companies that survive and thrive are those that invest in strategic stock, strong supplier relationships, and lifecycle planning. Resilience is everything. It’s what allows our customers to maintain continuity, compliance and confidence even when the market shifts overnight.”
Karen’s presentation will provide practical frameworks for building obsolescence resilience across four key areas:
Strategic stock management: How to identify critical components requiring buffer inventory and calculate appropriate last-time buy quantities based on projected system lifecycles.
Lifecycle forecasting: Using market intelligence and supplier relationships to anticipate discontinuation notices before they become urgent.
Form-fit-function engineering: Developing replacement solutions that maintain original specifications and qualification standards when direct replacements are unavailable.
Counterfeit mitigation: Maintaining component traceability and testing protocols to prevent substandard parts entering critical systems during shortage periods.
Other Speakers at ROM 2026
Karen joins an expert programme including Dr Matt Darkin (Head of Obsolescence, UK MOD) presenting the morning keynote on strategic planning challenges for Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), Bob Booth (Co-Founder, Hailion AI) on practical AI applications in procurement, and panel sessions from the International Institute of Obsolescence Management (IIOM) on legislation and sustainable electronics.
The event also features sessions on BOM analytics from Accuris and Z2 Data, long-term component storage from Intercept Technology, and a semiconductor market update from Rebound Electronics.