[chdir]

You are looking at it from an entirely different angle. You don't have to be Intel. Within 3-4 years you can have a neat processor comparable with current crop of mobile processors - assuming you have a good team & funding, no commercial pressure & can trust ARM.

That's the time frame it takes to setup & go to market with a mobile processor company in silicon valley.

[chillingeffect]

Sure but if you decide to not compete with Intel and instead compete with Qualcomm, then the same story applies: 3-4 years from now Qualcomm will have the Triple Dragon Q-Zap 500+, built in Intel's foundries at ~12nm, and the Russians will have this.

[lnanek2]

China has already shown interest in using domestic processors simply because they are domestic. Russia is probably the same. I don't think Qualcomm could be considered competition unless they suddenly turned Russian.

[chdir]

You're missing the point. They aren't doing it for commercial success. You don't have to compete with Qualcomm or Intel or anyone. You just have to be able to produce processors that can handle the government issue about not trusting US made processors.