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India.com
a day ago
- Business
- India.com
Why is US begging before China, F-35 fighter jets in danger, one decision by China president Xi brings US on knees due to …
China controls the world's largest supply of rare earth elements, but there is one mineral it almost completely dominates i.e. samarium. This metal is highly important for military use as it is needed to make fighter jets, missiles, smart bombs, and other advanced defense systems. In fact, without samarium magnets, even high-tech aircraft like the F-35 cannot be built. This growing control has sparked concern worldwide. Experts warn that if China chooses to limit the supply of these rare materials, it could weaken even the most powerful nations by affecting their military strength and defense industries. Advertisement === Earlier this year, during trade tensions with the U.S., China banned the export of seven key rare earth elements, including samarium. This was confirmed by Stanley Trout, a metallurgy expert from Metropolitan State University in Denver, during an interview with The New York Times. The banned minerals include dysprosium, gadolinium, lutetium, scandium, terbium, and yttrium, most of which are used mainly in civilian technologies. However, samarium stands out because it is used almost entirely in military applications. Advertisement === Samarium supply halt sparks global alarm Reports suggest that China's halt on samarium exports could seriously disrupt Western military operations. Experts believe this move could block the delivery of new defense systems and delay the repair, maintenance, and upgrade of existing ones. It appears that China has already started putting this plan into motion. While export licenses are now being granted for other rare earths like dysprosium and terbium, China has deliberately withheld licenses for samarium, highlighting its strategic importance. F-35 Fighter Jet production at risk William Bain, Head of Trade Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, warned that a continued freeze on samarium supply could bring production of aircraft like the F-35 to a standstill. To give context, each F-35 jet requires up to 50 pounds of samarium magnets. The U.S. defense giant Lockheed Martin, which builds the F-35, is one of the largest buyers of samarium in America. The shortage is raising serious concerns among defense experts, as the lack of this single material could create ripple effects across global security infrastructure. America can't do without Samarium, experts warn William Bain told CNBC that while China has allowed limited exports of some rare earths used in robotics and electric vehicles, samarium remains off-limits. 'If you take critical materials like samarium, especially those used in magnets, they're absolutely essential for building F-35 fighter jets in the U.S.,' he said. 'Without samarium, the jets simply can't be made. That's already slowing down production, and if this continues, it could pose a serious threat to U.S. national security.' Why the US is powerless in front of China over Samarium Samarium is giving China a powerful edge in its trade disputes with the U.S. According to reports, China's tight grip on samarium and other rare earth elements has shifted the focus of trade talks away from tariffs and toward rare earth supply. In return for easing some export restrictions, China has reportedly demanded access to key Western technologies. Western defense firms and the U.S. military do have some samarium stockpiled, but these reserves may only last a few more months. If new supplies don't come in soon, shortages will begin to hit critical defense projects.
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First Post
2 days ago
- Business
- First Post
China plans to choke Western militaries with 100% control of this rare earth
China controls the world's entire supply of samarium, a rare earth mineral used almost entirely by the military industry and required to make fighter planes, missiles, smart bombs, and other advanced platforms. With the halt in samarium exports, China is choking Western militaries. read more An F-35 fighter jet on the deck of the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier George Washington. (Photo: AP) Even as China controls most of the world's rare earths, there is one mineral whose supply it controls completely. The rare earth mineral, samarium, is used almost entirely by the military industry and is required to make fighter planes, missiles, smart bombs, and other advanced platforms. The centrality is such that planes like F-35 cannot be made without samarium magnets. China banned the export of samarium and six other rare earths in April amid the ongoing trade war with the United States. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Out of these seven rare earths, the demand of six —dysprosium, gadolinium, lutetium, scandium, terbium, and yttrium— is largely civilian, but samarium is used 'almost exclusively used for military purposes', Stanley Trout, a metallurgist at the Metropolitan State University of Denver, told The New York Times. China can choke Western militaries with samarium supply ban With a halt in the supply of samarium, China can essentially choke Western militaries by essentially blocking deliveries of new platforms and affecting the repair, maintenance, and upgradation of existing platforms. It appears that the plan is already in motion. Even as China has started granting licences for some other rare earths, such as dysprosium and terbium, licences have not been granted for samarium, according to The Times. William Bain, the head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, noted that the continued halt of samarium supplies would bring the production of planes like F-35 to a halt. For context, F-35 needs up to 50 pounds of samarium magnets and its maker, Lockheed Martin, is the main customer of samarium in the United States. 'We've seen some relaxation over the weekend with licenses granted in sectors connected with robotics and electric vehicles, but if you take, for example, a critical mineral like samarium, within magnets, that's absolutely essential for F-35 fighter jet construction in the US. They can't make them without that. And not having access to that is severely affecting both US construction in that area, but also perhaps its national security if that remains in place,' Bain told CNBC. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Samarium chokehold gives China edge There is evidence that samarium and other rare earths have given China edge in ongoing trade negotiations with the United States. After focus of the talks shifted from tariffs to rare earths, China appears to have secured concessions from the United States regarding Chinese access to critical Western technologies in return of relaxation on Chinese supply of rare earths. Western companies and the US Department of Defense keep samarium reserves that would only last for months. In the absence of new supplies, reserves are expected to get depleted soon. Such a disruption has come at a time when the United States and others in the West are replenishing their arsenals after stocks' depletion because of supplies of Ukraine and Israel.
