#United States #無し #U.S. Military #Rare Earths #REalloys

The Strained Supply Chain Behind U.S. Military Drones

The recent announcement by the Pentagon regarding their largest drone order ever—a staggering 30,000 one-way attack drones, with aspirations to expand to over 300,000 by 2028—has set off alarms in both military and industrial sectors. The urgency of this decision is underscored by a significant concern: the fact that each of these drones is powered by rare earth magnets, predominantly sourced from China. According to Goldman Sachs, China's dominance in the market is profound, controlling about 98% of the rare earth magnet manufacturing required for these military applications.

This situation has drawn attention to issues highlighted by recent conflicts, notably in Ukraine, where the extensive use of drones has dramatically altered combat strategies. In 2024 alone, Ukraine produced more than 1.2 million drones, almost all of which relied on Chinese magnets. This reveals a troubling vulnerability—if China chooses to restrict or halt the supply of these essential components, it could effectively cripple the military capabilities of several Western countries.

The U.S. response has been swift and determined. In June, President Trump took action by signing an executive order titled "Unleashing American Drone Dominance" aimed at enhancing drone production capabilities for both military and civilian use. Following up, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth outlined plans to massively ramp up drone manufacturing by endorsing the procurement of hundreds of products developed domestically. The 2026 defense budget also reflects this urgency, earmarking an impressive $13.6 billion specifically for autonomous systems. However, merely allocating funds cannot resolve the underlying supply chain issues associated with the magnets.

Currently, an estimated 80,000 components across roughly 1,900 U.S. weapon systems are reliant on rare earth materials sourced from China. This isn't limited to drone motors; vital systems including guidance controls and sensors are also affected. The reliance on a foreign power for these resources presents a strategic risk, prompting companies like REalloys to build an entirely independent supply chain in North America. They are the only company with a fully non-Chinese