Rare Earth Elements: China's Chokehold on US Defence Industry Wrecks Trump's Attempts to Contain China.

Some of the 17 Rare Earth Elements ("REE") are indispensable for the production of military equipment and platforms. But as of 2024, China mines nearly 70% of the world's rare earths and refines about 90% of the global supply.

Without REE, the US Defence industries become lame ducks. If these industries  are crippled, Trump has shot himself in the foot in trying to contain China's economic and miltary power.  And that is the reason why Trump walked back on his Tariff tough talk and threats to China.  

Defense Applications of Rare Earth Elements

Rare earth elements (REEs) run through nearly every advanced military system. They enable compact, reliable power; precise sensing and guidance; hardened communications; and survivable performance at high temperatures.

Where REEs show up in defense systems

• High-performance magnets (Nd, Pr, Dy, Tb; Sm)
• What they do: Create compact, powerful, and heat‑tolerant permanent magnets.
• Where used: Missile and guided‑munitions actuators, aircraft control surfaces, UAV and ship propulsion motors, radar gimbals, turret drives, stabilized weapon sights, generators.
• Notes: Nd‑Pr magnets deliver peak power density; Dy/Tb added to keep magnets strong at high temperatures; SmCo (samarium‑cobalt) magnets are preferred in extreme heat and for some defense/space uses.
• Radar, sonar, and electronic warfare (Y, Gd, Tb, Dy; Nd, Er, Ho)
• What they do: Enable microwave control, magnetostrictive actuation, and laser-based ranging.
• Where used: AESA radar modules, microwave circulators/isolators (YIG and related garnets), sonar transducers and towed arrays (Terfenol‑D: Tb‑Dy‑Fe), LIDAR and rangefinders (Nd:YAG, Er:YAG, Ho:YAG lasers).
• Notes: These parts underpin detection, jamming protection, and targeting accuracy.
• Guidance, navigation, and control (Nd, Pr, Sm; Tb/Dy)
• What they do: Provide fast, precise motion in compact packages.
• Where used: Fins and canards on missiles, gimbals for seekers and optics, reaction wheels and control moment gyros, fly‑by‑wire actuators.
• Notes: Permanent magnets and magnetostrictive materials are key to low‑latency, high‑torque actuation.
• Optics, night vision, and displays (Y, Eu, Tb, Er, Nd)
• What they do: Produce bright, color‑accurate, and infrared-capable optics.
• Where used: Night‑vision goggles, laser designators, thermal imagers, cockpit displays, ruggedized soldier systems.
• Notes: Y is the host in YAG/YVO4 crystals; Eu (red) and Tb (green) drive display phosphors; Er/Nd enable IR/laser functions.
• Secure communications and sensing (Y, Er, Yb, Nd)
• What they do: Amplify and condition optical and microwave signals with low noise.
• Where used: Fiber‑optic links on ships, aircraft, and ground networks; SATCOM terminals; timing and sensing packages.
• Notes: Er/Yb‑doped fiber amplifiers are central to long‑haul and secure optical comms.
• Propulsion and high‑temperature materials (Y, Sc, Ce; Sm, Gd)
• What they do: Strengthen alloys and protect components at extreme temperatures.
• Where used: Jet engine turbine blades and thermal barrier coatings (yttria‑stabilized zirconia), lightweight Al‑Sc airframes and pylons, hot‑section coatings and additives.
• Notes: Y enhances superalloy durability; Sc makes aluminum stronger and weldable; Ce/La appear in specialty alloys and coatings.
• Power generation, energy storage, and nuclear (Nd, Pr, Sm, Gd, La, Ce)
• What they do: Enable compact generators, clean fuel production, and neutron control.
• Where used: Aircraft/ship generators, auxiliary power units, reactor control/shielding (Gd, Sm), logistics fuel production and emissions control (La, Ce catalysts).
• Notes: Gd has a very high neutron capture cross‑section; La/Ce catalysts support cleaner, more reliable fuel for operations.

Platform examples 

• Fighter aircraft and helicopters: AESA radar, EW suites, high‑temp turbines, actuators, displays, power systems.
• Missiles and guided munitions: Seeker optics and lasers, fin actuators, compact power and guidance modules.
• Ships and submarines: Sonar arrays and transducers, propulsion motors and generators, microwave components, secure fiber networks.
• Satellites and space: Reaction wheels, magnetorquers, laser comms, radiation‑tolerant components, SmCo magnets.

Key elements and their defense roles at a glance

• Nd, Pr: Core of high‑power permanent magnets (actuators, motors, generators).
• Dy, Tb: Improve magnet performance at high temperature; magnetostrictive Terfenol‑D for sonar/actuators.
• Sm: SmCo magnets for extreme environments; nuclear control applications.
• Y: Laser and microwave garnets (YAG/YIG), ceramics, thermal barrier stabilizers.
• Eu, Tb, Y: Phosphors for displays and lighting in ruggedized systems.
• Er, Ho, Nd, Yb: Laser gain media and fiber amplifiers for targeting and comms.
• Gd: Neutron absorber for reactors and shielding; specialty sensing.
• Sc: Al‑Sc lightweight, high‑strength structural alloys.
• La, Ce: Catalysts for logistics fuel production; glass polishing for precision optics.