America’s Military Runs on Chinese Rare Earths

America’s Military Runs on Chinese Rare Earths

But the Pentagon is hoping it can change that.

The top of a Virginia-class submarine peeks out above the ocean, its forward fin looming against a pale blue sky. August 11, 2025, 2:25 PM Comment icon View Comments ( )

Take a look at the U.S. military arsenal, and you’ll find that much of the United States’ firepower depends on rare earths—powerful materials whose supply chains are largely controlled by China.

Every Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet, for example, is engineered with more than 920 pounds of rare earths. More than 5,700 pounds of rare earths underpin hulking Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyers, according to the consultancy Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, and each Virginia-class submarine requires more tha