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☆ US stockpiles of the rare earth minerals it would need to fight a war against an adversary like China are a mystery, and experts warn it's a problem
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-27 | by ( Kelsey Baker | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Part of the military's mission at home is to keep stockpiles of goods like critical minerals on hand for emergency wartime use. In the dark on the stockpileAlthough the name suggests otherwise, rare earth minerals are not exactly rare — in fact, they're relatively plentiful. The Biden administration began cutting American imports of Chinese rare earth minerals a few years ago in an effort to decrease US reliance on China for critical minerals. Submarines, fighter aircraft, magnets used in missiles, radar systems, and drones all require critical earth minerals for manufacturing. AdvertisementA past report for Congress on rare earth minerals for national defense, for instance, noted that a single Virginia-class submarine requires 9,200 pounds of rare earth minerals, while an Arleigh Burke-class destroyer requires 5,200 pounds.

Persons: —, Biden, Lockheed Martin, Gregory Wischer, Wischer, Arleigh Burke, Halsey, Sampson, Chris Williamson Fabian Villalobos, Locke Organizations: Service, Business, Pentagon, Lockheed, Getty, Gratia, Defense Logistics Agency, of, Department of Defense, Defense Industrial Strategy, . US, Pacific, DoD, Materials, Lynas, Joint Base, Hickam . US Navy, RAND Corporation, National Defense, NDS, Industrial Base Locations: China, Fort Worth, Virginia, Arabian, Japan, South Korea, United States, California, Lynas USA, Texas, Vermont, Hickam

☆ Government shutdown doesn't halt, but hinders Pentagon work
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-28 | by ( Mike Stone | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Troop pay is delayed during a government shutdown, but Singh said housing and bills are not. For example, Ukrainian "F-16 pilot training would continue," said Chris Sherwood a Pentagon spokesman. However, some "delivery of defense articles, services, and/or military education" could be paused, Sherwood said. "Under a shutdown, the government stops payments on invoices not yet paid for costs incurred before the shutdown," the letter said. NDIA and PSC represent companies like Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N), L3Harris Technologies Inc (LHX.N), Bank Of America Corp (BAC.N) and Oracle Corp (ORCL.N).

Persons: Carlos Barria, Sabrina Singh, Singh, Chris Sherwood, Sherwood, David Norquist, David Berteau, Mike Stone, Alistair Bell Organizations: Pentagon, REUTERS, Rights, Department of Defense, Democratic, U.S, Senate, National Defense Industrial Association, Professional Services Council, Congressional, NDIA, PSC, Lockheed Martin Corp, L3Harris Technologies, Of America Corp, Oracle Corp, Thomson Locations: Arlington , Virginia, U.S, Ukraine, Washington

☆ Pentagon Vows to Move Quickly to Buy More Drones, Citing China Threat
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-28 | by ( Eric Lipton | More About Eric Lipton | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The commitment came from Kathleen Hicks, the deputy defense secretary. The Pentagon, Ms. Hicks conceded, is “too risk averse” as “our system was built for the industrial age, not the information age, let alone the age of A.I.,” referring to artificial intelligence and citing criticism she has raised or heard from others. “I’ll let you in on a little secret,” she said, according to a transcript of her prepared remarks before the National Defense Industrial Association in Washington. As one of the world’s largest organizations, it’s often hard to see ourselves clearly, and get out of our own way. So I’m far from satisfied that everything is working as it should.”

Persons: Kathleen Hicks, Hicks, “ I’ll, ”, “ Organizations: Pentagon, National Defense Industrial Association Locations: China, Russian, Washington

☆ Pentagon has strategic germanium stockpile but no gallium reserves
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

WASHINGTON, July 6 (Reuters) - The Pentagon holds a strategic U.S. stockpile for germanium but currently has no inventory reserves for gallium, a spokesperson said on Thursday, after China announced export restrictions on the two metals used in semiconductors. "The (Defense) Department is proactively taking steps using Defense Production Act Title III authorities to increase domestic mining and processing of critical materials for the microelectronics and space supply chain, including gallium and germanium," the spokesperson said. Germanium is used in high-speed computer chips, plastics and military applications such as night-vision devices, as well as satellite imagery sensors. Gallium is used in radar and radio communication devices, satellites and LEDs. While major defense contractors like Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) may not buy gallium and germanium directly, they likely purchase semiconductors from suppliers who source Chinese gallium and germanium, said Arun Seraphin, executive director for the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute.

Persons: Arun Seraphin, ”, Dak Hardwick, Hardwick, Xi Jinping, Idrees Ali, Phil Stewart, Valerie Insinna, Rami Ayyub, Doina Chiacu, Mark Porter, Marguerita Choy Organizations: Pentagon, China, Defense, Department, Lockheed Martin Corp, National Defense Industrial, Emerging Technologies, Aerospace Industries Association, U.S, Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, Thomson Locations: U.S, China

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