Pentagon rushes to activate Defense Production Act upon realizing China’s actions against us.

Pentagon Scrambles to Trigger Defense Production Act After Realizing What China Is Doing to Us

The Pentagon is in a race against time to secure new sources of raw materials as China threatens to cut off exports of essential metals needed for our military equipment. But the consequences of relying on China for these materials may already be catching up with us.

Decades ago, there was a belief among globalists that integrating China into the “world community” would lead to a shift away from belligerent behavior and communist ideals in favor of economic development and commerce. As a result, many manufacturers turned to China, Russia, and Ukraine for cheaper supplies of raw materials like minerals, metals, and rare earths, abandoning locally produced alternatives.

Now, this globalist movement has put us in a dangerous position, as China has gained control over the materials crucial for our military. We are now at the mercy of our enemies, and the Pentagon is finally waking up to the threat.

According to Reuters, the U.S. military has already run out of gallium, a vital metal used in semiconductors, electronics, radar and radio devices, satellites, and LEDs. China’s recent announcement of severe export restrictions on materials, including gallium, has forced the Pentagon to urgently seek new sources of this metal.

Arun Seraphin, executive director of the National Defense Industrial Association’s Emerging Technologies Institute, warns that these restrictions could slow down production of Department of Defense systems or increase costs.

The Department of Defense has acknowledged the urgency of the situation and is taking proactive steps to increase domestic mining and processing of critical materials, including gallium and germanium, using Defense Production Act Title III authorities.

But the question remains: why did the Pentagon allow such a heavy reliance on supplies and raw materials from our biggest international enemies?

Defense News recently reported that over 75 percent of the global aluminum market is controlled by Russia, and without access to this aluminum, the Pentagon cannot produce jets and tactical ground vehicles. Cobalt is another critical material that poses a challenge. Anthony Di Stasio, director of the Defense Manufacturing Capability Expansion and Investment Prioritization office, explains that cobalt is essential for the tungsten-cobalt alloy used in military hard-target penetrators.

The Pentagon is now seeking to fund cobalt mining in the U.S. and friendly nations like Canada, Australia, and the U.K.

It is clear that relying on our worst enemies for critical raw materials is a flawed strategy, and the federal government is finally recognizing this. However, for now, we remain vulnerable to our adversaries.

Greg Hayes, chief executive of Raytheon, has warned that the U.S. military industrial complex is so dependent on China for raw materials that decoupling from them is impossible. He points out that over 95 percent of rare earth materials come from or are processed in China, leaving us with no alternative.

China has already cut off the supply of gallium, and it could do the same with other crucial raw materials needed for our military. This vulnerability leaves us as weak as a kitten.

Source: The Western Journal