Pentagon To Stockpile Rare Earth Magnets For Missiles, Fighter Jets, Communications, And Hi-Tech Weapons

FILE PHOTO: A front-end loader is used to reinforce a safety berm inside the open pit at a rare earth facility in California June 29, 2015. REUTERS/David Becker/File Photo

Reuters: Exclusive: Pentagon to stockpile rare earth magnets for missiles, fighter jets

(Reuters) - The U.S. military plans to stockpile rare earth magnets used in Javelin missiles and F-35 fighter jets, according to a government document seen by Reuters, a step that critics say does little to help create a domestic industry to build specialized magnets now made almost exclusively in Asia.

The Pentagon is seeking proposals to cache a rotating six-month supply of neodymium iron boron (NdFeB) magnets, a type of rare earth magnet essential to weapons manufacturing, according to the document, detailing the latest attempt to weaken China’s control over the rare earths sector.

Beijing has been using that prowess for leverage in its trade war with Washington.

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WNU Editor: This does not solve the long term problem of having a stable supply of rare earths that is independent of China.