War in the military industry has already begun! The U.S. Department of Defense announced that it will invest $50 billion to comprehensively expand the production of the Patriot air defense missile system. However, without China's rare earth elements, the U.S. may find it difficult to complete the plan to produce 13,000 Patriot missiles.
The U.S. Department of Defense has given Raytheon Technologies a 20-year contract to comprehensively expand the production capacity of the Patriot air defense missile. Currently, the production of Patriot missiles is only 600-650 per year. However, the expected demand is for 13,000 Patriot missiles.
Building factories and establishing production lines can be done, but the key is the core material - rare earths, which are greatly constrained. The U.S. Patriot air defense missile, the Standard 3 anti-missile system, and the THAAD anti-missile system all require large amounts of elements extracted from rare earth resources.
For example, the elements samarium and neodymium needed for the missile guidance system, and the element dysprosium that protects the missile's electronic equipment and works under high temperature and high speed conditions.
Manufacturing missile optical systems, laser guidance systems, engine coatings, and radar systems also requires a large amount of elements extracted from rare earths. Now, more than 90% of these elements are produced in our country.
Therefore, whether the U.S. is manufacturing stealth fighters or anti-missile systems, air defense missiles, increasing production will face insurmountable obstacles.
Original article: www.toutiao.com/article/1839783989103755/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author himself.