The Pentagon’s arsenal and defense industrial base is built on materials that China can turn off like a light switch. Growing uncertainty in critical mineral markets and the open weaponization of supply chains by China has prompted a paradigm shift in how the Pentagon addresses these issues.In July 2025, the Department of Defense and MP Materials structured a package comprising equity in the company, a 10-year price floor for certain rare earth elements, long-term magnet offtake, and project financing. This represents a major departure from previous investments to support the defense industrial base. It also appears successful in attracting sizableThe post These Materials Could Cripple America’s Defense Industrial Base appeared first on War on the Rocks.