Dysprosium Powers F-35's High-Temperature Edge

The Trump administration's recent $1.6 billion investment in USA Rare Earth underscores a strategic push to secure heavy rare earth elements like dysprosium and terbium, vital for advanced military hardware. USA Rare Earth's Round Top mine in Texas holds rich deposits of these elements, which are essential for producing high-performance magnets that withstand extreme temperatures in fighter jet engines and guidance systems. This move aims to break China's near-monopoly on heavy rare earth processing, reducing vulnerabilities in U.S. defense supply chains.

Dysprosium, in particular, is the star of this story. When alloyed into neodymium-iron-boron magnets, it prevents demagnetization under the intense heat of jet engines or missile reentry—conditions exceeding 150°C where standard magnets fail. In the F-35 Lightning II, these enhanced magnets drive electric motors in actuators, control surfaces, and propulsion systems, ensuring precision maneuvers during combat. Without dysprosium doping, the jet's agility and reliability would plummet, handing adversaries a tactical edge.

Military applications extend beyond jets. Dysprosium magnets power radar systems like the Aegis combat system, where stable performance under thermal stress is non-negotiable for tracking hypersonic threats. Missile guidance in Tomahawk and Virginia-class submarine weapons also relies on these materials for compact, efficient motors that maintain accuracy over long ranges. The Pentagon's prior $400 million infusion into MP Materials and ongoing stockpile expansions highlight the urgency, as China controls over 90% of global heavy rare earth refining.

Strategically, this matters immensely. A 2025 Chinese export restriction on heavy rare earths spiked dysprosium prices threefold, exposing U.S. dependence that could cripple production of next-gen hypersonics and drones. By backing USA Rare Earth, Washington not only accelerates domestic mine-to-magnet integration—targeting output by late 2028—but also fortifies deterrence in the Pacific. As tensions simmer, securing dysprosium ensures the U.S. maintains technological superiority in air and sea dominance, turning a geological vulnerability into a warfighting strength.