Gallium: Why the US Cannot Produce Precision Missiles and Fully-Functional F-35s

The United States relies entirely on imports for gallium, a critical material used in military radar systems and semiconductors, with China controlling 94-98% of global production. China's December 2024 ban on gallium exports to US military end-users—later partially suspended in November 2025 but still prohibiting military sales—has forced the Pentagon to deliver F-35 fighter jets with counterweights instead of functional radars in their nose cones. This dependency exposes a structural vulnerability in US defense manufacturing that cannot be quickly resolved without developing domestic aluminum and zinc refining industries, a decade-plus undertaking.