Northrop Grumman Gallium Nitride Production Facility
An F-35 Lightning II pilot soars through the night skies, utilising the jet’s advanced radar to identify invisible threats. Because it tracks multiple targets accurately, the AN/APG-81 active electronically scanned array radar is the heart of this fifth-generation stealth fighter and makes sure the pilot is in charge of the battlespace.
But this wonderful piece of technology, which is key to America’s air superiority, depends on gallium, a metal that most people have never heard of. China controls 98 per cent of the world’s supply of refined gallium. As of April 2025, China has made it harder for the US to buy refined gallium. The change makes it harder to build and maintain the F-35 and other important military systems.
This action, which is part of an escalating trade war, reveals a vulnerability that could alter the future of U.S. military power. A fighter jet, the F-35, made by Lockheed Martin, is more than that. It’s an important part of the United States’ defense strategy. It is made to work in air, land, and sea environments, and it uses stealth, sensor fusion, and networked operations to beat its enemies.
Gallium Arsenide
Northrop Grumman made its AN/APG-81 radar, which is a technological marvel that can track small targets at long ranges, stop enemy systems from working, and even help with cyber operations.
But the radar’s high-frequency performance depends on gallium arsenide, a compound semiconductor that makes it possible for the radar’s single-piece microwave integrated circuits to send signals quickly and reliably.
Without gallium, the radar might not work as well, which could hurt the F-35’s ability to fight. As China’s export restrictions get stricter, the U.S. is facing a supply chain crisis that goes beyond the F-35 and includes electronic warfare systems and communication devices. This episode shows a strategic mistake that was made decades ago.
Processing of aluminium and zinc often leaves behind gallium, a soft, silvery metal. Despite how little people know about it, it plays a giant role in military technology. Gallium arsenide chips in the F-35’s radar let the AN/APG-81 switch signals at high frequencies. This gives the radar the clarity and range it needs to find sneaky enemies or small drones.
Electronic Warfare Suite
Furthermore, these chips are better at handling heat and radiation than regular silicon, which makes them perfect for the harsh conditions of the new war. This material is essential for the radar to be able to track multiple targets at once, launch electronic attacks, and share data with other platforms.
Gallium is also crucial in the F-35’s electronic warfare suite, which has jammers to mess up enemy radars and sensors, and in its communication systems, which use gallium nitride-based amplifiers to make sure that data links are safe and have a lot of bandwidth.
The F-35 can share real-time intelligence with ships, satellites, and ground forces by acting as a networked node in joint operations. China makes a huge amount of gallium, which is wonderful. The U.S. Geological Survey says that China produced 98 percent of the world’s refined gallium in 2023.
This is a position it has held for many years. The country is in charge because it has huge bauxite reserves and very advanced refining technologies that are far better than those of other countries. China tightened controls on the export of gallium, germanium, and antimony in December 2024, saying it was for national security reasons.
Centre for Strategic and International Studies
This was considered a response to U.S. restrictions on Chinese semiconductor companies. These limits, set to last until 2025, have halted shipments to the U.S. The delay has led to a significant increase in prices.
The Centre for Strategic and International Studies said that gallium prices went up by more than 50% in 2024, and they are likely to go up even more as supplies run out. This is not just an economic problem for the U.S. defense industry; it’s also a strategic one.
With a lifecycle cost of more than $1.7 trillion, the F-35 program is already among the most expensive in military history. It is especially at risk. Lockheed Martin makes about 150 F-35s every year, and by early 2025, it will have sent over 1,000 jets to the US and its allies.
Not only does each jet need gallium-based parts for its radar, but also for its electronic warfare and communication systems. The AN/APG-81 radar alone has tens of thousands of gallium arsenide transmit-receive modules, and each one is a tiny engineering masterpiece.
A lack of gallium could slow down production, raise costs, or force the Pentagon to put maintenance ahead of new builds, which could lower the number of jets that are actually in use. The effects could make it harder for the U.S. to keep its promises to allies like Japan, Australia, and NATO partners that depend on the F-35 for their safety.
China’s HQ-9 or Russia’s S-400
To understand how important the F-35 is, contemplate what it does in modern war. Due to its stealth, the jet can get into contested airspace and get past advanced air defenses like China’s HQ-9 or Russia’s S-400.
Its sensor fusion takes information from radar, electronic warfare systems, and outside sources and puts it all together to give the pilot a complete picture of the battlefield.
The gallium arsenide core of the AN/APG-81 is at the heart of this capability. It can detect fighter-sized targets from over 150 miles away and can attack multiple threats at the same time.
The F-35’s radar gives it a better picture of what’s going on around it than rivals like China’s J-20 or Russia’s Su-57. This is crucial in high-stakes situations like a possible conflict in the Taiwan Strait. However, a lack of a consistent gallium supply could negate this advantage. Such an outcome would put the U.S. and its allies at risk.
The communication and electronic warfare systems are just as important as the radar, if not more so. Gallium nitride amplifiers are used by the F-35’s electronic warfare suite, which is part of the ASQ-239 Barracuda system, to mess up enemy radars and missile guidance systems.
Defense against advanced threats like hypersonic missiles relies heavily on gallium nitride amplifiers, which perform better than gallium arsenide. F-35 communication systems, like MADL, rely on gallium parts to ensure secure, hack-resistant links with other platforms.
OPEC’s oil Embargo
These links let the F-35 work seamlessly with E-7 Wedgetails or Navy destroyers in joint missions. Without gallium, producing these parts becomes harder—limiting the jet’s ability to operate in high-threat zones.
The U.S. has faced supply chain problems before, but gallium presents its most serious challenge yet. In 1973, OPEC’s oil embargo exposed America’s foreign energy dependence and sparked investment in domestic energy sources.
The current gallium shortage bears a resemblance to the 1973 oil embargo, heightened by the current great-power rivalry. Despite knowing its reliance on Chinese gallium, the U.S. has been slow to diversify supply chains.
A 2019 Pentagon report warned gallium shortages could harm military readiness. Still, America depends heavily on China and, to a lesser extent, Japan and Germany for gallium. Domestic production remains small and unreliable.
China has used export controls before—like its rare earth halt to Japan in 2010 during a territorial dispute. Now, China’s gallium restrictions seem targeted towards weakening U.S. defenses as tensions rise.
Sanctions on Chinese semiconductor firms in 2024 and Trump’s 2025 tariff threats have hardened Beijing’s resolve. Analysts believe China’s export controls follow a deeper strategy, not just economic retaliation.
Gallium Shortages
Brookings warned in 2024: China weaponises critical minerals to pressure the U.S. without direct conflict. Gallium shortages could shift power dynamics, especially in the Indo-Pacific, where the F-35 plays a central role.
The F-35 has already affected global defense supply chains. Lockheed Martin reports delays in parts delivery, although it has not publicly attributed these delays to gallium shortages. Insiders claim the Pentagon is secretly stockpiling gallium, but supplies remain limited. The Defense Logistics Agency struggles to secure alternative sources—Japan and Germany can’t meet full U.S. demand.
Gallium prices have soared, with some estimates showing costs have doubled since China’s restrictions began. Defence budgets, already burdened by inflation and competing priorities, face additional financial strain as a result.
The gallium shortage threatens not only the F-35 but also other U.S. military capabilities. Gallium nitride is used in high-power jammers on electronic warfare systems like those on the EA-18G Growler. These jammers are crucial for stopping enemy air defenses.
Gallium arsenide solar cells are also used in satellite communication systems, which are important for global command and control because they work well in harsh space conditions. If the shortage lasts for a long time, the Pentagon might have to ration parts and give more weight to some platforms than others.
The AUKUS Pact
Such an arrangement could make the U.S. less of a threat, especially in situations where electronic warfare and safe communications are crucial, like a war with China over Taiwan. The U.S. has choices, but none of them are quick fixes. Diversifying supply chains is important, and Japan and Germany are doing just that by making more gallium, even though they only make a small amount compared to China.
Canada and Australia have large amounts of bauxite reserves and could become future suppliers. However, it will take years to build the infrastructure needed for refining. The Pentagon has put money into projects in the United States, such as a gallium recovery facility in Ohio. However, these won’t be ready for use until 2028.
Another option is to recycle gallium from old electronics, but the technologies we have now are inefficient and expensive. Scientists are looking into different materials, like silicon carbide for radar uses, but they are not yet good enough to replace gallium arsenide or nitride.
In terms of geopolitics, the U.S. is relying on its allies to fight China’s rise to power. The AUKUS pact, which includes Australia and the UK, includes plans to protect important minerals.
High-Purity Gallium
The Quad alliance, which includes Japan, India, and Australia, is looking into ways to work together on supply chain strategies. Red tape and financial issues slow down these efforts. For example, Australia could increase the amount of bauxite it mines, but it doesn’t have the refinery facilities to make high-purity gallium.
At the same time, China is continuing to tighten its control. Reports say Beijing is thinking about putting even more limits on materials like indium and tellurium that are related. The gallium crisis serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of the United States’ defense industrial base. For decades, the U.S. put cost-cutting ahead of strategic resilience, sending important materials to enemies to save money.
The F-35 is a paradox—technologically unmatched, yet vulnerable due to reliance on a single foreign-sourced metal. Since its first flight in 2006, the jet has become vital to U.S. and allied air power. Its first combat mission with Israel in 2018 highlighted its operational value. The F-35 has flown in Syria, Afghanistan, and across the Indo-Pacific, proving its versatility. Yet, China’s export limits cast doubt on the jet’s future and America’s global power projection.
Conclusion
The U.S. must act fast to secure supply chains before readiness suffers further. But rebuilding gallium production at home could take years and cost billions. Meanwhile, diplomatic tensions with China remain unresolved and unpredictable. The Pentagon’s delay in addressing this supply risk raises serious concerns.
Is America truly prepared for future high-tech conflicts? The gallium crisis reminds us that even elite weapons rely on fragile links. No matter how advanced, a jet is only as strong as its weakest part. The F-35 is still a key part of U.S. strategy. Can the United States change before its enemies use this weakness against it? The fights of tomorrow will depend on the answer.
References
- U.S. Geological Survey – Gallium Statistics and Information
- Center for Strategic and International Studies (China’s Gallium Export Controls)
- Brookings Institution—Strategic Minerals and U.S. National Security
- Defence News—F-35 Program Faces Delays Amid Supply Chain Pressure
- Reuters—China’s Gallium, Germanium Export Curbs
- U.S. Department of Defence—Strategic Materials Reports
- Lockheed Martin—F-35 Lightning II Overview
- Northrop Grumman – AN/APG-81 AESA Radar
- Defense Logistics Agency – Strategic and Critical Materials
- Congressional Research Service—Critical Minerals and U.S. National Security
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