Shocking number of critical U.S. military equipment components made in China
Major weapons platforms now 'vulnerable'
A new report details how deep the People’s Republic of China has embedded itself within the U.S. supply chain, especially for military machinery. While U.S. lawmakers have been calling for an end to this for some years, China's domination continues unabated.
According to the report, China's presence in the U.S. supply chain has been steadily rising for the better part of almost 20 years. From 2005 to 2023, Chinese manufacturers in the U.S. supply chain have grown from around 12,000 to almost 45,000.
The use of forced labor and dangerous working conditions gives China the ability to quickly churn out products, while keeping cost savings at a premium.
Between 2014 and 2023, the data presents a concerning trend of China outpacing U.S. supply chains across almost all industries, by 1,800% in some instances – including electronics, transportation, materials and chemicals, and industrial equipment.
A large number of Chinese semiconductors are used in critical military platforms, accounting for around 40% of all U.S. Department of Defense weapons systems and infrastructure, and are further linked to military supply chains such as Patriot air-defense missiles and B-2 bombers.
For example, a Lockheed Martin missile factory situated in Alabama produces Javelin anti-tank weapons which use more than 200 semiconductors in each weapon. This equates to thousands of Chinese-made semiconductors within U.S. weaponry.
"U.S. companies at the bottom of the supply chain pyramid often source these parts from China in open market transactions. As a result, many essential components in sensitive U.S. military systems now come from China. Countless major weapons platforms are vulnerable," the report states.
U.S. air-launched armament supply chains also relied heavily on Chinese suppliers in 2023, according to the data. Long range anti-ship missiles, joint air-to-surface standoff missiles, naval strike missiles, Tomahawk cruise missiles, and Harpoon anti-ship missiles all used Chinese made components.
The report notes China now has a larger naval force than the U.S., with 340 new warships, and is on track to reach 400 by 2025, and 440 by 2030. Currently, U.S. Navy has under 300 warships.
Furthermore, China tops the U.S. in shipbuilding capabilities, with 17 naval shipyards in China having the ability to produce new warships, compared with five naval shipyards in the U.S.
To alleviate this, the report points out the U.S. could use its allies – which would include Japan and South Korea – to open shipyards to assist with ship production, bringing vital technology and techniques with them. However, the report states the U.S. government is reluctant to invest more funding into ship manufacturing.
Some state leaders are fighting back against this trend. In January, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the Sunshine State will invest over $380 million into semiconductor manufacturing. Over $100 million will be focused on developing Florida's semiconductor "talent-pipeline" with significant investment into state colleges and universities, including the University of Florida’s Semiconductor Institute.
"Industries like semiconductor manufacturing and advanced packaging support our national security and create economic opportunities in our state," DeSantis said in a statement from his office.
WND contacted GOP members of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs about the report on Chinese made military components, but did not receive a response at the time of publishing.
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