Matthew Fulco
February 13, 2026

F-35 at Singapore

The F-35 and weapons it carries use rare earth metals for numerous systems.

Credit: Roslan Rahman/Getty Images

Since the Pentagon invested $400 million and took a 15% equity stake in MP Materials in July, private capital has poured into the critical minerals sector. Investors long wary of mining’s operational risks and lengthy, capital-intensive timelines have responded eagerly to the Trump administration’s…

Matthew Fulco

Matthew Fulco is Business Editor for Aviation Week, focusing on commercial aerospace and defense.

U.S. Bets It Can Attract The Smart Money To Critical Minerals is available to both Aviation Week & Space Technology and AWIN subscribers.

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