VIDEO: Why are Rare Earth Elements Important to SOF? | JSOU Snapshot
“JSOU Snapshot is a series of short learning videos made just for you, busy special operations professionals, to educate and inform on topics of interest, confusion, controversy, and question. The objective of these short videos is to teach or clarify concepts that are important for you to know, in 5 minutes or less.
In this video, we ask: What are Rare Earth Elements—and why do they matter to SOF?
Rare Earth Elements (REEs) are critical to the technologies that give the U.S. military its edge, from missile guidance systems to night vision and secure communications. They also power essential civilian innovations like electric vehicles and smartphones. But with China dominating global production and processing, REEs have become a flashpoint in great power competition.
In this Snapshot, we break down what REEs are, why they’re strategically vital, and how their control affects SOF missions and U.S. national security. Learn why these 17 obscure metals are at the heart of modern warfare and why SOF needs to understand the global resource competition shaping the battlefield.”
00:00 Introduction
01:46 Applications for REEs
03:13 Supply Chain Security
03:58 Strategy and Competition
05:12 Conclusion
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The views expressed in this video are entirely those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views, policy, or position of the United States Government, Department of Defense, United States Special Operations Command, or the Joint Special Operations University.
