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Critical raw materials
Secure and sustainable raw materials
Aerospace and Defence products are largely made of critical raw materials (CRMs) such as nickel, aluminum, titanium or so-called rare earth elements. Modern fighter jets contain over 400 kg of rare earth elements, submarines more than 4000 kg. Given the strategic significance of the aerospace and defence industry and the fact that it has an almost exclusive reliance on raw materials imports, more resilience and diversification in the supply chain is needed to avoid critical dependencies and vulnerabilities.
ASD follows closely and supports ongoing EU initiatives aimed at securing the supply of critical and strategic raw materials. ASD calls for the recognition of the whole of aerospace and defence ecosystem as strategic technologies because they are economically and technologically intricately linked.
The European Critical Raw Materials Act is one such initiative that aims to ensure secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials for Europe’s industry and significantly lower the EU’s dependency on imports from single country suppliers. The Act identifies a list of critical raw materials and a list of strategic raw materials crucial for technologies for Europe's green and digital transitions, as well as for defence and space. It also sets benchmarks for domestic capacities along the strategic raw material supply chain to be reached by 2030.
Our sector depends on reliable imports of raw materials for our high-tech products. Therefore, we cannot allow critical dependencies on individual suppliers, even less in an international environment that is increasingly marked by geopolitical tensions. We need to diversify our suppliers and use opportunities to produce or recycle critical raw materials ourselves in Europe.
Learn more
lecture videoCritical raw materials in aviationRosa Joensuu talks about her research into critical materials and electric aviation, which she did in cooperation with the Circular Aviation Lab.
Analyst reportStrategic raw materials for defence | Mapping European industry needsThis report from HCSS outlines the most commonly used raw materials in European defence applications and provides a risk assessment of supply security and geopolitical risks.
Analyst reportMilitary materials - Challenges and opportunitiesThis KPMG report highlights the availability and applications of strategic military materials. It explores the demand and trade situation whilst analysing the strategic importance along with the current challenges of manufacturers in indigenously producing these raw materials.