Five Tech Layers Crucial for National Defense: Who Controls Them?

• Modern military strength increasingly relies on civilian electric technology for drones, autonomous systems, and precision weapons.
• The defense-industrial base now overlaps with civilian supply chains for minerals, wafers, batteries, motors, and semiconductors.
• Mineral control, especially refining capacity, is critical, with China dominating processing of refined minerals ($14.5B exports in 2024).
• East Asian ecosystems lead in wafer supply ($16.0B exports in 2024), essential for semiconductors and sensors.
• China holds dominant battery cell manufacturing capacity ($111.8B exports in 2024) and produces 80% of global battery cells.