The United States is investing about $80 million in producing drone motors to reduce dependence on China.

The U.S. Army has signed a contract worth approximately $80 million to establish a production line for electric motors for drones in the state of Alabama. The move is intended to reduce dependence on China, a country that holds about 98% of the world’s production capacity for magnets based on rare earth elements—an essential component in drone motors.

According to reports, for decades tens of thousands of components in roughly 1,900 U.S. weapon systems have still been dependent on raw materials processed in China. The new production line is expected to be operational by August 2027, as part of the United States’ efforts to strengthen the independence of its defense industries

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