NATO Names 12 Critical Materials With Defence Supply-Chain Risks

NATO’s December 2024 list identifies 12 raw materials important to defence, spanning applications in aircraft structures, engines, avionics, electrical systems and emerging battery technologies. The list is relevant to procurement teams and contractors whose programmes depend on aerospace and defence manufacturing inputs. It highlights how material availability and sourcing conditions can affect supply continuity even when no immediate acquisition action is underway.

The exposure is especially significant where mining and refining are concentrated. Cobalt, tungsten, gallium, graphite and rare earth elements are named as materials for which concentrated upstream supply can create vulnerabilities. For contractors, visibility into a direct supplier’s operations may not be enough: risk assessment may need to extend to processors and other upstream sources that determine where materials originate and how reliably they can be delivered.

This is supply-chain intelligence, not a solicitation or contract announcement. The source identifies no contract value, award, procurement deadline or open opportunity. Its practical value is in informing long-range sourcing plans: procurement and programme teams can map material provenance, identify potential alternate sources, and assess whether substitutions are technically and commercially viable before a disruption occurs.

Alternative sourcing also carries implementation considerations. A new source or substitute may require engineering review, qualification and certification before it can be used in a defence application. Those steps can take time and may affect programme schedules, so contractors should account for lead times rather than treating supplier diversification as an immediate fix. The source refers to the U.S. Geological Survey and the International Energy Agency alongside NATO, but does not provide additional agency actions, specific material quantities or procurement requirements.

• NATO identified 12 raw materials important to defence in December 2024.
• The materials support applications in aircraft structures, engines, avionics, electrical systems and emerging battery technologies.
• Cobalt, tungsten, gallium, graphite and rare earth elements are highlighted in connection with concentrated mining and refining.
• Concentrated upstream supply creates potential exposure for aerospace manufacturers and defence suppliers dependent on these inputs.
• Procurement teams should map material provenance and improve visibility beyond direct suppliers where practical.
• Contractors should assess alternate sources for named materials as part of longer-range sourcing and supply-chain planning.
• Any substitution or new source should be evaluated for qualification and certification requirements and associated lead times.
• The signal identifies no solicitation, contract value, award deadline or specific procurement opportunity; its immediate relevance is supply-chain risk assessment.