CRMs in DEFENSE SECTOR
The European defence industry requires very specialized, high performance processed materials for the production of its defence applications. For about half of raw materials required, the industry relies 100% on imports from countries outside the EU.
Given the very high level of performance and special properties of these materials, they cannot be easily matched by readily available substitutes.
The aeronautic and electronic defence sub-sectors are the major users of CRMs and most vulnerable to potential material supply constraints.
In the aerospace industry recycling of materials from aircraft was not under focus until recently and hence a lack of data in official statistics exists for this sector. However, accounting for material flows has now become more common practice. Some publications argue that the recycling rate of an aircraft has reached about 60 % and the aerospace industry is aiming to increase it to 80-90%. Aluminium, Magnesium, Titanium as well as steel are several materials which are currently recycled both from waste generated during the production of aircraft structure and engine components and from reclaimed components from retired aircraft. However, other CRMs such as Rare Earth Elements are still recycled only in small quantities, mainly from permanent magnet scrap.
Further R&D will be needed in this sector to increase the efficiency, recycling and substitution opportunities and hence diminish supply risk of these materials to EU.
