China’s newest air force jets have next-generation radars. New USAF F-35’s have no radars at all.

by Inside China Business [2-23-2026].

(RAD: This is another example of why Trump's policies of sanctioning & tariffing China is backfiring big time. It also shows how important it is to maintain good relations with external suppliers of critical elements needed in military & other technological processes. When there is a critical need for these external products, we either should maintain good relations or find a way to create them in the US. Of course, the US has allowed a lot of its critical manufacturing to go elsewhere. — RAD)

Gallium Nitride semiconductors are crucial for advanced radar and missile guidance applications.

China has a monopoly on gallium processing, and export bans on gallium for military use.

Pentagon contractors cannot build radars for the F-35, among other platforms, because of supply chain issues related to gallium supplies. So they are delivering these aircraft with "ballast" in place of radar systems.

Closing scene, Tongguan Kiln, Changsha, Hunan