F-35 Parts Diverted to Hong Kong, Reportedly Seized by China
The Pentagon is investigating how F-35 components shipped from Australia to the US ended up in Hong Kong and were reportedly taken into Chinese possession.
The Pentagon is investigating how components from an Australian F-35 fighter jet, originally being shipped to the United States, ended up in Hong Kong and were reportedly taken into Chinese possession. The incident has raised concerns about the security of the F-35’s global supply chain and the possible exposure of stealth-related technology.
The shipment, handled by UPS, reportedly included an F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door. The components were being sent from Australia to the US for inspection and possible repair or disposal. The shipment stopped in South Korea before being unexpectedly routed to Hong Kong, although the reason for the diversion remains unclear.
The parts were supplied by Lockheed Martin and reportedly contained radar-absorbing material associated with the aircraft’s stealth capabilities. However, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles has said the missing components were not considered sensitive equipment.
The F-35 Joint Program Office said US authorities and industry partners are working to retrieve the components, investigate the shipment issue and strengthen safeguards against a similar incident. China’s reported possession of the parts has raised questions about whether they could provide information useful for studying the aircraft’s stealth technology, although there is no public evidence that classified information has been extracted from them.
The episode has also renewed scrutiny of the F-35’s complex international supply chain, which involves numerous countries and commercial logistics providers. Australia and the US are continuing investigations into how the components were diverted and why they remained in Hong Kong.
