US Congress investigates after sensitive F-35 parts bound for repairs ended up in Hong Kong - Politico
US lawmakers are investigating how a shipment of sensitive F-35 fighter jet components bound from Australia to the United States for repairs was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong, potentially exposing stealth technology to China, Politico reported.
The shipment was being transported across the Pacific by an intermediary on behalf of F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin when it was rerouted to Hong Kong, Politico reported, citing three people familiar with the matter.
It remains unclear why the shipment was diverted or who currently has possession of the components.
The shipment included an F-35 canopy - the transparent cover over the cockpit - which contains stealth technology accessible only to the United States and its allies, according to two of Politico’s sources.
The canopy is coated with a thin layer of radar-absorbent material that helps conceal the aircraft from enemy radar. An adversary possessing the component could study it and potentially reverse-engineer the technology, the outlet noted.
The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed it was aware of “a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II components.”
It said US authorities and industry partners were working “to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence.”
The previously unreported incident has prompted an investigation on Capitol Hill. State Department and Pentagon officials first briefed congressional staff in June, with further briefings expected in the coming weeks.
Lockheed Martin, which manages the F-35 program’s global supply chain, said it could not discuss individual shipments for security reasons but that it follows US regulations governing the transportation of aircraft components.
The incident also highlights longstanding problems with tracking F-35 spare parts. A 2023 US Government Accountability Office report found that more than 1 million spare parts had been lost over the previous five years. The Pentagon could not fully review losses worth tens of millions of dollars because contractors, rather than the Defense Department, maintained the relevant records.