US probes diversion of sensitive F-35 parts to Hong Kong

Sensitive components of the F-35 fighter jet were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong this summer, prompting congressional briefings and an investigation into whether China could gain access to technology from the highly classified weapons system.

Three people familiar with the matter told Politico a shipment of F-35 parts being returned to the United States for repairs was rerouted while crossing the Pacific from Australia. The Pentagon confirmed that some components had gone missing. The parts, transported by an intermediary on behalf of manufacturer Lockheed Martin, ended up in Hong Kong, although it remains unclear why they were diverted or who currently possesses them.

The incident triggered a series of briefings for congressional staff on key national security committees. State Department and Pentagon officials first briefed staff in June, with further briefings expected in the coming weeks.

Two people said the shipment included an F-35 canopy containing stealth technology accessible only to the United States and its allies. An adversary possessing a canopy could potentially study it and reverse-engineer elements of the technology.

The F-35 Joint Program Office said it was “aware of a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II components” and was working with US authorities and industry partners “to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence.”

J.J. Gertler, a former House Armed Services Committee staff member and Congressional Research Service military aviation analyst, said: “It’s no secret that China has been aggressively trying to get F-35 data through electronic espionage, among other means. But even if they already had specifications or other data about the part, possessing a real one can give them even more to go on and can verify or refine whatever they already had learned.”

The F-35 supply chain spans multiple countries, with Lockheed managing the overall system and commercial carriers transporting components. Australia has F-35 maintenance facilities, but none can currently repair canopies.

Lockheed said it could not discuss individual shipments for security reasons but follows US shipping regulations, adding: “Our teams handle every shipment with the utmost diligence and safeguards to ensure the integrity of the F-35 program and the security of our allied partners.”

The State Department declined comment, while China’s embassy said it was unaware of the incident.

A 2023 Government Accountability Office report found more than 1 million F-35 spare parts had gone missing over five years, citing inadequate Pentagon oversight because Lockheed controls the relevant records. The F-35 program is projected to cost nearly $2 trillion over its lifetime.

By Tamilla Hasanova