F-35 Parts Diverted To Hong Kong, Taken By China: How US Stealth Jet Components Ended Up There

Potentially sensitive parts from an Australian F-35 fighter jet were diverted to Hong Kong while being shipped to the United States and were later taken into Chinese government possession, people briefed on the incident said.

The shipment, handled by UPS in late May, contained a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door from an Australian military F-35 that was being sent to the US for inspection and possible repair or disposal. Both components were supplied by Lockheed Martin Corp. and coated with radar-absorbing material that enhances the aircraft's stealth capabilities. The Pentagon is working to retrieve the parts, while US congressional panels are investigating how they ended up in Chinese hands.

According to NDTV, the F-35 parts were routed through South Korea before being diverted to Hong Kong. It remains unclear why the shipment stopped in South Korea, why it was then sent to Hong Kong or whether the diversion was deliberate or accidental.

How the shipment was diverted

The parts were being transported from Australia to the US when the shipment took an unexpected route. One person familiar with the incident said the plane stopped in South Korea before the components were routed to Hong Kong.

Two people said the Chinese government subsequently took possession of the parts and has not returned them.

The Chinese Embassy did not immediately comment. China's Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that it was "not aware of the situation".

The stop in South Korea, the use of UPS to transport the components and China's subsequent possession of them had not previously been reported. Politico had earlier reported that the parts had been unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong.

UPS disclosed the incident to the State Department's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, which enforces US export control laws, out of an abundance of caution. Company spokesman Malcolm Berkley declined to comment.

Pentagon working to recover F-35 components

The Pentagon said it was aware of what it described as a shipment issue involving unserviceable F-35 components and was working with US authorities and industry partners to recover them.

Officials "are aware of a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 components. We are actively working with US authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence," a statement from the Pentagon said.

Lockheed Martin said the components posed a low risk of exploitation.

A Lockheed Martin spokesperson in Australia said in a statement Thursday that "the components in question are unserviceable and deemed low risk for exploitation."

Lockheed Martin said in an earlier statement that the Defense Department picked the transportation options and "we select the carrier that aligns with those government-mandated parameters."

The company did not disclose which carrier shipped the parts, but said "we are working closely with them to develop and implement preventive measures to strengthen our collective oversight and prevent recurrence."

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said Tuesday that Australia was examining what had happened on its side of the shipment.

"The point I would make here is that we are confident about the way in which we've engaged with the program, and through the US's prime contractor, Lockheed," he said.

US Congress examines how parts reached China

At least two congressional committees are reviewing the incident. The House Foreign Affairs and House Armed Services committees are examining the diversion, while the Senate Armed Services airland subcommittee is also looking into the matter.

Armed Services Committee spokesperson Heather Vaughan said the "committee is aware of this issue and we've received multiple briefings on it."

The Senate Armed Services airland subcommittee also "is aware of the reports and is currently looking into the matter," said spokesman Dave Vasquez.

The issue was discussed during a closed Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the F-35 programme on June 23. People familiar with the exchange said Defence Department officials involved with the F-35 programme office expressed their hope that the components would be returned.

NDTV reported that the incident has drawn congressional scrutiny over how the parts came to be in Chinese possession.

Why the F-35 components are sensitive

The F-35 has been purchased by some 20 countries, including Australia, South Korea, Japan and Singapore. Australia serves as the Indo-Pacific inventory hub for parts and maintenance of F-35s flown by allies in Asia.

The two components involved in the incident were supplied by Lockheed Martin and coated with radar-absorbing material designed to enhance the aircraft's stealth capabilities.

China has for years targeted the F-35 in its espionage efforts. Concerns that China could obtain information about the aircraft were one reason behind scrutiny of a US proposal to sell F-35s to the United Arab Emirates during Donald Trump's first term. That proposed sale later collapsed.

Members of Congress have also raised concerns that a potential sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia could expose cutting-edge US military technology to China.

The aircraft has flown numerous missions against Iran.

JJ Gertler, a former aviation analyst for the Congressional Research Service who is now director of The Defense Concepts Organization, said keeping information about the aircraft's capabilities away from adversaries was important.

"It's always best when your adversaries have to guess at your capabilities," he said. "You never want to hand them evidence."

Incident coincides with Xi-Trump state visit

The disclosure comes at a politically sensitive time for the two countries. Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in the US on Wednesday evening for a state visit hosted by US President Donald Trump.

Senator Elissa Slotkin, a Michigan Democrat, highlighted the timing of the incident while speaking on Bloomberg Television's Balance of Power.

"The juxtaposition is hard to miss," Slotkin said. "The Chinese are holding some of our most sensitive technology and we are rolling out the red carpet for their president."

Slotkin said she had not received a briefing on the issue.

"When it comes to intelligence and military issues, China is a competitor and an adversary. They are always seeking information about our military equipment, sensitive information."

NDTV reported that the incident is being reviewed by US congressional committees, with the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services panels examining how the components came into Chinese possession.

The Pentagon is working to retrieve the components, while congressional committees investigate how they came into Chinese possession. Australia is also reviewing what occurred at its end of the process, while Lockheed Martin said it was working on measures to strengthen oversight and prevent a recurrence.