Chinese authorities have taken possession of F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft components after a shipment was rerouted to Hong Kong during transit from Australia.
Carried by UPS on behalf of prime contractor Lockheed Martin, the shipment contained a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door from an Australian Defence Force F-35 jet sent to the US for maintenance work.
The package made an unscheduled stop in South Korea before diverting to Hong Kong, where Chinese officials seized the parts.
US officials confirmed that both components are coated with classified radar-absorbing material, according to Bloomberg.
Probe Launched
Insiders said that at least two congressional committees have launched inquiries into the security breach, questioning how cutting-edge military hardware was shipped via commercial freight through non-allied territory.
“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,” the Pentagon stated.
Meanwhile, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson told CNN that “the components in question are unserviceable and deemed low risk for exploitation,” though defense analysts warned that physical access to stealth coatings poses inherent risks.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles already confirmed that Canberra is investigating the logistics chain on its end, emphasizing that Lockheed manages global supply transport under Washington’s “mandated parameters.”
Concerns About China’s Partners
The incident comes as the US Congress scrutinizes broader security risks surrounding planned F-35 exports to Middle Eastern allies.
Pushbacks were driven by the recent approval of a $24.3-billion sale of the fifth-generation aircraft to Saudi Arabia, which could unintentionally expose American stealth technology to China through the country’s deepening industrial and intelligence ties in the Gulf region.
The Pentagon has not confirmed when or if Beijing will return the missing components.