Pentagon probes diverted F-35 parts shipment that surfaced in Hong Kong

The Pentagon is investigating how F-35 jet parts were diverted to Hong Kong during transit from Australia to the United States. The incident has raised concerns over supply-chain security, despite Australia saying the components were not sensitive.Image used for representational purposes onlyThe Pentagon is investigating how parts of the F-35, the United States' most advanced fighter jet, ended up in Hong Kong, amid reports that China has obtained the equipment. The F-35 Joint Program Office said it and the US Department of Defense were aware of "a shipment issue" involving F-35 components.Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the jet parts had ended up in Hong Kong, but said they were not sensitive. Bloomberg reported that the items were a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door that were being sent from Australia to the United States for repair or disposal when the shipment was unexpectedly diverted months ago.In a statement, the F-35 Joint Program Office said: "We are actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence." It was not immediately clear how the shipment was diverted.Responding to questions from reporters on Tuesday, Marles said Australia was working with Washington and Lockheed Martin, the jet's prime contractor. "Yeah, so we are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this," he said. He added: "My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we're not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred." Lockheed Martin did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Wednesday, the day Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit with President Donald Trump. China's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the incident, while the Hong Kong government said it would not comment on specific cases.Politico had earlier reported that the matter had triggered a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could gain access to key parts linked to highly classified technology. Beijing has kept tight control over Hong Kong since the territory was returned from British rule in 1997, and Hong Kong does not maintain its own military or conduct its own diplomacy. The first F-35 Lightning strike fighter rolled off an assembly line in Texas about 20 years ago and was described as a technological leap. Since then, more than 1,200 of the stealth jets have been produced and 19 countries have placed orders for them, according to the Congressional Research Service.The article noted that China may already have had at least some intelligence on the aircraft from earlier years. A 2013 report by the Defense Science Board, which advises the Pentagon, alleged that Chinese cyberattacks had accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programmes, including the joint strike fighter.Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said the F-35 is "widely recognized as America's best and most advanced fighter jet". He told AP in November that US military systems are constantly being updated and improved, reducing the impact of any secrets that may have been stolen years ago.Described as a fifth-generation fighter, the F-35 has stealth coatings, advanced radar and sensors, according to the Congressional Research Service. Bowman said the aircraft also has advanced sensors to better detect enemies and networking capabilities that allow it to communicate with allied aircraft and ground forces during combat.The investigation is now focused on recovering the diverted F-35 components, finding out how they reached Hong Kong, and ensuring similar shipment problems do not happen again.With PTI Inputs- EndsPublished By: India Today Web Desk Published On: Sep 24, 2026 08:48 IST