China may have gained access to US's classified F-35 jets; parts meant for repairs diverted to Hong Kong, sparking Pentagon inquiry
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "China may have gained access to US's classified F-35 jets; parts meant for repairs diverted to Hong Kong, sparking Pentagon inquiry")
F-35 parts meant for US repairs ended up in Hong Kong. Why is Pentagon worried? Photograph: (F35.com)
Sensitive F-35 components being shipped from Australia to the US for repairs were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong, triggering a Pentagon probe. One reported component is a stealth-related canopy. But who has the parts?. All we know.
Sensitive components from the F-35 fighter jet were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong this summer while being shipped from Australia to the United States for repairs, according to reports. This has raised concerns in Washington that China could gain access to technology used in the highly classified aircraft.
The shipment was being moved by an intermediary working for F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin when it was rerouted while crossing the Pacific, according to three people familiar with the matter. The Pentagon has confirmed that some F-35 components went missing.
The parts eventually turned up in Hong Kong, but it remains unclear why the shipment was diverted or who currently has custody of the equipment, reports Politico.
The incident has prompted an inquiry on Capitol Hill and 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.
F-35 canopy among missing components
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One of the missing components was an F-35 canopy, according to the report citing two people familiar with the shipment.
The canopy is more than just a protective cover for the cockpit. It incorporates stealth technology designed to reduce the aircraft's radar signature. An adversary with access to an actual canopy could study its materials and construction and potentially use that information to improve or verify intelligence already obtained through espionage.
J.J. Gertler, a former House Armed Services Committee staff member and military aviation analyst at the Congressional Research Service, said China had long sought information on the F-35.
“It’s no secret that China has been aggressively trying to get F-35 data through electronic espionage, among other means,” Gertler said.
He added that possessing an actual component could give Chinese intelligence “even more to go on” and help verify or refine information obtained through other means.
Pentagon confirms shipment problem
The F-35 Joint Program Office said it was aware of “a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II components”.The office said it was working with US authorities and industry partners to recover the parts, investigate what happened and introduce safeguards to prevent a similar incident.
Lockheed Martin, which manages the F-35 programme's wider supply chain, said it could not discuss individual shipments because of security concerns. The company said it follows US regulations governing the transport of aircraft components and handles shipments with safeguards intended to protect the programme and allied countries.
The State Department meanwhile has declined to comment, while the Chinese Embassy said it was not familiar with the incident.
Complex global supply chain explained
The episode has highlighted the complexity of the F-35's global logistics network.
The programme involves the US and several allies, including Britain, Australia, Denmark, Norway and Poland, with spare parts stored at locations around the world in a shared pool. The Pentagon owns those parts until they are installed on aircraft, while Lockheed manages information on the inventory.
Australia operates F-35 maintenance facilities, but those sites are not currently equipped to repair the aircraft's canopies.
A 2023 Government Accountability Office report found that more than one million F-35 spare parts had gone missing over a five-year period. The report said the Defense Department could not adequately account for losses worth tens of millions of dollars because Lockheed, rather than the government, maintained the relevant records.
“The prime contractors maintain this information,” the GAO said.
F-35 programme already facing cost and readiness concerns
The missing components come as the F-35 programme faces broader questions over spare-parts management, maintenance and costs.
The GAO has said shortages of spare parts can leave aircraft grounded, while sustainment expenses continue to rise. A separate report this year found that the F-35 had not met some performance goals and that performance had “trended down”.
More than 1,300 F-35 aircraft have been produced for the United States and its allies. The Pentagon expects the programme's lifetime cost to approach $2 trillion.
