Components from the F-35 stealth fighter, including a cockpit canopy and a weapons bay door, were diverted to Hong Kong while being shipped from Australia to the United States, and Chinese authorities are reportedly in possession of them.
According to Bloomberg, citing sources, UPS was carrying the parts to the U.S. in late May when the shipment was rerouted. Both were coated with radar-absorbing material that contributes to the jet's stealth, the sources said. It remains unclear why the shipment was diverted or who holds the equipment now.
The parts were being moved for repair or disposal by an intermediary working for Lockheed Martin. Australia runs F-35 maintenance depots, but none of them can currently repair a canopy, so the part had to be sent to the United States.
The Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed it was "aware of a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II 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 Defense Department spokesperson said. State Department and Pentagon officials briefed congressional staff on the matter in June, and Politico first reported it on September 18.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles downplayed the risk. "My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, that we're not talking about sensitive equipment here, or sensitive parts," he said, adding that Australia is working with the U.S. and Lockheed to assist the investigation.
Hong Kong is a special administrative region of China, which is why the diversion alarmed Washington. The disclosure comes as President Donald Trump hosts Chinese President Xi Jinping in the United States.
The incident also bears directly on Israel. The Israeli Air Force operates 48 F-35I Adir jets, with another 52 on order, and is currently the only country in the Middle East that has the aircraft. Last week, U.S. intelligence repeated its warning that the planned F-35 sale to Saudi Arabia could expose the jet's technology to China, a concern that has also reignited fears in Israel's defense establishment about its qualitative military edge.
China's reach is growing on Israel's western border too. According to foreign reports, Israel is working behind the scenes to persuade the White House to approve F-15 sales to Egypt to keep China from establishing a permanent military presence there. Cairo has deepened military ties with Beijing, including joint air exercises in which Chinese J-10C and J-16 fighters landed on Egyptian soil.
