China Reportedly Obtains Diverted F-35 Stealth Fighter Components

The United States Department of Defense and the Australian government are investigating the diversion of F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter components that were rerouted to Hong Kong while in transit from Australia to the United States. The shipment, sent in late May via a commercial intermediary, included a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door coated in radar-absorbent material. Recent reports indicate that Chinese authorities are now in possession of these components.

The F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed the shipment consisted of unserviceable parts and is working with industry partners to retrieve them. While U.S. officials began briefing congressional national security committees on the breach in June, the incident only became public in late September. The House Committee on Armed Services is currently conducting oversight to determine how the diversion occurred and whether China can reverse-engineer the stealth technology to develop countermeasures.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed the investigation but has repeatedly downplayed the risk, stating the missing parts were not sensitive equipment. In contrast, U.S. lawmakers have expressed grave concern over the exposure of classified military secrets. Lockheed Martin, which manages the global spares pool, stated it follows all U.S. regulations and handles shipments with diligence, though it declined to discuss specific shipping procedures for security reasons.