The Pentagon is investigating how components from the US military’s most advanced fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong, amid reports that China has obtained the F-35 parts.
The F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed that it and the US Department of Defense are aware of what it described as a “shipment issue” involving F-35 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,” the office said.
Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the components had ended up in Hong Kong but said they were not believed to be sensitive equipment.
Australia is among several countries operating the F-35 stealth fighter. Marles said Canberra was working with the US and F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin over the incident.
“My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts,” Marles said.
The comments came after Bloomberg reported that China had obtained the parts, identified as a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door. The shipment was reportedly diverted to Hong Kong while travelling from Australia to the US for repair or disposal months ago.
It remains unclear how the shipment was diverted.
The incident had previously prompted a congressional inquiry after Politico reported concerns that China could potentially gain access to components linked to the highly classified fighter jet.
Lockheed Martin did not immediately respond to requests for comment. China’s Foreign Ministry said it was unaware of the incident, while the Hong Kong government declined to comment on specific cases.
The F-35 Lightning II is classified as a fifth-generation fighter and incorporates stealth technology, advanced radar, sensors and networking systems designed to allow it to share information with other aircraft and allied forces.
More than 1,200 F-35s have been produced since the first aircraft rolled off an assembly line in Texas about two decades ago, with 19 countries having placed orders for the aircraft, according to the Congressional Research Service.
Concerns over Chinese access to F-35 technology are not new. A 2013 report by the Pentagon’s Defense Science Board alleged that Chinese cyberattacks had accessed data from numerous US military programmes, including the Joint Strike Fighter programme.
The latest incident comes as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit with US President Donald Trump, adding another sensitive issue to the broader US-China relationship.
