Pentagon investigates after China obtains parts from F-35 stealth fighter jet
The Defense Department is working with Lockheed Martin and U.S. authorities to retrieve the components and prevent a repeat, officials said.
- The Pentagon is investigating how F-35 components ended up in Hong Kong, with the F-35 Joint Program Office working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve the parts and implement safeguards.
- Bloomberg reported Wednesday that a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong while en route from Australia to the United States for repair or disposal months ago.
- Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles acknowledged on Tuesday that components ended up in Hong Kong but stated there is a "sense of comfort" regarding the parts, denying they were sensitive equipment.
- The diversion prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could gain access to classified F-35 components, intensifying pressure on the Defense Department to review export-control protocols.
- A 2013 Defense Science Board report alleged Chinese cyberattacks accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programs, providing historical context for current concerns about stealth technology acquisition attempts.
14 Articles
14 Articles
Pentagon investigating how parts of F-35 stealth fighter jet arrived in Hong Kong instead of U.S.
The Defense Department is investigating how a shipment of parts for its most advanced fighter jet reportedly ended up in Chinese custody after being mistakenly delivered to Hong Kong.
The big F-35 jet mystery: Parts bound for US, missing in Hong Kong, seized by China
Sensitive parts of a US F-35 stealth fighter jet, bound for Washington from Australia, mysteriously landed in Hong Kong. The parts have now been seized by China - a major US military rival. Why is it a concern for the US?
The Pentagon is investigating how parts of a state-of-the-art US fighter jet ended up in Chinese-administered Hong Kong. Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that China had obtained parts of equipment for the F-35 "stealth fighter" jet.
According to a 2023 accountability report, more than 1 million F-35 parts have been lost in the past five years. More...
Beijing Obtained Secret Parts for US F-35 Fighters. Pentagon Investigates How Parts Got to Hong Kong
The Pentagon is investigating how parts for a state-of-the-art US fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong, which is administered by China. The case was reported by the Bloomberg news portal on Wednesday (September 23), according to which China obtained parts for the F-35 "stealth fighter" equipment, the AP agency wrote on Thursday night.
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