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Pentagon Probes Diversion of F-35 Stealth Parts to Hong Kong

  • On Tuesday, Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that F-35 fighter jet components shipped from Australia were diverted to Hong Kong. The shipment, bound for the United States for repairs, has been missing since June.
  • An intermediary transporting the parts for Lockheed Martin rerouted the consignment mid-Pacific, which included a cockpit canopy containing stealth technology. The Pentagon described these components as "unserviceable," though exact contents remain undisclosed.
  • Congressional staff began closed-door briefings in June regarding the diversion, intensifying oversight into supply chain vulnerabilities. A 2023 Government Accountability Office report previously found over 1 million spare parts had gone missing from the program.
  • The Pentagon confirmed it is working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to "retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence." Experts warn physical possession could facilitate reverse-engineering of stealth technology.
  • This incident renews scrutiny of the F-35's global sustainment network amid China's documented history of targeting classified U.S. defense programs. The current location and custody of the missing parts remain unknown, complicating retrieval efforts.
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Parts of the Australian Air Force's F-35 fighter jets were leaked to Chinese authorities via Hong Kong during transport for repairs. The canopies and weapons bay doors are equipment containing core technologies for maintaining stealth capabilities, and if China analyzes them, the military repercussions are expected to be significant. Currently, U.S. and Australian authorities are devising a plan to recover the parts, but they have not yet been r…

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The American F-35 is one of the world's most modern fighter jets, now central parts are said to have fallen into Chinese hands.

·Berlin, Germany
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South China Morning Post broke the news in Hong Kong, Hong Kong on Friday, September 18, 2026.
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