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The components—a cockpit canopy & a weapons-bay door from an Australian F-35—were being transported for inspection & possible repair or disposal when the shipment was diverted
The shipment was being handled by UPS and stopped in South Korea while en route to the United States before being routed to Hong Kong. (Reuters)
Two parts of an F-35 fighter jet that were being shipped to the United States for repair have ended up in Hong Kong and are now in Chinese possession, prompting a Pentagon investigation into how the sensitive military components were diverted.
The components—a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door from an Australian F-35—were being transported to the US in late May for inspection and possible repair or disposal when the shipment was unexpectedly diverted, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
The shipment was being handled by UPS and, according to Bloomberg, stopped in South Korea while en route to the United States before being routed to Hong Kong. It remains unclear why the shipment stopped in South Korea, why it was diverted to Hong Kong or whether the change in route was accidental or deliberate.
The Chinese government has since taken possession of the components and has not returned them, Bloomberg reported, citing two people familiar with the matter.
The development has triggered investigations in both the United States and Australia, amid questions over how parts of one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft were allowed to end up in a Chinese-controlled territory.
What Happened To The F-35 Parts?
The components came from an Australian military F-35 and were being sent to the United States after being deemed unserviceable. The intended destination was reportedly for inspection and possible repair or disposal.
According to Bloomberg, the shipment included the aircraft’s cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door. Both components were supplied by F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin and were coated with radar-absorbing material.
The F-35’s stealth characteristics depend on a combination of technologies, including specialised materials designed to reduce the aircraft’s radar signature. The presence of radar-absorbing material on the components has therefore raised questions about what information could potentially be obtained from the parts.
However, there is no indication that the components contain classified electronic systems or other highly sensitive equipment, and Australian authorities have played down the sensitivity of the shipment.
Pentagon Confirms ‘Shipment Issue’
The F-35 Joint Program Office, which oversees the US-led F-35 programme, confirmed that the US government was aware of an issue involving the shipment.
“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.
The investigation is also looking at the role of the companies involved in moving the components. Lockheed Martin is the F-35’s prime contractor and manages a complex international supply chain involving the United States, Australia and other countries that operate the fighter.
Australia Says Parts Not ‘Sensitive’
Australian defence minister Richard Marles acknowledged that the components had ended up in Hong Kong and said Canberra was working with the United States and Lockheed Martin to determine what happened.
“Yeah, so we are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this,” Marles told reporters.
But Marles said he understood that the components were not considered sensitive. “My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts,” he said. “Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred.”
The Cockpit Canopy
The F-35 is a fifth-generation fighter designed around stealth, advanced sensors and highly integrated avionics. Its cockpit canopy is not simply a transparent cover but incorporates radar-absorbing material intended to reduce the radar signature created by the cockpit area.
This is significant because the cockpit can potentially act as a radar-reflective area on an aircraft. Materials used around the canopy and other openings are therefore part of the aircraft’s low-observability design. That has prompted concerns that physical access to such components could potentially help an adversary study the aircraft’s stealth characteristics, even if the parts themselves do not contain classified electronic systems.
JJ Gertler, a military aviation analyst with the Congressional Research Service, said possessing an actual component could provide additional information even if China already had data about it. “It’s no secret that China has been aggressively trying to get F-35 data through electronic espionage, among other means,” Gertler was quoted as saying by The Aviationist. “But even if they already had specifications or other data about the part, possessing a real one can give them even more to go on and can verify or refine whatever they already had learned.”
Why China Having The Parts Matters
The concern in Washington is not simply that two pieces of military equipment were lost in transit. The F-35 programme is one of the most closely protected defence programmes in the US, and China has previously been accused by US authorities of seeking information about the aircraft through cyber and other espionage efforts.
A 2013 US Defence Science Board report said Chinese cyberattacks had accessed information from a number of Pentagon programmes, including the Joint Strike Fighter programme. The F-35 programme has subsequently remained a focus of concerns about the protection of US military technology.
The F-35 incorporates stealth coatings, advanced radar, sensors and other technologies that are designed to give it an advantage against enemy detection and targeting. The aircraft is operated by the US and a group of close allies and partners. More than 1,200 F-35s have been produced, while 19 countries have placed orders for the aircraft, according to the Congressional Research Service.
That makes the security of the aircraft’s components an issue extending beyond the United States and Australia.
The incident has already prompted questions in Washington about whether China could obtain useful information from the components and whether the F-35’s international supply chain is sufficiently secure.
Politico had earlier reported that the disappearance of the components had triggered a congressional inquiry over concerns about China’s potential access to parts of the highly classified F-35 programme.
The Pentagon’s investigation is expected to focus on how the shipment was diverted, where the components went after reaching Hong Kong, how Chinese authorities obtained them and what, if any, sensitive information could be extracted from them.
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Ask News18Two unserviceable F-35 components from an Australian military aircraft—a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door—were being shipped to the United States by UPS for inspection and repair in late May when the shipment was unexpectedly diverted through South Korea to Hong Kong.
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Apoorva Misra is an Associate Editor at News18.com with a keen interest in politics and current affairs. She loves uncovering fresh angles and telling stories through long-form features and explainers…Read More
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September 24, 2026, 1:53 PM IST
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