How did F-35 fighter jet parts reach Hong Kong? Pentagon opens investigation

The Pentagon is investigating how components of the F-35 stealth fighter jet, the most advanced aircraft in the United States arsenal, came to be shipped to Hong Kong, raising questions about whether China has obtained sensitive military technology.

The F-35 Joint Program Office said it and the US Department of Defence were aware of "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 in a statement.

Bloomberg reported that China is in possession of a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door after a consignment travelling from Australia to the United States — for repair or disposal — was diverted to Hong Kong several months ago. It remains unclear how the diversion occurred.

Australia is one of several countries whose armed forces operate the F-35. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the components had ended up in Hong Kong, but said they were not "sensitive equipment". "We are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this," he told reporters. "My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we're not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts." He added that the matter would ultimately be handled by the United States and Lockheed Martin.

Lockheed Martin did not immediately respond to a request for comment. China's Foreign Ministry said it was not aware of the incident, and the Hong Kong government declined to comment on specific cases. The reports emerged as Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit with US President Donald Trump.

Politico reported earlier that the incident had prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could gain access to components of a highly classified aircraft.

Hong Kong has remained under tight Chinese control since the territory was returned from British rule in 1997. It does not maintain its own military or conduct its own diplomacy.

The first F-35 Lightning II rolled off an assembly line in Texas about 20 years ago and was described at the time as a technological leap. More than 1,200 of the stealth jets have since been built, and 19 countries have placed orders, according to the Congressional Research Service. The aircraft is a fifth-generation fighter whose technologies include stealth coatings, advanced radar and sensors, and networking systems that allow it to share information with allied aircraft and ground forces during combat.

Questions about Chinese access to F-35 design information are not new. The Defence Science Board, which advises the Pentagon, released a report in 2013 alleging that Chinese cyberattacks had accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programmes, including the joint strike fighter.

Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Centre on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies, a Washington-based think tank, has said the F-35 is widely regarded as America's most advanced fighter jet. He has also noted that US military systems are continually updated and improved, which limits the value of secrets obtained years ago.

Officials have not said what, if any, classified information could be drawn from the two components. The Pentagon's investigation is continuing.