Pentagon Investigating How F-35 Fighter Jet Parts Bound for US Were Diverted
3 hours ago
- Lawmakers launched an inquiry after F-35 fighter jet parts were reportedly diverted to Hong Kong during a shipment from Australia to the U.S. for repairs.
- The sensitive cargo included a cockpit canopy coated with stealth radar-absorbent material, raising fears that China could access and reverse-engineer the technology.
- The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin acknowledged the shipping issue and said they are working to retrieve the components, investigate the incident, and prevent future occurrences.
- Congressional national security committees have been briefed, and additional briefings are expected in coming weeks.
- The diversion may point to weaknesses in the F-35's complex global supply chain, which moves parts through multiple countries via commercial shippers.
- A 2023 Government Accountability Office report found more than 1 million F-35 spare parts had gone missing over five years due to poor tracking and accountability.
- The F-35 program is expected to cost nearly $2 trillion, making it the world's costliest weapons program.