U.S. House Committee Probes Diversion of Sensitive F-35 Parts to Hong Kong

In the summer of 2026 a shipment of F-35 fighter-jet components destined for repair in the United States was rerouted while crossing the Pacific from Australia and arrived in Hong Kong, a Chinese special-administrative region. The cargo, handled by an intermediary for Lockheed Martin, included a cockpit canopy coated with radar-absorbent material—one of the most classified elements of the aircraft’s stealth envelope. The Pentagon confirmed that some components are missing, and a U.S. House Armed Services Committee panel has opened an oversight investigation.

Classified Australian F-35 parts disappear in Hong Kong

The F-35 program relies on a multinational supply chain in which spare parts are owned by the U.S. Department of Defense but tracked by Lockheed Martin. Australia serves as the Indo-Pacific hub for maintenance depots, yet none of its facilities can repair the canopy, necessitating shipment to the United States. Accounting failures have plagued the program: a 2023 Government Accountability Office report found that more than 1 million spare parts vanished over five years, and the Pentagon has labeled the inventory shortfalls a “material weakness” for six consecutive years.

U.S. lawmakers investigate F-35 parts, including stealth canopy, diverted to Hong Kong during shipment from Australia to United States

• F-35 fleet: Over 1,300 jets produced for the United States and partner nations.

Classified Australian F-35 parts disappear in Hong Kong

• Missing inventory: GAO 2023 identified > 1 million unaccounted spare parts, valued in the tens of millions of dollars.

U.S. lawmakers investigate F-35 parts, including stealth canopy, diverted to Hong Kong during shipment from Australia to United States

• Program cost: The Pentagon projects total lifecycle spending of almost $2 trillion.

Politico

• Supply-chain scope: Parts circulate among dozens of facilities worldwide; the U.S. retains ownership until installation.

F-35 stealth parts diverted to Hong Kong, Pentagon in panic

House Armed Services Committee spokesperson Heather Vaughan said the committee has received multiple briefings and is continuing oversight. Lockheed Martin declined to discuss the specific shipment, emphasizing compliance with U.S. regulations and “utmost diligence and safeguards” in handling parts. The State Department declined comment, and the Chinese Embassy in Washington said it was unfamiliar with the case.

Japan Times

Former House Armed Services Committee staffer and Congressional Research Service aviation analyst J.J. Gertler warned that the diversion places highly classified technology within Beijing’s sphere of influence, noting China’s long-standing cyber-espionage campaign against U.S. defense programs. He argued that possession of a physical canopy would allow Chinese analysts to verify or refine existing intelligence, heightening the risk of reverse-engineering the stealth coating.

Politico

Sources agree the shipment was rerouted to Hong Kong, but they differ on why the change occurred and who currently holds the components. No official confirmation exists that Chinese authorities have accessed the parts, and the intermediary responsible for the transport has not been identified. The Pentagon’s briefings, first held in June, are expected to address these uncertainties in the coming weeks.

US probes possible espionage after F-35 parts diverted to Hong Kong: Report

• “The committee is aware of this issue and we’ve received multiple briefings on it,” — House Armed Services Committee

Japan Times

• “It’s no secret that China is aggressively trying to obtain information about the F-35 through electronic espionage and other means. Even if they already had specifications or other information about the component, having a real item can provide them with additional information and verify or refine what they’ve already learned,” — JJ Gertler, analyst

The Jerusalem Post