US Investigates After F-35 Stealth Fighter Parts Are Diverted to Hong Kong

The United States is investigating reports that parts of its advanced F-35 stealth fighter jet programme were diverted to Hong Kong while being shipped from Australia to the US. The incident last week has prompted questions over whether China may have gained access to components of one of Washington’s most sophisticated weapons systems. There has been no suggestion so far from US or Australian authorities that Beijing deliberately diverted the shipment or accessed the technology. On Tuesday, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said the components involved were not “sensitive”. China’s Foreign Ministry says it was not aware of the incident.

On Saturday, US media outlet Politico reported that a consignment of F-35 components, including a cockpit canopy designed with radar-deflecting technology and a weapons-bay door, was unexpectedly rerouted to Hong Kong after leaving Australia. The Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Programme Office said it was aware of “a shipment issue” involving components from the fighter jet and was working with US authorities and industry partners to recover them. Marles confirmed the incident and revealed that Australia was helping the US and Lockheed Martin to investigate what happened.

Australia has 72 F-35s and is one of seven countries outside the US which share a global pool of spare parts, supported by a warehouse at Williamtown, north of Sydney. While it remains unclear why the shipment was diverted to Hong Kong, neither the Pentagon nor Australian authorities have publicly explained the rerouting, and there is no evidence showing that China was responsible. Al Jazeera’s defence editor Alex Gatopoulos noted that the international nature of the program makes its logistics complex, involving subcontractors and air forces from numerous countries.

The incident is serious enough to warrant a Pentagon investigation, though Marles played down the security implications by stating the equipment was not sensitive. However, the concern stems from the F-35’s status as a fifth-generation stealth fighter, and past allegations of Chinese cyberattacks targeting US defense programmes. Despite this, Gatopoulos cautioned against assuming possession of individual components would provide Beijing with major technological advantages, noting China's own advanced stealth fighter jet programme.