US-Bound F-35 Parts End Up In China, Probe Launched: Report

A shipment carrying highly sensitive components of the F-35 fighter jet was diverted to Hong Kong while being transported from Australia to the United States, triggering a US investigation over concerns that the parts could have fallen into the hands of Chinese authorities, Politico reported.

The shipment included an F-35 canopy, a key component of the aircraft's stealth system. The equipment was being moved by a broker, but it remains unclear where exactly the shipment was rerouted or who currently has the components.

The incident has prompted both a Pentagon investigation and a congressional inquiry.

Officials from the US State Department and Pentagon began briefing staff of key congressional national security committees in June. According to people familiar with the matter cited by Politico, those briefings are continuing, with more meetings expected.

The F-35 Joint Programme Office confirmed that it was aware of a "shipment issue" involving F-35 Lightning II components.

US authorities are working with industry partners "to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence".

The missing component is more than a protective cover for the pilot's cockpit. The F-35's canopy is an acrylic bubble fitted over the cockpit and coated with a thin layer of transparent radar-absorbing material. That coating forms part of the aircraft's stealth design by helping reduce its radar signature.

The coating can deteriorate over time, meaning canopies need to be repaired or replaced as the F-35 fleet grows. More than 1,300 of the fighters have been produced for the US and its allies.

Australia has maintenance facilities for the F-35, but none currently has the capability to repair its canopies, according to the report.

The F-35 programme relies on a global network of facilities to store, move and repair components. Lockheed Martin, the aircraft's manufacturer, manages the programme's overall supply chain and uses commercial shipping companies to transport parts.

Lockheed Martin told The Politico that it could not discuss individual shipments for security reasons, but said it follows US regulations governing the movement of aircraft components.

"Our teams handle every shipment with the utmost diligence and safeguards to ensure the integrity of the F-35 program and the security of our allied partners," the company said.

The latest incident comes against the backdrop of longstanding concerns over the US government's ability to track F-35 spare parts.

A 2023 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report found that more than 1 million F-35 spare parts worth over $85 million had been lost by one prime contractor since May 2018. The F-35 Joint Program Office had reviewed less than 2 per cent of those losses, according to the watchdog.

The GAO also found that more than 900,000 additional parts worth over $66 million had not been reported to the programme office for review as of October 2022.

The problem stems partly from the way the F-35's global spare-parts pool is managed. The Pentagon owns the parts, while prime contractors manage much of the inventory, leaving gaps in the government's ability to track their location and losses. The GAO said the global pool is spread across more than 50 facilities in the US and abroad.

The watchdog has continued to flag supply-chain and sustainment problems. In a June 2026 report, the GAO said the Pentagon still faces challenges involving spare-parts availability and heavy reliance on contractors.