Two components from an Australian F-35 stealth fighter ended up in Hong Kong after a shipping route change, raising questions about security controls across the aircraft’s global supply chain.
A Bloomberg report published on October 7 said a UPS employee failed to act on an email warning that the shipment could not pass through certain locations. Chinese authorities subsequently took possession of the components, according to the report.
The shipment involved a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door from an Australian F-35. The parts were being returned to the United States in late May for possible repair or disposal.
How the F-35 Components Reached Hong Kong
The components were initially expected to travel from Australia to San Francisco through South Korea and Taiwan. Both countries are US defence partners.
However, the shipment fell behind schedule. It was then rerouted through Hong Kong in an attempt to speed up delivery, Bloomberg reported, citing a person briefed on the incident.
Freight forwarder DSV, working on behalf of Lockheed Martin, had sent a warning about restrictions under the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations, known as ITAR. These rules control the export and transfer of certain defence-related equipment and technical information.
The warning may have reached a different computer system from the one used by the UPS employee handling the shipment. That possibility could help explain why the route changed despite the earlier notice.
The components reportedly had radar-absorbing coatings associated with the F-35’s low-observable, or stealth, design. However, their presence in Hong Kong does not by itself establish that China obtained classified technical information or could reproduce the aircraft’s capabilities.
US and Australian Authorities Investigate
The Pentagon and the US State Department are investigating the shipment, while US lawmakers have called for closer scrutiny of the supply chain supporting the F-35 program.
Pentagon officials briefed staff from the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees on September 29, according to Bloomberg. The F-35 Joint Program Office has said it is working with US authorities and industry partners to recover the components and prevent a similar incident.
Lockheed Martin also said it was cooperating with logistics partners to strengthen oversight and reduce the risk of a recurrence.
Australia has been examining its own handling of the shipment. Defence Minister Richard Marles said on September 22 that Canberra was working with the United States and Lockheed Martin. He also said his understanding was that the components were not sensitive equipment.
Australian Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy later declined to comment on whether espionage might have played a role, citing the ongoing investigation.
The components’ precise status and whether any sensitive technology was exposed remain unresolved in the reports reviewed for this article.
A Wider Challenge in the F-35 Supply Chain
The incident comes amid longstanding concerns about the tracking and management of F-35 spare parts.
In a June 2026 report, the US Government Accountability Office found that the Department of Defense could not fully account for all parts moving through the F-35 supply chain. The report identified gaps in inventory records and weaknesses in oversight.
Those findings do not establish a direct link to the Hong Kong shipment. They do, however, highlight the importance of accurate records, clear responsibility and reliable controls when military components move between countries and contractors.
The investigation into the diverted shipment is expected to help establish how the route change occurred, whether procedures were followed and what safeguards may be needed to prevent a repeat.
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