Bloomberg reported, citing an informed source, that China obtained two sensitive parts from the US military’s F-35 stealth fighter after an employee at United Parcel Service, commonly known as UPS, overlooked an email warning against routing the shipment through Hong Kong.
US investigations after parts reached China
The warning was issued to ensure compliance with the United States International Traffic in Arms Regulations, known as ITAR, which are intended to prevent sensitive US weapons technology from reaching Washington’s adversaries. The incident prompted wide-ranging investigations by the Pentagon and the US State Department, and embarrassed both the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin, the fighter’s manufacturer.
The incident dates back to late May, when an F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door were being shipped from Australia to the United States for possible repair or disposal. The two components were coated with materials that absorb radar signals as part of the fighter’s stealth capabilities.
The shipment’s original route was to San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan. However, a delay in its departure from Australia led to it being mistakenly rerouted through Hong Kong in an attempt to speed up delivery, despite the earlier warning that this route should be avoided.
Warnings over reverse engineering of the parts
Diana Maurer, who oversees reviews of F-35 fighter support at the US Government Accountability Office, described the loss of the parts as “a big deal” and said it was not good. She said the Chinese side would seek to reverse-engineer the two components as soon as it obtained them, with the aim of understanding their technologies and learning how to counter them using its own technical capabilities.
The F-35 is considered one of the most advanced military aircraft, while its programme is the most expensive weapons programme in US history. According to the information reported, China has targeted the fighter’s technologies for years as part of espionage efforts, heightening concerns over the parts reaching it.
The incident alarmed US lawmakers, who called for a review of the global supply chain for US weapons to ensure tighter procedures for transporting sensitive components and prevent a similar shipping error from occurring in future.
