Australia Confirms F-35 Fighter Jet Parts Were Mistakenly Diverted To Hong Kong

Australia has confirmed that some F-35 fighter jet components shipped from the country to the United States for repairs were mistakenly diverted to Hong Kong.

Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles said Tuesday that Canberra was working with the United States and Lockheed Martin to investigate the incident.

“We’ve been made aware of this, and we’re obviously working with the United States and Lockheed in terms of how we can assist in this investigation,” Marles told reporters in Adelaide.

The incident was first reported by Politico, which said the shipment was rerouted while being transported from Australia to the United States during the summer.

The report, citing people familiar with the matter, said an intermediary was transporting the components on behalf of F-35 manufacturer Lockheed Martin.

It remains unclear why the shipment was rerouted or how the F-35 components ended up in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.

The Pentagon on Tuesday confirmed that there had been a shipment issue involving F-35 components.

A US Department of Defense spokesperson told CNN that the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office was “aware of a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II components.”

The spokesperson added: “We are actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence.”

The development has attracted scrutiny in the United States because of long-standing concerns over China’s ability to obtain sensitive information relating to advanced US military technology, including the F-35 fighter jet.

According to reports, the incident has also prompted briefings for congressional staff on key US national security committees, with further briefings expected.

However, Marles said it was his understanding that no sensitive components were included in the shipment.

“We are examining very much everything that has occurred at the Australian end, but the point I would make here is that we are confident about the way in which we’ve engaged with the program,” he said.

“This is ultimately a matter for the US and Lockheed, as its prime contractor and the contractor that is responsible for managing the global supply chain,” Marles added.

Reports have said the shipment may have included an F-35 cockpit canopy, although the exact components involved have not been publicly confirmed by the Pentagon. (MiGFlug⁠)

Lockheed Martin said it could not comment on individual shipments for security reasons but maintained that it follows US Defence Department and Defense Logistics Agency regulations.

“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 Hong Kong government declined to comment on the incident, while the US Consulate in Hong Kong referred inquiries to the US State Department.

The F-35 Lightning II is a fifth-generation fighter aircraft developed by Lockheed Martin for the US and its allies. Australia is among the countries operating the aircraft and has 72 F-35As in its fleet. (The Straits Times⁠)

Australia received its first F-35 in 2014, while the Royal Australian Air Force reached full operational capability with the aircraft in 2025.

The United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark and Norway are the eight F-35 partner countries identified by Lockheed Martin.

The investigation is continuing, with US authorities and industry partners working to recover the missing components and determine how they were diverted.