NewzWASHINGTON: The Pentagon is investigating how parts of the nation’s most advanced fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong, with a news outlet reporting Wednesday that China has obtained the F-35 equipment. The F-35 Joint Program Office said in a statement that it and the Defense Department are aware of “a shipment issue” with F-35 components. “We are actively working with US authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future
The Pentagon is investigating how parts of the nation’s most advanced fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon is investigating how parts of the nation’s most advanced fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong, with a news outlet reporting Wednesday that China has obtained the F-35 equipment. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence,” the office said.
Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles acknowledged that the jet components ended up in Hong Kong when responding to questions from reporters Tuesday. But he denied that the missing parts were “sensitive equipment.” Australia is one of several nations whose militaries operate the stealth fighter jet. “Yeah, so we are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this,” Marles said.
He added: “My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. The Associated Press sent requests for comment to the Chinese embassy and Hong Kong’s trade office in Washington. Bloomberg reported Wednesday that China has the F-35 parts — a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door — after the shipment was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong while on the way from Australia to the United States for either repair or disposal months ago.
It was not clear how the shipment was diverted. Politico earlier reported that it prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could have access to key components of the highly classified technology. Beijing has kept tight control over Hong Kong since the territory was returned from British rule in 1997.
Hong Kong cannot maintain its own military or conduct its own diplomacy. The first F-35 Lightning strike fighter rolled off an assembly line in Texas about 20 years ago and was hailed as a technological leap. Since then, more than 1,200 of the stealth jets have been ma…
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