Australian F-35A parts reported missing after diversion to Hong Kong

Several components of Royal Australian Air Force Lockheed Martin F-35A fighters may have gone missing in Hong Kong, according to a report by the US outlet Politico that cited anonymous sources. A consignment of RAAF F-35A parts being shipped to the United States for repairs was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong, the report said, where it disappeared.

The shipment was sent in recent months, and the report states it led to a Congressional inquiry. It does not specify whether the parts travelled by air or by sea. Hong Kong handles large volumes of both.

Australia's Department of Defence did not deny that parts had gone missing when asked about the matter. The department said the Australian government treats the protection of classified and export-controlled technologies very seriously, and that Australia maintains an export control regime administered by Defence under national legislation. Lockheed Martin said it cannot discuss the status of specific shipments or its shipping procedures for security reasons. The company said it follows all US regulations on component shipments and that its teams handle each shipment with safeguards intended to protect the F-35 programme and allied partners. The F-35 Joint Program Office was also contacted.

The missing items may include an F-35 cockpit canopy, according to the Politico report. The report describes that prospect as potentially significant for Chinese intelligence, noting that canopies on stealth fighters such as the F-35 incorporate coatings that are not publicly disclosed. What happened to the consignment has not been established, and no official confirmation of the loss has been provided.