F-35 components sent to China after export warning missed

Components from an Australian F-35 stealth fighter were shipped through Hong Kong and ended up in Chinese hands after a warning about US arms export controls was not acted on, according to an investigation published by Bloomberg.

The parts were a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door, both coated with radar-absorbing material, being sent back to the United States in late May 2026 for possible repair or disposal. A UPS employee did not act on a message from freight forwarder DSV flagging that the consignment fell under International Traffic in Arms Regulations. The warning may have gone to a different IT system than the one used by the staff member handling the shipment.

The route was meant to run from Australia to San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan. After the shipment slipped behind schedule, UPS added Hong Kong to the itinerary, and Chinese authorities subsequently took possession of the parts.

The diversion was first reported publicly by Politico in September 2026. The Pentagon and the State Department have opened investigations, and lawmakers have called for a review of the logistics network that moves American military equipment worldwide. Pentagon officials gave briefings to committee staff on Capitol Hill on September 29, 2026.

The Pentagon has described the components as unserviceable. The F-35 Joint Program Office said it is working with US authorities and industry partners to recover them and stop it happening again. Lockheed Martin, which builds the aircraft and runs its global spare parts network, said it is cooperating with logistics partners to tighten oversight.