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China swiped classified F-35 stealth fighter parts that were diverted through Hong Kong — rerouted UPS cargo triggers military investigation, stealth coating recipe feared compromised despite Pentagon downplaying mishap F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door missing, but the radar-absorbing stealth material on these components is a secret that the US doesn’t want to share. Components from one of the free world’s most advanced fighter jets are now in the possession of the Chinese, according to a Bloomberg report. An Australian F-35 stealth fighter cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door, sent back to Lockheed Martin in the U.S., went missing en route. The source report suggests something irregular happened with the shipment, resulting in it stopping in South Korea, then being routed through Hong Kong, where Chinese authorities took possession of the consignment. Talking to Bloomberg, sources who preferred to not be identified said that the Australian F-35 parts were sent to the U.S. for inspection, and possible repair or disposal. The components may also be of interest to potential military foes as they are “coated with radar-absorbing material that enhances their stealth capabilities,” notes the report. The coating’s secret recipe may be more sensitive than the actual airplane parts. We’ve put together a timeline to make the chain of events thus far as clear as possible: - Late May 2026: Australia sends F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door to the U.S. for inspection, possible repair, or disposal. - On its way to the U.S., the cargo plane stopped in South Korea. It isn’t clear why the shipment paused here. - Then the F-35 parts consignment was diverted through Hong Kong “inexplicably,” says the source. - The Chinese government took possession of the parts in HK. - China hasn’t returned or released the parts. The Chinese Foreign Ministry in Beijing says it is unaware of the missing parts. Bloomberg reports that the Chinese have targeted espionage efforts on the F-35 for years, trying to learn as much as possible about one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets. Only the U.S.’s closest allies can build military capabilities around this cutting-edge stealth warplane. Concerns regarding soft targets for Chinese espionage meant a U.S. bid to sell F-35s to the UAE during the first Trump presidency collapsed. Any Saudi Arabian sale would probably meet the same fate. Australia says that it is looking closely at the chain of events leading up to the loss of the parts from its end. However, it seems confident its return process was not at fault. This makes one wonder whether the rerouting of the shipment through Hong Kong was a vulnerability in the shipping company's process, or whether a Chinese agent managed to interfere. The Pentagon says it is working to retrieve the “unserviceable F-35 components.” Moreover, this incident’s investigation will surely lead to a process review to prevent further military high-tech spills. Lockheed echoed the Pentagon’s language regarding the unserviceable nature of the parts and the low risk of them being exploited, though it insists it uses government-mandated secure carriers. Lastly, Bloomberg says that UPS disclosed the incident to U.S. authorities but has made no further comment. President Xi Jinping arrived in the U.S. yesterday evening for a state visit hosted by President Donald Trump. We’re sure they will have plenty to talk about. Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox. Follow Tom's Hardware on Google News, or add us as a preferred source, to get our latest news, analysis, & reviews in your feeds. Mark Tyson is a news editor at Tom's Hardware. He enjoys covering the full breadth of PC tech; from business and semiconductor design to products approaching the edge of reason. - warezme SOmething smells fishy. I mean one would think a military organization with access, planes, trucks, boats and all manner of transportation vehicles chooses to send classified military equipment through what sounds like Fedex or something. I would have assumed such things would be handed over to other military entities exclusively through military channels.Reply - COLGeek Reply Commercial shipping services are used all the time, even for sensitive items. Not uncommon at all.warezme said:SOmething smells fishy. I mean one would think a military organization with access, planes, trucks, boats and all manner of transportation vehicles chooses to send classified military equipment through what sounds like Fedex or something. I would have assumed such things would be handed over to other military entities exclusively through military channels. Those services are required to maintain a level of security of the items shipped. Not like dropping a letter in the mail at all. - acadia11 So what you are telling me is they dropped it off at their local Whole Foods. How did they fit into the collection bin and did they ensure they put it in the plastic bag and made sure it was sealed?Reply - re3eyul Reply now who's flying p-30 singint flights on who's borders on a bi-weekly basis now ...Arkitekt78 said:Classic Chinese. Cant innovate, develop, or build anything without stealing it first. - re3eyul Reply last I checked China wasn't part of 5-eyes .Arkitekt78 said:Classic Chinese. Cant innovate, develop, or build anything without stealing it first. - USAFRet Reply I work on an air base with a wing of frontline jets.warezme said:SOmething smells fishy. I mean one would think a military organization with access, planes, trucks, boats and all manner of transportation vehicles chooses to send classified military equipment through what sounds like Fedex or something. I would have assumed such things would be handed over to other military entities exclusively through military channels. The Supply sq gets FEDEX and UPS deliveries multiple times a day. This is absolutely not unusual. - khymeira Afaik it's both the material and the process. The material result is semi readily available and any sigint or researcher on the subject worth their weight would have several ideas to how it accomplishes the spec. The important thing is the surface finishing. How does one get that "coating" applied to the surface in a way that achieves the result?Reply - usertests Reply I work for the People's Daily《人民日报》. Can you please tell me your exact location and work schedule so we can arrange an interview?USAFRet said:I work on an air base with a wing of frontline jets. The Supply sq gets FEDEX and UPS deliveries multiple times a day. This is absolutely not unusual. - khymeira Wow that's bold. Can't quite cause apparently the algorithm works on my reply but not what I'm replying to. LolReply
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