Classified F-35 Fighter Jet Parts Ended Up in China Due to a UPS Mistake — Bloomberg

Components of the F-35 stealth fighter ended up in China after an employee at the logistics company UPS overlooked a warning letter stating that the shipment should not be routed through Hong Kong, a Bloomberg source said. The F-35 is the most advanced fighter jet in the world and the most expensive weapons program in U.S. history. China has been systematically seeking to obtain this aircraft’s technology for years, the agency notes.

According to Bloomberg, citing a source, the items in question are the cockpit canopy and the weapons bay hatch, both of which are coated with radar-absorbing material. Both components were to be shipped to the United States for possible repair or disposal.

A letter outlining the requirements of the U.S. International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which restrict the export of sensitive military technology, was sent by the freight forwarder DSV A/S, acting on behalf of F-35 developer Lockheed Martin. The shipment was originally supposed to go to San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan—U.S. defense partners. However, the departure from Australia was delayed, and to speed up delivery, the shipment was rerouted through Hong Kong. According to a source at the agency, the email from DSV may have been sent through a different IT system—not the one used by the UPS employee. As a result, the warning was overlooked.

Following this announcement, UPS shares fell 0.9%. The company does not disclose its revenue breakdown by industry, but in recent years it has stated its intention to expand its presence in segments including the aerospace and defense industries, the agency notes.

Representatives from UPS and DSV declined to comment on the matter when contacted by Bloomberg.

Representatives from the U.S. Department of Defense provided details of the incident during an hour-long meeting with members of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees, according to Bloomberg. The Pentagon and the State Department have launched investigations, and some members of Congress have called for a review and overhaul of the entire U.S. weapons supply chain.

The Pentagon distanced itself from responsibility for the incident and downplayed the value of the components, calling them “defective,” the agency notes. It stated that it is “actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to recover the components, investigate the incident, and implement measures to prevent a recurrence.”

This article was AI-translated and verified by a human editor