Australia has confirmed that some components from its F-35 fighter jet programme were mistakenly diverted to Hong Kong, prompting an investigation involving US authorities and Lockheed Martin.
Australian Defence Minister, Richard Marles, said on Tuesday that his government was aware of the incident and was working with the United States and the aircraft manufacturer to determine what happened.
“We’ve been made aware of this, and we’re obviously working with the United States and Lockheed in terms of how we can assist in this investigation,” Marles told reporters in Adelaide.
The shipment, which contained F-35 components being sent from Australia to the United States for repairs, was reportedly rerouted while in transit this summer.
Politico, which first reported the incident, said the shipment was being transported by an intermediary on behalf of Lockheed Martin.
It remains unclear why the shipment was diverted or how it eventually arrived in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.
The development has attracted attention because of longstanding US concerns over Beijing gaining access to sensitive technology associated with advanced American military equipment.
The Pentagon on Tuesday confirmed that some F-35 components had gone missing.
A Department of Defense spokesperson told CNN that the F-35 Joint Program Office was “aware of a shipment issue of unserviceable F-35 Lightning II components.”
“We are actively working with U.S. authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence,” the spokesperson said.
Marles said Australia’s understanding was that the missing shipment did not contain sensitive components.
“We are examining very much everything that has occurred at the Australian end, but the point I would make here is that we are confident about the way in which we’ve engaged with the program,” Marles said.
“This is ultimately a matter for the US and Lockheed, as its prime contractor and the contractor that is responsible for managing the global supply chain,” he added.
The incident has also led to briefings for congressional staff on US national security committees as lawmakers examine the circumstances surrounding the diversion.
Lockheed Martin said it could not discuss individual shipments for security reasons but maintained that it complies with US Defence Department and Defence Logistics Agency regulations.
“Our teams handle every shipment with the utmost diligence and safeguards to ensure the integrity of the F-35 program and the security of our allied partners,” the company said.
Hong Kong authorities declined to comment on the matter, while the US consulate in Hong Kong referred CNN to the State Department.
Australia received its first F-35 aircraft in 2014, while its air force reached full operational capability with the fighter jet in 2025.
