Missed Email Sends Sensitive F-35 Parts Through Hong Kong, Raising China Access Concerns

Freight forwarder DSV A/S sent an email indicating that a shipment of F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door, both covered with radar-absorbing material, was subject to ITAR restrictions and could not pass through prohibited countries. A UPS employee failed to see the message, and when the cargo left Australia later than scheduled, UPS rerouted it through Hong Kong to expedite delivery, contrary to the warning. The components, slated for return to the United States for repair or disposal, briefly traveled a route that could have placed them within China’s reach.

Pentagon and State Department officials briefed House foreign affairs and armed services committees on the incident, and the GAO highlighted the security risk. Defense officials say the parts were unserviceable and are working to retrieve them while tightening logistics safeguards. Senators Mark Warner, Tom Cotton and Kevin Cramer have demanded a broader review of the global supply chain for U.S. military equipment.