Senator Tom Cotton urges Pentagon review after F-35 parts disappear in Hong Kong

Senator Tom Cotton, chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, wrote to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth demanding a review of the U.S. military equipment shipping process after a batch of F-35 stealth fighter parts vanished in Hong Kong. The components, originally sent from Australia for repair, were rerouted during the summer and are now believed to be in Chinese possession. The Pentagon has launched an investigation into why the cargo was diverted, and the F-35 Joint Program Office is working on new safeguards.

Cotton’s letter asks for tighter chain-of-custody requirements, better tracking of shipments handled by third parties, and measures to stop materiel from reaching adversarial nations. Australian Defence Minister Richard Marles acknowledged the Hong Kong stop but said no “sensitive” parts were involved, while confirming cooperation with the United States and Lockheed Martin. The episode raises questions about the security of global defense supply chains.