UPS misroutes stealth F-35 components to Hong Kong, sparking US security concerns

In late May, UPS rerouted a shipment of two F-35 components - a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door - from Australia to the United States after an internal email was missed. Both parts are coated with radar-absorbing material that gives the jet its stealth capability. Instead of traveling via South Korea and Taiwan to San Francisco, the cargo was diverted through Hong Kong, a Chinese special administrative region, where Chinese authorities took possession.

The logistics firm DSV, acting for Lockheed Martin, had warned UPS that US export rules prohibit passage through such territories, but the warning was not received. The Pentagon has formally requested the return of the items and said it will tighten its security procedures, while Australian defence minister Richard Marles said no operationally sensitive components were lost. US Congress has also been informed of the incident.