American defense officials are investigating how components from the nation's most advanced stealth aircraft arrived in Hong Kong, after media reports said China obtained F-35 equipment.
The F-35 Joint Program Office acknowledged in a statement that it and the Defense Department are dealing with "a shipment issue" involving parts for the jet.
"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 office stated.
Addressing reporters on Tuesday, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles confirmed that the jet components had landed in Hong Kong, though he denied that the missing items were "sensitive equipment." Australia is among several nations whose militaries operate the stealth aircraft.
"Yeah, so we are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this," Marles said.
He added: "My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred."
Lockheed did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday, as Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Washington for a state visit with President Donald Trump. Requests for comment were also submitted to the Chinese embassy and Hong Kong's trade office in Washington.
Bloomberg reported Wednesday that China has the F-35 parts — a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door — after a delivery originating in Australia and bound for the United States for repair or disposal months ago was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong. It remains unclear how the shipment was diverted.
Politico earlier reported that the situation prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could gain access to key components of the highly classified technology.
Beijing has maintained firm control over Hong Kong since it returned the territory from British rule in 1997. Hong Kong cannot maintain its own military or conduct its own diplomacy.
The first F-35 Lightning strike fighter rolled off an assembly line in Texas roughly 20 years ago and was hailed as a technological leap. Since then, more than 1,200 of the stealth jets have been built and 19 countries have placed orders for the aircraft, according to the Congressional Research Service.
China may already have had at least some intelligence, albeit several years old, regarding the planes. The Defense Science Board, an advisory body to the Pentagon, released a report in 2013 alleging that Chinese cyberattacks accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programs, including the joint strike fighter.
The F-35 is "widely recognized as America’s best and most advanced fighter jet," according to Bradley Bowman, senior director of the Center on Military and Political Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish Washington-based think tank.
Bowman told the AP in November that American military systems are continuously updated and improved, counteracting any potential secrets compromised years ago.
Categorized as a fifth-generation fighter, the F-35's technologies include stealth coatings, advanced radar, and sensors, according to the Congressional Research Service. Bowman said the plane features advanced sensors to better detect adversaries as well as networking capabilities to communicate with allied planes and ground forces during combat.
