Military Tech Delivery Mishap: F-35 Parts Sent From Australia to US End Up in Hong Kong

A mishap occurred in which parts for a U.S. advanced fighter jet were mistakenly delivered to Hong Kong, a Chinese special administrative region.

According to U.S. broadcaster CNN on the 22nd (local time), the U.S. has gone on high alert, with the Department of Defense and Congress launching full-scale investigations due to concerns over the leakage of advanced technology.

The items in question are parts for the F-35 Lightning II, a U.S. fifth-generation fighter jet drawing attention as a world-class advanced aircraft.

Originally, these parts were sent by Australia, a U.S. security ally, to the United States, but they entered Hong Kong under unverified circumstances.

As the risk of core technological information leaking to China, a strategic competitor of the U.S., was exposed, concerns have been raised as to whether there are structural security vulnerabilities in the supply chain.

The U.S. Department of Defense stated that it would recover the parts and investigate the circumstances, and that it is cooperating with U.S. authorities and industrial partners to prevent recurrence and establish safety measures.

Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer, stated that it cannot explain the status of the cargo for security reasons and that it is complying with the regulations of the U.S. Department of Defense and military logistics authorities.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles stated that he understands there are no sensitive parts in the cargo sent to Hong Kong, drawing a line regarding his country's responsibility in the incident.

Minister Marles said, "This situation is ultimately a matter to be resolved by the United States and its prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, which is responsible for managing the global supply chain."

Australia is one of the eight core nations that provided funding from the initial stages of developing the F-35, directly participated, gained access to precision technology, and was involved in component production.

These F-35 partners include the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada, Denmark, and Norway.

Lockheed Martin stated that Australia took delivery of its first F-35 in 2014 and achieved full operational capability in 2025.

South Korea, Japan, Israel, and Poland also possess F-35s but are general purchasers that import and operate finished products without participating in technology development or component production.
 
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.