F-35 parts shipped from Australia to the United States were routed to Hong Kong, raising the possibility of Chinese access to the aircraft's technology. The shipment included a canopy with radar-resistant technology. Politico first reported the diversion on Saturday, adding that Lockheed Martin used a third company to move the components. Who owns the equipment now, and why it is being tracked, is still unclear.

F-35 parts shipped from Australia to the United States were routed to Hong Kong, raising the possibility of Chinese access to the aircraft's technology. The shipment included a canopy with radar-resistant technology. Politico first reported the diversion on Saturday, adding that Lockheed Martin used a third company to move the components. Who owns the equipment now, and why it is being tracked, is still unclear.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles confirmed the incident on Tuesday: "We're not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue that's going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what happened."

Merles said Canberra was looking into everything that happened on the Australian end and was working with Washington and Lockheed Martin, which manages the global F-35 supply chain.

AFP