Bloomberg: China seized parts of the American F-35 fighter jet that fell into Hong Kong

The Chinese government has seized parts for the American F-35 fighter, which during the shipment from Australia to the United States for unknown reasons ended up in Hong Kong. This is reported by Bloomberg with reference to sources.

The first about the discovery of details in Hong Kong reported the publication Politico. At the end of May, the cockpit lantern, as well as the flap of the arms compartment from the Australian F-35, were sent to the United States for inspection and repair or disposal.

As Bloomberg found out, the transportation was handled by the logistics company UPS. On the way, the cargo made a stop in South Korea, after which it was diverted to Hong Kong. The Chinese authorities seized the components and have not yet returned them. Whether the details were diverted accidentally or intentionally is unknown.

Both parts of Lockheed Martin’s production were coated with a special radio-absorbing material used in stealth technologies.

At least two congressional committees and the Pentagon, as well as Australian authorities, are investigating the incident. The U.S. Department of Defense has confirmed that it is aware of the problem and is working to return components.