Secret technologies from the American F-35 fighter jet were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong. The United States has launched an investigation into how aircraft parts ended up in Hong Kong. Politico reports, as cited by UNN.
Details
This summer, secret technologies from the F-35 fighter jet were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong, prompting an investigation on Capitol Hill and giving rise to speculation that China may have gained access to key components of the highly classified weapons system
A shipment of F-35 parts bound for the United States for repairs was diverted while in transit across the Pacific from Australia. The Pentagon confirmed that some components had gone missing.
The parts, which an intermediary was transporting on behalf of the F-35 manufacturer, instead ended up in Hong Kong.
According to two sources, the shipment contained one of the aircraft's canopies, which covers the pilot's cockpit and incorporates stealth technology accessible only to the United States and its allies. If one of these canopies fell into an adversary's hands, they could study its details and potentially reverse-engineer this valuable technology.
It should be recalled
The United States approved a potential sale to Saudi Arabia of 48 F-35 fighter jets worth $24.3 billion. The State Department announced on Thursday that it had approved the possible sale of the aircraft and related equipment.