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Pentagon investigates F-35 fighter parts diverted to Hong Kong
Published : Sunday, 20 September, 2026 at 8:52 AM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
The United States Department of Defense has launched a joint investigation alongside the US Congress after a shipment containing sensitive F-35 stealth fighter components was diverted from Australia to Hong Kong instead of reaching its designated destination in the United States, according to news media outlet Politico.
The misrouted shipment contained a specialized F-35 canopy—the transparent dome covering the aircraft cockpit treated with advanced radar-absorbent materials crucial to the fighter's radar-evading capabilities.
The component was being transported from Australia to the United States through an intermediary freight forwarding agency. However, the shipment bypassed the US and landed in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China.
US officials stated that while the current exact location and custody of the component remain unverified, defense authorities fear that the proprietary stealth technology may have fallen into Chinese hands.
The joint investigation by the Pentagon and US Congress was initiated in June and remains ongoing. US authorities confirmed that efforts are underway to recover the missing components and establish tighter logistics controls to prevent future security lapses.
The specialized canopy coating degrades over time due to operational wear and requires routine replacement. To date, the United States has produced over 1,300 F-35 aircraft for its armed forces and international defense partners.
-SA
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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury
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Published by the Editor on behalf of the Observer Ltd. from Globe Printers, 24/A, New Eskaton Road, Ramna, Dhaka.
Editorial, News and Commercial Offices : Aziz Bhaban (2nd floor), 93, Motijheel C/A, Dhaka-1000.
Phone: PABX- 41053001-06; Advertisement: 41053012; 01793317829, 01550707291, E-mail: [email protected], [email protected] Online: email: [email protected] 41053014; 01550707297 Advertisement: 01550707296
