Australia says it is helping investigate how components bound for the US were mistakenly diverted to Hong Kong
Australia is helping the US investigate how parts for the F-35 stealth fighter program went missing after being mistakenly diverted to the wrong destination, Defense Minister Richard Marles has confirmed.
The incident occurred earlier this year, when a shipment of unserviceable F-35 components from Australia that was bound for the US was unexpectedly rerouted to Hong Kong. The parts, which were being transported by a third-party company on behalf of manufacturer Lockheed Martin, remain unaccounted for months later. Politico first reported the incident last week.
Marles said on Tuesday that Canberra was working with the US and Lockheed Martin to examine its role in the incident, stressing that the missing components were not sensitive.
Marles did not elaborate on why the components were considered non-sensitive and, when pressed by a journalist, said the question was best directed to the US and Lockheed Martin. Politico reported that the shipment included an F-35 canopy incorporating radar-resistant technology, although it remains unclear exactly which canopy components were involved.
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