F-35 Stealth Parts Diverted to Hong Kong After UPS Worker Missed ITAR Warning Email

Multiple credible reports confirm that sensitive components from an Australian F-35A fighter jet—a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door coated in radar-absorbing material—were inadvertently routed through Hong Kong in late May 2026 while en route to the United States for inspection or disposal. The diversion occurred when a UPS employee missed an ITAR compliance email from freight forwarder DSV, which explicitly warned against transiting certain countries including Hong Kong under US export controls.

Bloomberg first reported the incident on September 23-24, 2026, citing people briefed on the matter, noting that Chinese authorities took possession of the parts and have not returned them. A follow-up Bloomberg report on October 7 detailed the missed email and the rerouting decision made to expedite a delayed shipment originally planned via South Korea and Taiwan.

The Pentagon and F-35 Joint Program Office confirmed awareness of a shipment issue and are working to recover the components while investigating. Congressional staff from the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees received briefings, including a closed-door session on September 29. Politico first highlighted the diversion on September 18, prompting broader scrutiny.

Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and some US officials described the parts as "unserviceable" and low-risk, but experts and GAO officials have noted the potential intelligence value of the stealth coatings. The episode underscores vulnerabilities in global supply chains for ITAR-controlled defense items, even absent deliberate espionage.