Australia is helping the United States investigate the diversion of F-35 fighter jet parts from Australia to Hong Kong, Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Tuesday (Sep 22), while stressing that the components were not ‘sensitive’.
The United States operates more than 800 F-35 jets, its most costly weapons system. The fighter is also operated by several US defence allies, including Australia.
Politico reported that a shipment of F-35 parts, including a canopy fitted with radar-resistant technology, was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong after leaving Australia, raising the possibility that China could have accessed components of the weapons system.
Australia confirms investigation
Marles confirmed the incident to reporters on Tuesday, saying Australia was working with the United States and Lockheed Martin, the prime contractor for the F-35 programme, as part of an investigation.
‘We are examining very much everything that has occurred at the Australian end,’ Marles said.
He added that Canberra was ‘confident about the way in which we’ve engaged with the programme’, without providing further details.
‘We’re not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred.’
Marles said Lockheed Martin was responsible for managing the F-35 global supply chain.
Australia has 72 F-35 jets and is one of seven countries outside the United States sharing a global pool of spare parts. The others are Canada, Denmark, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Britain.
Another 12 countries have purchased the fighter jet, including Japan, Singapore and South Korea.
Shipment diverted to Hong Kong
Politico reported that Lockheed Martin had used a third company to ship the components, which were bound for the United States but instead ended up in Hong Kong.
The report, published on Saturday, said it remained unclear why the equipment was rerouted or who currently held it.
A warehouse in Williamtown, near Newcastle north of Sydney, serves as an Asia-Pacific regional hub for F-35 spare parts.
Australia’s parliament heard last year that Lockheed Martin moved F-35 parts in and out of the warehouse for destinations in other parts of the world, with the components placed on commercial aircraft that made stopovers in Asia.
Defence officials said last year that Australia did not control or direct the export of F-35 parts from the warehouse.
Two sources told AFP that the programme was controlled by the US military.
Regional hub for F-35 spare parts
The warehouse was designed to support F-35 jets operated by Singapore, Japan and South Korea, as well as US and British aircraft carriers deployed in the region.
Lockheed Martin Australia said it could not discuss its shipping procedures for security reasons.
However, the company said every shipment was handled with ‘utmost diligence’ and complied with ‘all US regulations established by the Department of War’.
