A United Parcel Service (UPS) employee missed an email warning against routing a shipment of F-35 stealth fighter components through Hong Kong, allowing the parts to reach China, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.
Warning over restricted F-35 components missed
Citing a person briefed on the incident, Bloomberg reported that the email was sent by freight forwarder DSV, which was working for F-35 developer Lockheed Martin.
The shipment contained a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door coated with radar-absorbing material. The components were subject to US arms export rules and could not be routed through certain countries, according to the report.
The cargo was supposed to reach San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan. However, after leaving Australia late, it was rerouted through Hong Kong to save time, the source told Bloomberg.
The person said the DSV message may have gone through a different IT system from the one used by the UPS agent.
Pentagon and State Department investigate
The parts were being returned to the US for possible repair or disposal in late May, Bloomberg reported.
Pentagon officials provided details during an hour-long briefing on Sept 29 for staff members of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, according to the report.
Erica Plath, deputy assistant secretary of defense for logistics, told attendees that her team was working on safeguards.
A State Department export control official said the department was investigating the incident.
The source who spoke to Bloomberg did so anonymously because they were not authorised to discuss the matter publicly.
Lawmakers demand answers
Lawmakers have called for further scrutiny of the shipment.
Senator Mark Warner requested the briefing, while Senator Tom Cotton called for a review of the supply chain.
Senator Kevin Cramer also asked whether China had planned to intercept the shipment, Bloomberg reported.
UPS shares fell less than 1% following the report.
