UPS Employee Error Leads to China Obtaining Sensitive F-35 Stealth Fighter Parts
Sensitive F-35 stealth fighter components, specifically a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door coated in radar-absorbing material, were reportedly obtained by China due to an error by a United Parcel Service (UPS) employee. According to Bloomberg, citing a person briefed on the incident, a UPS employee missed an email warning against routing the shipment through Hong Kong. The email, sent by freight forwarder DSV on behalf of F-35 developer Lockheed Martin, specified that these parts could not transit certain countries under U.S. arms export regulations. The shipment originated from an Australian military F-35 and was intended for San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan for potential repair or disposal in late May. However, due to a late departure from Australia, it was mistakenly rerouted through Hong Kong to expedite delivery. Pentagon officials briefed staff from the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services committees on September 29, with Erica Plath, deputy assistant secretary of defense for logisti...
