Australia's Department of Defence is examining how F-35 fighter jet parts, destined for the US from Australia, were unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong. The parts, which were being transported by an unknown third party on behalf of manufacturer Lockheed Martin, remain unaccounted for months after their unplanned diversion.
Acting Prime Minister Richard Marles stated on Tuesday that "very much everything that has occurred at the Australian end" will be reviewed. However, he claimed the technology parts were not "sensitive," a point first reported by Politico over the weekend. Politico had reported that sources indicated the "sensitive" shipment contained one of the jet's canopies, which reportedly includes stealth technology.
The last known location of the components in Hong Kong, a special administrative region of China, has raised concerns that some of the F-35 program's technology secrets could have been exposed. Michael Shoebridge, a director for Strategic Analysis Australia, suggested that China or another adversary might seek F-35 parts for reverse engineering or to learn how to exploit them.
Australia was an early development partner in the F-35 program, with over 70 Australian companies holding production and sustainment contracts. These contracts were valued at over $5.2 billion as of September 2025.