Australia says it protects defence tech after report F-35 parts diverted

Australia has defended its defence technology after a media report indicated that parts for its F-35 fighter jets were mistakenly sent to Hong Kong. The US, which operates over 800 F-35 jets, is concerned about potential Chinese access to the classified technology. The news outlet Politico reported that a shipment containing radar-resistant equipment had been unexpectedly rerouted to Hong Kong after leaving Australia.

However, it was not suggested that Australia was responsible for the diversion. The Australian government takes the protection of classified and export-controlled technologies very seriously, according to an Australian Defence Force spokesperson. Australia maintains a robust export control regime administered by the defence department, in line with Australia's legislative framework.

The country has 72 F-35 jets and is part of a global pool of spare parts for the fighter jet, which is shared among seven countries including the US. Lockheed Martin, the manufacturer of the F-35, manages the global spare parts programme, which is controlled by the US military. The shipment of components destined for other parts of the world was handled at a warehouse in Williamtown, near Sydney, that operates as an Asia-Pacific regional hub for F-35 spare parts.

Lockheed Martin took control of the warehouse contract in November 2024, and while they could not discuss their shipping procedures for security reasons, they assured that every shipment was handled with utmost diligence and in accordance with US regulations.