According to a Bloomberg report, F-35 parts were diverted to Hong Kong and went missing during an inspection, and are believed to have been obtained by the Chinese government. The parts have not been returned to the United States, raising concerns about the leakage of classified information.
Bloomberg reported that F-35 parts were diverted to Hong Kong and went missing while being shipped from Australia to the United States for inspection. There is currently no information that they have been formally returned to the US government, and the possibility that the Chinese government obtained the parts has been raised.
According to the report, the missing parts included a canopy covering the cockpit and weapons-bay doors. These components are said to increase the detectability of stealth aircraft and are considered highly sensitive.
The incident is said to have heightened national security concerns in the US Congress, with the risk of the parts being leaked becoming an issue.