Pentagon launches probe after parts of US F-35 fighter jet end up in China

The United States has launched an investigation after parts of its advanced F-35 fighter jet ended up in Hong Kong and reportedly obtained by China.The F-35 Joint Program Office said the Pentagon was aware of a "shipment issue" involving F-35 components and was working with US authorities and industry partners to recover the parts, investigate the incident and strengthen safeguards against a similar occurrence."We are actively working with US authorities and industry partners to retrieve these components, investigate the incident, and place safeguards to avoid a future occurrence," the office said.This comes after a Bloomberg report claimed China has obtained two F-35 components - a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door - after the shipment was unexpectedly diverted to Hong Kong while being transported from Australia to the United States for repair or disposal.Australia is among several countries whose militaries operate the F-35 stealth fighter.Australian defence minister Richard Marles acknowledged Tuesday that the components had ended up in Hong Kong but said they were not "sensitive equipment"."Yeah, so we are obviously working with the United States and obviously with its prime contractor Lockheed Martin, in respect of this," Marles told reporters."My understanding is that there is a sense of comfort, and we're not talking about sensitive equipment here or sensitive parts. Ultimately, though, this is an issue which is going to be managed by the United States and by Lockheed in terms of what has occurred," he added.Politico earlier reported that the incident had prompted a congressional inquiry over concerns that China could gain access to components of the highly classified aircraft.The first F-35 Lightning II fighter rolled off an assembly line in Texas about two decades ago and was described as a major technological advance. More than 1,200 F-35s have since been produced, while 19 countries have placed orders for the aircraft, according to the Congressional Research Service.China may already have obtained intelligence about the aircraft through earlier cyberattacks. A 2013 Defense Science Board report alleged that Chinese cyberattacks had accessed data from dozens of Pentagon programmes, including the Joint Strike Fighter programme.The F-35 is classified as a fifth-generation fighter and incorporates technologies including stealth coatings, advanced radar and sophisticated sensor systems, according to the Congressional Research Service.