A major security failure involving sensitive components from an American-made F-35 stealth fighter has been traced to a UPS employee missing an email warning that the military equipment could not be transported through Hong Kong. The shipping mistake resulted in Chinese authorities obtaining components containing potentially sensitive stealth technology, according to a report by Bloomberg.

The shipment included an F-35 cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door coated with radar-absorbing material, technology designed to reduce the aircraft’s visibility to enemy radar systems. The components were being transported for repairs in the United States when shipping delays disrupted their planned journey.

The original transportation arrangements called for the shipment to travel through South Korea and Taiwan before reaching San Francisco. However, after delays complicated the delivery, the equipment was mistakenly rerouted through Hong Kong, despite American export-control restrictions prohibiting such transit.

According to the report, a UPS employee had received an email specifically warning that the sensitive military components could not pass through Hong Kong. The employee failed to notice the warning, allowing the shipment to be diverted into Chinese territory.

The incident has raised serious national security concerns because the F-35 is among the most advanced fighter jets in the American military arsenal. Its stealth capabilities depend heavily on specialized materials, coatings and design features intended to make the aircraft extremely difficult for enemy radar systems to detect.

Chinese access to the cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door could potentially provide military researchers with valuable information about American stealth technology. However, the extent to which Chinese authorities examined the components or obtained sensitive technical information remains unclear.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)