Investing.com -- A key U.S. lawmaker called on the Pentagon to review the security of its commercial transport network following reports that sensitive components from an F-35 stealth fighter ended up in Chinese hands after being diverted to Hong Kong on a United Parcel Service Inc. flight.

Senator Tom Cotton, the Republican chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, urged Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday to examine contractor-managed supply chains, emphasizing that logistical ease and speed must not compromise American military advantages. The inquiry follows Bloomberg News reporting that Chinese authorities took possession of a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door, both treated with specialized radar-absorbing stealth coatings, after the parts were improperly rerouted during transit from Australia to the U.S. for maintenance.

In his letter to Hegseth, Cotton specifically requested that the Department of Defense reassess chain-of-custody requirements, real-time shipment tracking, approval procedures for altered routes, and structural safeguards against transit through foreign jurisdictions. Observers note that while the lost components do not offer a blueprint for building a complete aircraft, physical access to radar-absorbing materials and tight-tolerance stealth structures provides foreign intelligence services invaluable insights for refining countermeasures.

Against that backdrop, lawmakers and industry observers are turning increased scrutiny toward Lockheed Martin's oversight of prime contractor logistics. The defense giant maintains overall operational responsibility for the global F-35 supply chain, which has faced recurring criticism from congressional watchdogs for inventory tracking deficiencies and lost spare parts across international distribution nodes.

Ultimately, the revelation adds fresh friction to U.S.-China relations just as President Donald Trump hosted Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Washington.

Original Article