Report: Mislabeled Shipment Let F-35 Parts Reach China via UPS Error

China obtained components from an F-35 stealth fighter jet after a shipment was misdirected because of a missed email at delivery company UPS, according to a Bloomberg report cited by Anadolu Agency.

The report says Pentagon officials have briefed staff on the House Armed Services Committee about the diverted shipment, which reportedly contained parts for the advanced fighter jet. The F-35 is a U.S.-made stealth aircraft used by the American military and a number of allied nations, and its components are subject to strict export controls given the sensitivity of the technology involved.

According to the report, the shipment was intended for a different destination but ended up reaching China after the email notification that would normally have flagged or redirected it was missed. The U.S. State Department is said to be investigating how the parts were diverted and what, if any, security implications the incident carries.

Neither UPS nor the Pentagon has publicly detailed the circumstances of the missed email or confirmed the exact nature of the parts involved, based on the available reporting. It remains unclear how significant the shipment was to Chinese military or intelligence efforts, and officials have not disclosed what corrective steps, if any, are being taken to prevent similar incidents.

The episode adds to longstanding U.S. concerns about the security of its advanced defense technology supply chains, particularly technology tied to the F-35 program, which involves a global network of manufacturers and logistics providers.