Cotton urges Pentagon chief to review F-35 supply chain security

US Senator Tom Cotton on Tuesday demanded that Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth immediately review the security protocols governing military equipment transported through commercial supply chains after reports surfaced that F-35 components bound for the United States from Australia were diverted to Hong Kong and seized by Chinese authorities.

F-35 components diverted to Hong Kong

In a letter to Hegseth, Cotton raised concerns regarding the security of US military materiel moving through contractor-managed commercial networks. He noted that Lockheed Martin — which oversees the F-35 supply chain — had transported the components via a commercial carrier and that Chinese authorities intercepted the shipment and refused to return the parts. "We can't afford for U.S. military equipment to fall into the hands of a foreign adversary because of vulnerabilities in commercial transportation," Cotton wrote.

Security review demands

The Arkansas Republican asked the Pentagon to examine five specific areas of military transportation security, including chain-of-custody requirements for contractor-handled shipments and the department's ability to track cargo and routing in real time. He also requested reviews of procedures for approving shipping route changes, criteria for determining whether military shipments may transit foreign jurisdictions, and safeguards to prevent US materiel from passing through or being diverted to adversarial nations including China. "And while I recognize that such arrangements allow for ease and speed of movement, those advantages must not come at the expense of maintaining our military edge," he added.

Cotton argued that even non-classified military equipment can provide foreign governments with valuable intelligence regarding American weapons systems, logistics capabilities and overall readiness. "Classified and designated sensitive components should receive heightened protections, but all U.S. military material can provide adversaries valuable insight into U.S. weapons systems, logistics, and readiness," he wrote. The Department of Defense relies extensively on contractors and commercial carriers to transport equipment and replacement parts worldwide, according to the letter.