--- title: "UPS Error Sent F-35 Parts Through Hong Kong to China" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/ups-error-sent-f-35-parts-through-hong-kong-to-china" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/ups-error-sent-f-35-parts-through-hong-kong-to-china" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/conflict/ups-error-sent-f-35-parts-through-hong-kong-to-china.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/ups-error-sent-f-35-parts-through-hong-kong-to-china" category: "Conflict & Security" area: "China" published: "2026-10-08T08:05:28.131Z" source_reported: "2026-10-08T06:06:13.000Z" updated: "2026-10-08T08:05:28.131Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 57 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-10-08T09:41:36.028Z" --- # UPS Error Sent F-35 Parts Through Hong Kong to China *US investigating after sensitive fighter jet components were mistakenly routed via China.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. Central claim attributed to Bloomberg report, with one full report and multiple digests corroborating. - Craft 57 of 100, higher is better. Most outlets are digests; one full report provides detail, others are brief. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. Headlines use phrases like 'got its hands on' and 'obtained' for mild sensationalism. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Parts for the F-35 fighter jet were mistakenly shipped through Hong Kong by UPS, ending up in China. - The shipment included components coated with radar-absorbent material, intended for delivery from Australia to San Francisco. - A UPS employee reportedly missed an electronic warning not to route the shipment through Hong Kong. - The Pentagon and US State Department are investigating the incident, which violates International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Components for the F-35 fighter jet, including parts of the cockpit canopy and weapons bay door coated with radar-absorbent material, were mistakenly routed through Hong Kong by UPS. The shipment originated in Australia and was destined for San Francisco. According to reports, a UPS employee failed to notice an electronic instruction or email that warned against routing the cargo through Hong Kong. The incident has triggered investigations by the Pentagon and the US State Department. At least two Congressional committees are also reviewing the supply chain for US weaponry. The transit of these components through Hong Kong is a violation of International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), which govern the movement of certain US military items. ## Disagreement on shipment details While most reports agree that F-35 parts were mistakenly routed through Hong Kong due to a UPS error, details about the full itinerary vary. fakti.bg reports that the shipment first stopped in South Korea before being rerouted through Hong Kong, though the reason for the initial stop is unclear. vz.ru states the cargo was intended for delivery to San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan. ## Omissions in coverage None of the right-rated digests mention the specific components of the F-35 involved, such as the cockpit canopy and weapons bay door, nor do they detail the radar-absorbent material coating. The left-rated report from fakti.bg is the only one to include statements from Lockheed Martin and the Australian Minister of Defence. ## Who covered it Shares of the 13 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 8% (1) - Centre: 30% (4) - Right: 62% (8) 15 of 28 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-10-08T09:41:36.028Z. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 9 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-10-08T10:15:13.451Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - The left-rated report from fakti.bg led with the headline "F-35 Parts Ended up in China Due to UPS Error". It detailed the specific components involved, including the cockpit canopy and weapons bay door, and noted they were covered with radar-absorbent material. The report mentioned the shipment was intended to go from Australia to San Francisco and that a UPS employee missed an electronic instruction not to route it through Hong Kong. It also stated that the components remained in Chinese hands and had not been returned. The report included statements from Lockheed Martin, the F-35 manufacturer, and the Australian Minister of Defence, Richard Marles. ### Centre - Hindustan Times, rated centre, used the headline "How a UPS worker's missed email resulted in China getting F-35 stealth fighter jet parts from the US". The digest focused on the core event: China acquiring F-35 parts due to a missed email by a UPS employee. It highlighted the role of the missed communication in the incident. ### Right - The right-rated reports from Anadolu Ajansı and vz.ru both used headlines that attributed the incident to a missed email or a careless delivery person at UPS. Anadolu Ajansı's headline stated, "China Got Hold of Parts From F-35 Stealth Fighter Jet Due to Missed Email at UPS: Report," and its digest noted that Pentagon officials briefed House committee staff, citing a Bloomberg report, and that the State Department was investigating. vz.ru's headline was "Bloomberg: China Received Spare Parts for F-35 Due to a Careless Deliveryer," and its digest mentioned the cargo included an F-35 fighter lantern and an arm compartment door covered with radar-absorbing material, intended for delivery to San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 4 - high: 7 - unknown: 15 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [sawaleif.com](https://sawaleif.com/%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A3-%D9%85%D9%88%D8%B8%D9%81-%D8%A3%D9%85%D8%B1%D9%8A%D9%83%D9%8A-%D9%8A%D8%AA%D8%B3%D8%A8%D8%A8-%D9%81%D9%8A-%D9%88%D8%B5%D9%88%D9%84-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B3%D8%A9-1112374) — The Mistake of an American Employee Causes the Arrival of Sensitive Parts of the “F-35” Fighter Jet to China - [SINDOnews.com](https://international.sindonews.com/read/1758315/42/gara-gara-email-tak-terbaca-komponen-sensitif-jet-tempur-siluman-f-35-jatuh-ke-tangan-china-1791447031) — Sensitive F-35 Stealth Fighter Jet Components Fall Into Chinese Hands Due to Unread Email - [i-cable.com](https://i-cable.com/%E6%96%B0%E8%81%9E%E8%B3%87%E8%A8%8A/511334/f-35%E9%9B%B6%E4%BB%B6%E9%8C%AF%E9%81%8B%E9%A6%99%E6%B8%AF-%E5%BD%AD%E5%8D%9A%EF%B8%B0%E5%9B%A0ups%E5%93%A1%E5%B7%A5%E6%BC%8F%E7%9C%8B%E9%9B%BB%E9%83%B5) — F-35 Parts Miscarriage Hong Kong Bloomberg: Because UPS Employees Missed Emails - Cable & Broadband I-Cable - [NDTV](https://ndtv.com/world-news/how-a-missed-email-by-a-ups-worker-may-have-landed-us-f-35-jet-tech-at-chinas-door-12155091) — How A Missed Email By A UPS Worker May Have Landed US' F-35 Jet Tech At China's Door - [Naftemporiki](https://naftemporiki.gr/kosmos/2172253/pos-epesan-sta-cheria-tis-kinas-exartimata-ton-machitikon-f-35-to-mail-poy-parapese-kai-i-proeidopoiisi-na-min-dromologithei-apostoli-meso-chongk-kongk) — How F-35 Fighter Jet Parts Fell Into China's Hands - The Failed Email and the Warning Not to Send a Shipment Through Hong Kong - [Banker.az](https://banker.az/bloomberg-abs-y%c9%99-aid-f-35-hiss%c9%99l%c9%99rinin-cin%c9%99-nec%c9%99-gedib-cixdigini-aydinlasdirib) — "Bloomberg" Clarified How the "F-35" Shares of the USC Went to China - [fararu.com](https://fararu.com/fa/news/1008146/%D8%AE%D8%B7%D8%A7%DB%8C-%DB%8C%DA%A9-%DA%A9%D8%A7%D8%B1%D9%85%D9%86%D8%AF-%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B3-%D8%AC%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%81-%D8%B1%D8%A7-%D8%A8%D9%87-%DA%86%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%B1%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%86%D8%AF) — Employee Error Led to Sensitive F-35 Fighter Jet Parts Being Shipped to China - [DiarioBitcoin](https://diariobitcoin.com/estados-unidos/segun-bloomberg-china-recibio-piezas-del-f-35-tras-un-correo-de-advertencia-que-ups-no-vio) — According to Bloomberg, China Received Pieces From the F-35 Following a Warning Email that UPS Did Not See - [大纪元 Epoch Times](https://epochtimes.com/b5/26/10/8/n14865755.htm) — A UPS Employee Missed an Email, Resulting in F-35 Parts Being Mistakenly Shipped to Hong Kong. - [Hindustan Times](https://hindustantimes.com/world-news/us-news/how-a-ups-workers-missed-email-resulted-in-china-getting-f-35-stealth-fighter-jet-parts-from-the-us-101791426491399.html) — How a UPS worker's missed email resulted in China getting F-35 stealth fighter jet parts from the US - [Life.ru](https://life.ru/p/bloomberg-kitay-zapoluchil-detali-istrebitelya-f-35-iz-za-oshibki-sluzhby) — Bloomberg: China Has Obtained F-35 Fighter Details Due to a Delivery Service Error - [Anadolu Ajansı](https://aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/china-got-hold-of-parts-from-f-35-stealth-fighter-jet-due-to-missed-email-at-ups-report/4081612) — China Got Hold of Parts From F-35 Stealth Fighter Jet Due to Missed Email at UPS: Report - [fakti.bg](https://fakti.bg/world/1087562-detaili-ot-f-35-sa-popadnali-v-kitai-zaradi-greshka-na-ups) — F-35 Parts Ended up in China Due to UPS Error - [BizToc](https://biztoc.com/x/778af1017efc4e0b) — "You've Got Mail": China Got Its Hands On F-35 Stealth Parts Because A UPS Worker Missed An Email - [vz.ru](https://vz.ru/news/2026/10/8/1460201.html) — Bloomberg: China Received Spare Parts for F-35 Due to a Careless Deliveryer - [TokenPost](https://tokenpost.com/news/technology/27660) — UPS Mistake Sends F-35 Parts to Hong Kong as US Opens Inquiry - [産経ニュース](https://sankei.com/article/20261008-T5QCVYXQBNN37JKN2UJHZLOUKU) — F-35 Parts Reportedly Leaked to China Due to a US Shipping Company's Mistake; Stealth Material Windshield and Other Components Were Sent via Hong Kong. - [ZN.UA Зеркало недели](https://zn.ua/ukr/usa/kitaj-otrimav-sekretni-detali-vinishchuvacha-f-35-zmi-diznalisja-jak-tse-stalosja.html) — China Received Secret Details of the F-35 Fighter: the Media Learned How It Happened - [snn.ir](https://snn.ir/fa/news/1467068/%D9%82%D8%B7%D8%B9%D8%A7%D8%AA-%D8%AD%D8%B3%D8%A7%D8%B3-%D8%AC%D9%86%DA%AF%D9%86%D8%AF%D9%87-%D8%A7%D9%81-35-%D8%A8%D9%87-%D8%AF%D8%B3%D8%AA-%DA%86%DB%8C%D9%86-%D8%A7%D9%81%D8%AA%D8%A7%D8%AF) — Sensitive Parts of the F-35 Fighter Jet Fell Into the Hands of China - [Australian Financial Review](https://afr.com/world/asia/ups-worker-missed-email-letting-china-seize-sensitive-f-35-parts-20261008-p613qh) — UPS worker missed email, letting China seize F-35 parts from Australia - [BNR Nieuwsradio](https://bnr.nl/nieuws/internationaal/10612777/china-kreeg-f-35-onderdelen-in-de-schoot-geworpen-doordat-ups-medewerker-mailtje-miste) — China Was Handed F-35 Parts on a Silver Platter because a UPS Employee Missed an Email. - [BioBioChile](https://biobiochile.cl/noticias/internacional/asia/2026/10/07/china-se-quedo-con-piezas-claves-de-avion-militar-f-35-de-eeuu-tras-insolito-descuido-segun-informe.shtml) — China Was Left with Key Pieces of US F-35 Military Aircraft After Unusual Oversight, Reports - [Seeking Alpha](https://seekingalpha.com/news/4651173-ups-error-routed-sensitive-fminus-35-parts-through-hong-kong) — UPS error routed sensitive F-35 parts through Hong Kong (UPS:NYSE) - [news-pravda.com](https://news-pravda.com/world/2026/10/07/2648296.html) — ️A UPS employee missed a security warning and mistakenly routed sensitive F-35 parts through Hong Kong, allowing China to obtain them - [Bloomberg](https://bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-07/ups-worker-missed-security-email-letting-china-get-f-35-parts) — UPS Worker Missed Security Email, Letting China Get F-35 Parts - [La Libre](https://lalibre.be/economie/entreprises-startup/2026/10/07/des-pieces-du-f-35-detournees-vers-la-chine-une-stupidite-incroyable-lavion-risque-de-perdre-une-grande-partie-de-sa-valeur-33DKFLKGHNHJHAL2HIJAM6IDMM) — Parts of the F-35 Diverted to China? "An Incredible Stupidity" "The Plane May Lose Much of Its Value" - [republika.mk](https://republika.mk/vesti/svet/senzitivni-delovi-od-f-35-zavrshile-vo-kina-otkako-pratka-od-ups-bila-prenasochena-kon-hong-kong) — Sensitive F-35 Parts Ended up in China After UPS Shipment Was Diverted to Hong Kong - [defence-industry.eu](https://defence-industry.eu/member-of-congress-raja-krishnamoorthi-demands-pentagon-answers-on-f-35-parts-diverted-to-hong-kong-citing-stealth-risks) — Member of Congress Raja Krishnamoorthi demands Pentagon answers on F-35 parts diverted to Hong Kong, citing stealth risks ## Questions **What happened with the F-35 parts shipment?** Parts for the F-35 fighter jet were mistakenly routed through Hong Kong by UPS, leading to them being acquired by China. The shipment contained components coated with radar-absorbent material and was intended to go from Australia to San Francisco. **Why did the F-35 parts end up in China?** A UPS employee reportedly missed an electronic instruction or email warning not to route the shipment through Hong Kong. This oversight caused the sensitive military components to be rerouted through the Chinese territory. **What is being done about the incident?** The Pentagon and the US State Department are investigating the incident. Additionally, at least two Congressional committees are reviewing the supply chain for US weaponry. The incident violates International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR). --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/conflict/ups-error-sent-f-35-parts-through-hong-kong-to-china. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "UPS Error Sent F-35 Parts Through Hong Kong to China", https://mediabias.news/conflict/ups-error-sent-f-35-parts-through-hong-kong-to-china