Chinese authorities are reportedly in possession of F-35 stealth fighter parts after components of the aircraft were “inexplicably diverted to Hong Kong.”

Shipping giant UPS was sending a cockpit canopy and weapons bay door to the U.S. from Australia in late May when it was diverted, Bloomberg reported on Thursday, citing sources.

Both parts were coated with a radar absorbing material that enhances their stealth capabilities, the sources said, and it was not clear why the shipment was diverted to Hong Kong.

On Tuesday, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles told reporters Tuesday that Australia was aware of the shipment, and was working with the U.S. and Lockheed Martin to see how Canberra can assist in the investigation.

Marles also said it was his understanding that no sensitive parts were in the missing shipment, according to CNN.

Lockheed Martin, UPS and the Pentagon didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment from CNBC.

The F-35 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter made by Lockheed Martin, and Washington controls the sale of these aircraft only to its closest partners and allies.

For example, Turkey was excluded from the F-35 program in 2019 after the country purchased the Russian S-400 anti-aircraft system, which raised fears that the Russian system could be used as an intelligence collection platform to learn about the aircraft’s capabilities.

China has targeted F-35-related U.S. military data in past espionage cases, according to U.S. prosecutors in 2024.

A $24 billion sale of F-35s to Saudi Arabia was approved last week, but some lawmakers in Congress have already expressed concerns over the technology finding its way into Chinese hands.

Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) said that the U.S. intelligence community has warned that the sale “could put the crown jewels of American military technology within reach of the Chinese Communist Party.”

Users of the fighter jet include Australia and Belgium, as well as the U.S. itself, with other countries like Japan, Canada and Singapore having also ordered the aircraft.

F-35s have also been used by the U.S. during the Iran conflict, with one aircraft suffering damage from enemy fire, according to the Department of Defense.

The CEO of U.S.-based credit union Family First is no longer with the company, days after she posted an allegedly artificial intelligence-edited photo of her family with “Lake America” sweatshirts.

On Wednesday, a statement posted on the credit union’s website revealed that Jane Smith was no longer with Family First “effective immediately,” with Chief Operations Officer Jason Acosta serving as interim CEO. It was signed by Maurice Patterson, chairman of the Family First Credit Union board, and Acosta.

Family First did not state that if the reaction was the reason for Smith leaving, even though the credit union posted on Thursday that “we sincerely apologize for the concern, disappointment and pain this situation has caused our members and community.”

Family First is based in Michigan, a state that borders Canada.

Smith on Sept. 11 had posted the photo on Facebook with the caption: “Like our sweatshirts? Not sure Canada will. Lol lol”

The post has since been deleted from Facebook, CBC News reported.

U.S. President Donald Trump declared the renaming of Lake Ontario on the U.S.-Canadian border to “Lake America” last month, prompting massive backlash from Canadians, Prime Minister Mark Carney, and even animated comedy TV show “South Park,” which changed its name to “South America” in a jab at the U.S. president’s order.

In an interview on Sept. 17 with ABC12 News in Michigan, Smith said that the picture contained an artificial intelligence marker, but was later reposted by her sister without the AI marker.

“We weren’t trying to make a political statement,” Smith reportedly said. “However, we were, you know, kind of poking fun at the fact that you know one of the Great Lakes’ names were getting changed.”

In an earlier statement to ABC12 News, Family First had said it “unequivocally disapproves and rejects the content of the social media post involving our CEO, Jane Smith.”

U.S. Rep. Timothy Kennedy, D-N.Y., has also introduced legislation to block Trump’s attempt to rename Lake Ontario and prohibit the future renaming of any of the five Great Lakes.

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