US Senator Tom Cotton is calling for a review of the military supply chain security after components for the F-35 were diverted to Hong Kong. The senator wants the Pentagon to examine several areas, including tracking, route changes, and safeguards against diversion to China.
What happened
The diversion of F-35 components from Australia to Hong Kong has raised concerns about the security of the US military supply chain. According to reports, the Chinese government took possession of the parts and has not returned them. Senator Cotton cited this incident as an example of the vulnerabilities in commercial transportation that could allow US military equipment to fall into the hands of a foreign adversary.
The senator's request for a review extends beyond the circumstances of the missing F-35 components. He has asked the Department of War to examine five areas, including chain-of-custody requirements, the ability to track shipments, procedures for approving route changes, criteria for allowing shipments to pass through foreign jurisdictions, and safeguards against military materiel being diverted to China or other adversary-controlled jurisdictions.
The Department of War relies heavily on contractors and commercial carriers to move military equipment and supplies around the world. While these arrangements provide speed and ease of movement, Senator Cotton emphasized that they should not come at the expense of the US military advantage. He stressed that securing the supply chains is necessary to ensure US troops have access to advanced equipment and technology, and to prevent adversaries from gaining access to US technology.
