Authored by Arthur Zhang via The Epoch Times,
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) asked the Department of War on Sept. 29 to review security controls for U.S. military equipment and supplies transported through commercial and contractor-managed supply chains, citing reports that F-35 components bound for the United States from Australia were diverted to Hong Kong.
A U.S. Air Force F-35 takes flight in the Middle East in support of Operation Epic Fury on March 2, 2026. Courtesy of U.S. Air ForceIn a letter to Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Cotton cited the diversion of F-35 components being shipped from Australia and reports that the Chinese government had taken possession of the parts and had not returned them.
"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.
Cotton, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, also said in a Sept. 29 post on X that secure supply chains are critical to ensuring weapons, technology, and supplies reach U.S. troops rather than adversaries.
"That's why I'm calling on [the Department of War] to conduct a review and take any necessary actions," he wrote.
5 Areas for Review
Cotton's r
