Cotton Urges Hegseth to Review F-35 Parts Shipping Security
In a letter to Hegseth, Cotton voiced concern about the safety of US military materiel traveling on commercial transportation networks. Reports indicate that Lockheed Martin, which manages the F-35 supply chain, sent the components through a commercial carrier, and that Chinese authorities seized the parts and have not returned them, he said.
“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.
The senator noted that the Department of Defense depends heavily on contractors and commercial carriers to move equipment, replacement parts and other supplies worldwide.
"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 asked the department to examine five areas of military transportation security. He wants a review of chain-of-custody requirements for equipment and supplies handled by contractors and commercial carriers, along with the department's ability to track shipments and their routes.
He also requested a review of the procedures for approving and reporting changes to shipping routes, and of the criteria that determine whether military shipments may pass through foreign jurisdictions.
Finally, he called for safeguards to keep US military materiel from passing through, or being diverted to, China and other jurisdictions controlled by countries considered adversaries.
Cotton argued that even unclassified equipment can give foreign governments insight into US weapons systems, logistics and military 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.
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