F-35 parts shipment rerouted via Hong Kong after UPS missed a warning email, Bloomberg reports
Bloomberg reported that a UPS employee missed an email warning against routing F-35 components through Hong Kong, letting China obtain a cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door. The Pentagon briefed congressional staff and the State Department is investigating.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 2Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that a United Parcel Service (UPS) employee missed an email warning against routing a shipment of F-35 stealth fighter components through Hong Kong, allowing China to obtain the parts. Anadolu AgencyN “A United Parcel Service (UPS) employee missed an email warning against routing a shipment of F-35 stealth fighter components through Hong Kong, allowing China to obtain the parts, Bloomberg reported Wednesday.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Hindustan TimesN “The worker had missed the warning sent over mail not to route the shipment through Hong Kong, Bloomberg reported.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1According to a person briefed on the incident, the email came from freight forwarder DSV, which was working for F-35 developer Lockheed Martin. Anadolu AgencyN “Citing a person briefed on the incident, the report said the email came from freight forwarder DSV, which was working for F-35 developer Lockheed Martin.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2The cargo, a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door coated with radar-absorbing material, was subject to US arms export rules (the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, ITAR) and could not pass through certain countries. Anadolu AgencyN “a cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door coated with radar-absorbing material -- was subject to US arms export rules and could not pass through certain countries” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Hindustan TimesN “in compliance with the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 2The shipment was meant to reach San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan, but it left Australia late and was rerouted through Hong Kong to save time. Anadolu AgencyN “The shipment was meant to reach San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan, but it left Australia late and was rerouted through Hong Kong to save time” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Hindustan TimesN “It was mistakenly sent via Hong Kong in an attempt to speed up the delivery” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Centre · 1The source said the DSV message may have gone through a different IT system than the one UPS's agent used. Anadolu AgencyN “The DSV message may have gone through a different IT system than the one UPS's agent used, the person added.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2The parts were being returned to the US for possible repair or disposal in late May. Anadolu AgencyN “the parts were being returned to the US for possible repair or disposal in late May” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Hindustan TimesN “They were being sent to the US for possible repair or disposal in late May” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Centre · 1Pentagon officials gave the details in an hour-long Sept. 29 briefing for staff of the House Foreign Affairs and Armed Services Committees, where Erica Plath, deputy assistant secretary of defense for logistics, said her team was working on safeguards and a State Department export control official said the department is investigating. Anadolu AgencyN “Erica Plath, deputy assistant secretary of defense for logistics, told attendees her team was working on safeguards, while a State Department export control official said the department is investigating.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Lawmakers demanded answers: Sen. Mark Warner requested the briefing, Sen. Tom Cotton called for a supply chain review, and Sen. Kevin Cramer asked whether China had planned to intercept the shipment. Anadolu AgencyN “Sen. Mark Warner requested the briefing, Sen. Tom Cotton called for a supply chain review, and Sen. Kevin Cramer asked whether China had planned to intercept the shipment” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 2DSV spokesman Stephan Ghisler-Solvang and UPS spokesman Malcolm Berkley declined to comment, and UPS shares dipped less than 1% after the report. Hindustan TimesN “DSV spokesman Stephan Ghisler-Solvang and UPS spokesman Malcolm Berkley declined to comment on the matter” Read at Hindustan Times ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “UPS shares dipped less than 1% after the report.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1Hindustan Times, citing Bloomberg, said China has targeted the F-35 for years in espionage efforts and that the Pentagon has distanced itself from the matter, calling the parts 'unserviceable'. Hindustan TimesN “China has targeted the F-35 for years in espionage efforts”“The Pentagon has distanced itself from the matter, and downplayed the importance of the parts, calling them ‘unserviceable’.” Read at Hindustan Times ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Both outlets relay Bloomberg's account of a logistics lapse, with Anadolu focusing on the briefing and congressional reaction and Hindustan Times on an explainer of how the shipment ended up in China.
- Emphasis
- Anadolu: Pentagon briefing, senators' demands, UPS share dip. Hindustan Times: the ITAR rules, espionage context, Pentagon downplaying the parts.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Anadolu omits the Pentagon's 'unserviceable' characterisation and DSV/UPS declining comment; Hindustan Times omits the named officials and senators' individual demands.
- Charged language
- “embarrassment for the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin”
- For example
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“Lawmakers have demanded answers.” — Anadolu Agency
“which has become an embarrassment for the Pentagon and Lockheed Martin” — Hindustan Times
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- A UPS employee missed a DSV email warning against routing the shipment via Hong Kong.
- The cargo included an F-35 cockpit canopy and a weapons-bay door coated with radar-absorbing material.
- The shipment was meant to go to San Francisco via South Korea and Taiwan but was rerouted via Hong Kong.
- Pentagon officials briefed House committee staff on Sept. 29.
Where accounts differ
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Significance of the parts
- Centre
- Hindustan Times, citing the report, says the Pentagon downplayed the parts as 'unserviceable'; Anadolu does not mention this and stresses lawmakers' demands for answers.
UPS organisation
UPS declined to comment through spokesman Malcolm Berkley; its employee is reported to have missed the warning email.
“DSV spokesman Stephan Ghisler-Solvang and UPS spokesman Malcolm Berkley declined to comment on the matter” — Hindustan Times
China place
China is reported as having obtained the parts; no Chinese response is reported in the coverage.
“allowing China to obtain the parts” — Anadolu Agency
Middle East1 outlet
Anadolu gives a compact account focused on the briefing and congressional demands.
“Lawmakers have demanded answers.” — Anadolu Agency
Anadolu Agency
South Asia1 outlet
Hindustan Times offers a 'how it happened' explainer with espionage context.
“How did the shipment land up in China?” — Hindustan Times
Hindustan Times
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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China got hold of parts from F-35 stealth fighter jet due to missed email at UPS: Report
Neutral Concise relay of Bloomberg's report, centred on the congressional briefing and lawmakers' reactions.
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How a UPS worker's missed email resulted in China getting F-35 stealth fighter jet parts from the US
Mixed Explainer-style retelling of Bloomberg's report with some editorialising about the lapse and the Pentagon's downplaying.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 8 Oct 02:23 First Anadolu AgencyN China got hold of parts from F-35 stealth fighter jet due to missed email at UPS: Report
- 8 Oct 04:04 +1h 41m Hindustan TimesN How a UPS worker's missed email resulted in China getting F-35 stealth fighter jet parts from the US
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.