US military to resume F-35 deliveries after discovery of Chinese parts
The US military has reportedly approved a national security waiver to resume deliveries of F-35 war planes after its manufacturer discovered a metal component in the jet had come from China.
US Defense Department notified Congress on Friday that it had completed its investigation and that Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition and Sustainment William LaPlante has signed a national security waiver, meaning the Pentagon would not replace the Chinese part in aircraft that have already been delivered, Politico news outlet reported Saturday, citing “three people with direct knowledge of the decision” that spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to the report, the Defense Contract Management Agency notified the F-35 Joint Program Office at the Pentagon on August 19 that an alloy used in magnets contained in the F-35’s turbomachine pumps came from China.
Major US weapon maker Lockheed Martin builds the overall aircraft, but the turbomachine is produced by Honeywell.
The problem underscores issues with the US supply chain and shows that major military contractors are unaware of every detail, LaPlante stated in a press briefing earlier this month.
“This is becoming almost a real-time issue of tracking and making sure that there’s integrity in your supply chain,” he asserted, as quoted in the report.
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin declined to comment on the issue, the report added, further noting that the Joint Program Office also referred questions to the Defense Department.
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