Components from one of the free world’s most advanced fighter jets are now in the possession of the Chinese, according to a Bloomberg report. An Australian F-35 stealth fighter cockpit canopy and weapons-bay door, sent back to Lockheed Martin in the U.S., went missing en route. The source report suggests something irregular happened with the shipment, resulting in it stopping in South Korea, then being routed through Hong Kong, where Chinese authorities took possession of the consignment.

Talking to Bloomberg, sources who preferred to not be identified said that the Australian F-35 parts were sent to the U.S. for inspection, and possible repair or disposal. The components may also be of interest to potential military foes as they are “coated with radar-absorbing material that enhances their stealth capabilities,” notes the report. The coating’s secret recipe may be more sensitive than the actual airplane parts.

We’ve put together a timeline to make the chain of events thus far as clear as possible:

Bloomberg reports that the Chinese have targeted espionage efforts on the F-35 for years, trying to learn as much as possible about one of the world’s most advanced fighter jets. Only the U.S.’s closest allies can build military capabilities around this cutting-edge stealth warplane. Concerns regarding soft targets for Chinese espionage meant a U.S. bid to sell F-35s to the UAE during the first Trump presidency collapsed. Any Saudi Arabian sale would probably meet the same fate.

Australia says that it is looking closely at the chain of events leading up to the loss of the parts from its end.

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