参议员汤姆·科顿敦促国防部长审查军事供应链在 F-35 战斗机的零部件被转运至香港并最终落入中国手中后，参议院情报委员会主席汤姆·科顿（共和党人，来自阿肯色州）于周二敦促国防部长皮特·赫格塞斯审查美国的军事供应链。科顿在信中写道：“美国国防部在运输军事装备、零部件及重要物资时严重依赖承包商和商业运输公司。虽然这种安排确实提高了运输的效率和便捷性，但这些便利性绝不能以牺牲我们的军事优势为代价。”
Cotton presses Hegseth to review supply chains after F-35 parts ended up in China Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, pressed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Tuesday to review the military supply chains after sensitive F-35 fighter jet parts were diverted to Hong Kong and are now in China's possession. "DOW relies extensively on contractors and commercial carriers to move military equipment, replacement parts, and vital supplies around the world. 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," Cotton wrote in a letter.
作为参议院军事委员会（SASC）的成员，科顿要求五角大楼重新审视由承包商和商业运输公司负责运输的军事物资的保管流程，以及该部门追踪这些物资运输路线的能力，并完善相关审批及报告程序。他还要求五角大楼制定措施，防止军事物资被转运至中国或其他敌对势力控制的地区。
The Arkansas Republican, who also sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC), asked the Pentagon to review the chain-of-custody requirements for military equipment and parts shipped by contractors and commercial carriers, the department's ability to track the location and routing of these shipments and procedures for allowing and reporting changes to routes. Cotton also asked the Pentagon to examine "safeguards to prevent military materiel from transiting through or being diverted to China and other adversary-controlled jurisdictions."
背景信息：此前有报道称，今年夏天 F-35 战斗机的零部件（包括座舱盖和武器舱门）在从澳大利亚运出后，被转运至香港。这些零部件是通过 UPS 公司寄出的包裹运输的。
"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, as well as access to American troops," Cotton continued. When reached for comment, the Pentagon said, "as with all congressional correspondence, the Department will respond directly to the authors."
这一事态发展引起了民主党和共和党参议员的担忧，他们已敦促五角大楼调查此事。参议员德布·费舍尔（共和党，内布拉斯加州州）也是参议院军事委员会成员，她上周对记者表示，对中国持有F-35战机零部件“非常担忧”。
The letter comes after reports that F-35 Lightning II components were diverted this summer to Hong Kong after being sent from Australia. The parts, including the canopy and weapons-bay door, were included in the package shipped by UPS. The development has sparked concerns among both Senate Democrats and Republicans, who have pressed the Pentagon to investigate the matter. Sen. Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), who is also a SASC member, told reporters last week she is “very concerned” about China having possession of F-35 parts.