Concern over Chinese firm’s role in F-35 jet production

A CHINESE-OWNED company is making circuit boards for F-35 warplanes flown by Britain and the US, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) has revealed.

The parts made by Exception PCB, a firm based in Gloucestershire but owned by Shenzhen Fastprint, “control many of the F-35’s core capabilities”, according to publicity material produced by the MOD.

That includes “its engines, lighting, fuel and navigation systems”, it said.

The MOD maintains that Exception PCB presents “no risk” to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter supply chain and said it is an established manufacturer of circuit boards to the defence industry.

A report by Sky News revealed that Exception PCB was making parts for the F-35 yesterday.

Sir Gerald Howarth, the former defence minister, expressed concern that a Chinese-owned company was producing parts for a classified British programme, citing fears over Chinese espionage and rivalry.

He said: “We have been completely and utterly naive about the role of China and it is only now that people are beginning to wake up.”

There is no suggestion that Exception PCB or Shenzhen Fastprint have done anything wrong. An MOD spokesman said: “Exception PCB produces bare circuit boards and as a result there are no risks associated with their product in the F-35 aircraft supply chain.”

The news comes after accusations that China has tried to steal details about the multibillion-pound F-35 programme, headed by Lockheed Martin.