Counterfeit Chinese Parts in U.S. Military Equipment

(Washington D.C.) Complex supply chains are being blamed for the breakdown in quality assurance.

Bogus electronic parts from China have infiltrated critical U.S. defense systems and equipment, including Navy helicopters and a commonly used Air Force cargo aircraft, a new report says.

A Senate Armed Services Committee analysis "exposed a defense supply chain that relies on hundreds of unvetted independent distributors to supply electronic parts for some of our most sensitive systems," according to an executive summary of the report.

Various military aircraft were named in the report, including the Navy SN-60B Seahawk helicopter and the Air Force C-130J cargo airplane. Fake components were also suspected in the the Navy Integrated Submarine Imaging System and the Army Stryker mobile gun.

In my opinion, counterfeit parts from China shouldn't be surprising. Additionally, the problem is more than nettlesome. Consequences could be tragic.