Did China Steal The F-35 Fighter Jet Blueprints?

In 2007, Chinese hackers, working under the direction of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), infiltrated the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors, including Lockheed Martin and Boeing, as well as their subcontractors.

China stole technology from the F-35 Lightning II, the United States’ premier stealth fighter jet, through a sophisticated cyber espionage operation orchestrated by Chinese state actors.

They stole over 630,000 files totaling 65 gigabytes on related programs, with significant portions dedicated to the F-35, F-22, and C-17. The breaches began as early as 2007, with major intrusions reported in 2009 when hackers accessed terabytes of F-35 data from defense networks. The core conspiracy involving Su Bin ran through 2014.

They extracted massive amounts of sensitive data, including detailed blueprints, radar systems (such as the AN/APG-81), engine schematics, stealth coating materials, electro-optical systems, and flight test plans. This theft provided China with critical insights into advanced stealth, avionics, and propulsion technologies, enabling rapid progress in its own fifth-generation fighter programs like the Chengdu J-20 and Shenyang J-35 (formerly FC-31). U.S. officials, including Pentagon acquisition leaders, confirmed that the stolen data reduced development costs and timelines for adversaries, eroding America’s technological edge in military aviation.The key figure in the operation was Su Bin (also known as Stephen Su), a Chinese national and businessman who ran an aviation company in Canada. From October 2008 to March 2014, Su collaborated directly with two PLA-affiliated hackers based in China. He identified targets, provided intelligence on vulnerabilities (such as employee directories and supply-chain weaknesses), and translated stolen English documents into Chinese for use by Chinese military and aviation entities, including the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group.

The hackers used “hop points” on compromised servers in third countries to mask their attacks, exploiting weaker security in subcontractors to access shared F-35 designs without directly breaching core Lockheed Martin systems.

In July 2014, Canadian authorities arrested Su at the FBI’s request; he was extradited to the United States and pleaded guilty in March 2016 to conspiring to steal and export U.S. military secrets. U.S. intelligence linked the operation to PLA units like the Technical Reconnaissance Bureau in Chengdu, which coordinated the hacks and funneled information to state-run developers. This timeline aligned with China’s unveiling of J-20 prototypes in 2011 and later J-35 developments, incorporating design elements that mirrored F-35 features.

The hackers employed advanced cyber intrusion techniques to exfiltrate the data, encrypting it during transfer to evade detection. Su directed the targeting of specific individuals and companies, then compiled and translated the stolen files into reports for PLA and AVIC use. The theft focused on high-value components like radar modules, engine cooling methods, leading/trailing edge treatments, and stealth contours, allowing China to reverse-engineer and integrate these into its jets. This supply-chain-focused approach exploited the distributed nature of the F-35 program, where thousands of subcontractors shared sensitive information.

China pursued this theft to close the technological gap with the United States in stealth aviation, shortcutting decades of independent R&D and saving billions in development costs. Su Bin himself described the goal in emails as enabling China to “stand easily on the giant’s shoulders” and rapidly catch up to U.S. levels. The stolen F-35 secrets directly supported PLA modernization efforts, enhancing regional air dominance, countering U.S. forces, and positioning China for global fighter exports. By acquiring proven designs rather than innovating from scratch, China accelerated its transition to fifth-generation capabilities.

The operation’s success led to design modifications in Chinese jets, such as updated inlets, stabilizers, and radar integrations resembling F-35 elements. Su Bin received a 46-month prison sentence in the U.S., highlighting the severity of the breach. U.S. defense officials have repeatedly stated that this theft—part of broader Chinese cyber campaigns—compromised dozens of weapons systems and represents one of the most damaging instances of state-sponsored espionage, with lasting impacts on American military superiority despite ongoing efforts to secure supply chains. China continues to deny involvement, but court records, guilty pleas, and declassified U.S. assessments confirm the theft occurred.