F-35 data theft helps US adversaries: Pentagon
WASHINGTON – Reuters
![F-35 data theft helps US adversaries: Pentagon](http://image.hurimg.com/i/hurriyet/75/0x0/59c7d42a45d2a027e83b2446.jpg)
The Pentagon’s acquisitions chief says a lot of F-35 data is being stolen. Company photo
The theft of sensitive design data by hackers targeting programs like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter takes away a big U.S. advantage by allowing rivals to speed up development of their own stealth aircraft, a top Pentagon official said on June 19.Defense acquisitions chief Frank Kendall told a Senate hearing he was reasonably confident that classified information related to the development of the F-35 was well-protected.
“But I’m not at all confident that our unclassified information is as well-protected,” he said.
“A lot of that is being stolen right now and it’s a major problem for us,” Kendall told a Senate hearing on development of the Lockheed Martin fighter, a so-called fifth generation aircraft capable of evading radar and integrated air defense systems.
The F-35 is the costliest weapons program in U.S. history and the country builds it with eight international partners including Turkey.