Vast numbers of counterfeit Chinese electronic parts are being used in US military equipment, a key Senate committee has reported. A year-long probe found 1,800 cases of fake parts in US military aircraft, the Senate Armed Services Committee said.
More than 70% of an estimated one million suspect parts were traced back to China, the report said. It blamed weaknesses in the US supply chain, and China's failure to curb the counterfeit market.
The failure of a key part could pose safety and national security risks and lead to higher costs for the Pentagon, the committee said.
US servicemen rely on a variety of "small, incredibly sophisticated electronic components" found in night vision systems, radios and GPS devices and the failure of a single part could put a soldier at risk, the report said.
It highlighted suspect counterfeit parts in SH-60B helicopters used by the Navy, in C-130J and C-27J cargo planes and in the Navy's P-8A Poseidon plane. After China, the UK and Canada were found to be the next-largest source countries for fake parts.
A U.S. Army general accused of sexual assault was set to plead guilty to three lesser...
The Army has disqualified 588 soldiers as sexual assault counselors, recruiters and drill sergeants for infractions...
Barack Obama formally ordered the Pentagon on Tuesday to make plans for a full pullout of...
