(Newser)
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The US military's planes and helicopters are full of counterfeit electronic parts, most of which originated in China, according to a new Senate report. The year-long Armed Services Committee probe identified 1,800 cases of fake parts being found in aircraft, particularly in Navy helicopters, cargo planes, and Poseidon jets. More than 70% of the fake parts hail from China, with the UK and Canada being the next-biggest culprits, the BBC reports.
"Rather than acknowledging the problem and moving aggressively to shut down counterfeiters, the Chinese government has tried to avoid scrutiny," the report complains. But it heaps just as much blame on the US supply chain and the Pentagon, saying the government's efforts to keep out fake parts were "woefully lacking." What's more, the Defense Department has reimbursed companies for costs they incurred because they failed to spot fake parts, giving them little incentive to sniff out future counterfeits.
