On Oct. 17, Virginia Congressman Randy Forbes ® wrote Defense Secretary Leon Panetta urging him to investigate a partnership between U.S. defense giant GE and China’s AVIC aviation company aimed at building civil integrated modular avionics systems based on those that were first developed for the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

“Given [the technology’s] military origin, I am deeply concerned, once in [China], it will wind up aiding the military aviation programs of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force, which is even now developing its J-20 fifth-generation fighter that appears intended to threaten U.S. air supremacy in East Asia,” reads Forbes’ letter to Panetta.

Lawmaker Worried U.S. Tech Could End Up in Chinese Jets