Plans for more than two dozen U.S. weapons systems - including an F35 fighter - have been stolen by Chinese hackers, claims Pentagon

Chinese hackers reportedly stole plans for confidential United States weapons systems according to a Pentagon report

The Chinese government denies these charges despite a growing US concern over cyber-espionage from the country

Pentagon officials say the cyber-theft can compromise United States military maneuvers in future combat

A confidential report from the Pentagon revealed that plans for over two dozen United States weapons systems were stolen by Chinese hackers.



The hackers, who are reportedly employed by the Chinese government to help advance their military system, have been a growing threat for some time now.



Amongst the systems stolen were those critical to US missile defenses for Europe, Asia, and the Gulf, and combat aircrafts and ships.



Chinese hackers stole plans for confidential United States weapons systems including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pictured here

The report prepared by the Defense Science Board went on to say that the hacking of US weapons systems by the Chinese poses major risks, according to The Washington Post.



These risks include giving China a strategic advantage in future combat against the US. The theft of government weapon plans also allows China to save billions in development funds, while simultaneously advancing their systems in great strides.

China denied the cyber-theft charges made in the report, but President Obama is expected to bring up the issue when he meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping next month.



Among the weapons compromised were the advanced Patriot missile system known as PAC-3 and the Navy's Aegis ballistic missile defense systems.



Plans for combat aircrafts including the F/A-18 fighter jet, the V-22 Osprey, the Black Hawk helicopter, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter were also stolen along with the Navy’s Littoral Combat Ship, designed to patrol waters close to shore.



The report did not state the exact extent of the cyber-thefts or specify whether they came from computer networks belonging to the US government, or their contractors and subcontractors.



Government officials say that the weapons system plans stolen by Chinese hackers could comprise future United States military revenuers. A V-22 Osprey pictured here is among the aircrafts for which plans were stolen

United States officials have had growing concerns about Chinese hacking tactics for sometime.

A spokesman for the Pentagon told the newspaper in an e-mail, 'The Department of Defense has growing concerns about the global threat to economic and national security from persistent cyber-intrusions aimed at the theft of intellectual property, trade secrets and commercial data, which threatens the competitive edge of U.S. businesses like those in the Defense Industrial Base.'



A public version of Defense Science Board's report noted that the recent cyber-thefts could have 'severe consequences for U.S. forces engaged in combat.'



Amongst those consequences are severing US forces' communication, data corruption, weapons failures, and possible plane, satellite, and drone crashes.



'If they got into the combat systems, it enables them to understand it to be able to jam it or otherwise disable it,” Winslow T. Wheeler, director of the Straus Military Reform Project at the Project on Government Oversight told The Post.



'If they’ve got into the basic algorithms for the missile and how they behave, somebody better get out a clean piece of paper and start to design all over again.'



Chinese hackers allegedly associated with the country's government stole United States missile plans for weapons such as Patriot missile batteries (pictured here)

Attempts are being made by the Pentagon to combat the escalating cyber-espionage. The government launched a program two years ago which helps defense contractors strengthen their computer firewalls.



The program allows independent companies to use classified data from the National Security Agency to scan their networks for malware.



However, the Chinese hackers have found ways to adapt and now are shifting their focus towards government subcontractors.



The Pentagon is currently expanding their computer defense programs to respond to these new threats.



In addition, independent contractors are also beginning to take precautions to prevent hacking.



An official from Lockheed Martin, a top defense contractor said the company is 'spending more time helping deal with attacks on the supply chain,' of subcontractors, the Post reported.

