A U.S. defense contractor manufacturing fighter jet and missile system components is under scrutiny over its CEO’s connections to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intelligence networks. Jerry Wang, head of S&L Aerospace Metals LLC, has been linked to groups associated with the CCP’s United Front Work Department (UFWD), an arm responsible for expanding Beijing’s influence abroad.
S&L Aerospace has received millions in defense contracts from the Department of Defense, providing parts for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and Boeing’s F-15 aircraft, among others. Despite this, Wang has attended numerous CCP-affiliated events, appearing in Chinese government records as a director in UFWD-related organizations.
Photographs and media reports document Wang at high-profile Chinese government gatherings, including events alongside Chinese leader Xi Jinping. In 2006, Wang was seen presenting a statue to Xi, then a top CCP official. More recent photos from 2019 show Wang applauding Xi at a conference in Beijing. His legal team denies foreign political ties but has not refuted the authenticity of the images.
Concerns over Wang’s affiliations have been raised by security analysts and lawmakers. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP, stated that CCP-linked individuals should never have access to U.S. defense supply chains. Former U.S. Air Force analyst L.J. Eads described the situation as a severe national security vulnerability.
Adding to the controversy, S&L Aerospace sits on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) council overseeing critical manufacturing security. While the company insists that it operates without foreign influence, it has not provided an explanation for Wang’s long-standing involvement with CCP-linked organizations.
Neither the Pentagon nor DHS has commented on whether they plan to review S&L Aerospace’s contracts. Meanwhile, calls for increased oversight into defense supply chain security continue to grow.
