Chinese-Linked Defense Contractor Holds Key Role In US Military Supply Chain

A U.S. defense contractor producing critical components for fighter jets and missile systems is under scrutiny due to its CEO’s ties to Chinese Communist Party (CCP) intelligence networks. S&L Aerospace Metals LLC, a New York-based supplier to the Pentagon, is led by Jerry Wang, who has been linked to organizations affiliated with the CCP’s United Front Work Department (UFWD).

Wang, also known as Wang Jue, has attended multiple events alongside high-ranking CCP officials, including Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Chinese state media and government records identify him as a “director” and “deputy chairman” within UFWD-associated groups. Through legal representation, Wang has denied political affiliations but has not disputed his presence at these gatherings.

S&L Aerospace has secured approximately $60 million in defense contracts, supplying key components for Lockheed Martin’s F-16 and F-35 fighter jets, Boeing’s F-15 and F/A-18 Hornet and missile launch systems. Despite these military contracts, Wang’s long-standing associations with Chinese influence operations have alarmed national security experts and lawmakers.

Rep. John Moolenaar (R-MI), chair of the House Select Committee on the CCP, called for immediate action, stating that allowing CCP-affiliated individuals into the U.S. defense supply chain is a “dangerous vulnerability.” L.J. Eads, a former U.S. Air Force intelligence analyst, criticized the Pentagon’s vetting process, describing it as a “self-disclosure system” that fails to detect foreign influence.

Adding to concerns, S&L Aerospace holds a position on a Department of Homeland Security (DHS) council overseeing critical manufacturing security. The company has insisted there is no foreign influence within its operations but has not explained Wang’s connections to the CCP’s intelligence network.

Neither the Department of Defense (DOD) nor DHS has responded to multiple inquiries about S&L Aerospace’s role in U.S. military production. With national security risks mounting, pressure is growing to remove foreign-linked entities from America’s defense infrastructure.