Inquiry Into Counterfeit Electronic Parts in the Department of Defense Supply Chain

In March of 2011, the Senate Armed Services Committee initiated an investigation into counterfeit electronic parts in the Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain. The investigation uncovered overwhelming evidence of large numbers of counterfeit parts making their way into critical defense systems. It revealed failures by defense contractors and DOD to report counterfeit parts and gaps in DO D's knowledge of the scope and impact of such parts on defense systems. The investigation exposed a defense supply chain that relies on hundreds of unvetted independent distributors to supply electronic parts for some of our most sensitive defense systems. And, it found overwhelming evidence that companies in China are the primary source of counterfeit electronic parts in the defense supply chain.