Exclusive | US clamp on critical software could cripple Hong Kong aviation, experts warn

Hong Kong’s aviation industry will suffer greatly if the United States slaps export curbs on American-made critical software to the city, experts have warned. The sector relied heavily on this technology, making it nearly impossible to find alternative solutions, they said. US President Donald Trump earlier threatened to curb the export of “any and all critical software” to China amid escalating trade tensions between the two superpowers. Trump’s threat to impose restrictions followed Beijing’s announcement of plans to expand export controls on rare earths –raw materials essential for producing hi-tech goods such as electric vehicles, smartphones and spacecraft. Technology experts were quick to urge the city’s public and private institutions to accelerate their plans to replace any US-made critical software and be prepared for a potentially “painful” transition. But some specialists warned that the aviation industry would be crippled if the US went ahead with the controls. They said it was “impossible” to replace essential software with systems that were not US-made, especially when Hong Kong airport and several airlines used American ones. The Civil Aviation Department’s (CAD) air traffic management system was provided by US-based Raytheon, which was responsible for any software update, said Warren Chim Wing-nin, deputy chairman of the Hong Kong Institution of Engineers’ aircraft division. US-based Honeywell Aerospace and Collins Aerospace were also among the major suppliers of flight management systems, while many carriers flew American-made Boeing aircraft, he added. Chim said Hong Kong’s aviation sector would be crippled if critical systems failed to receive software updates to fix bugs or upgrade their functions. In the worst-case scenario, if the US Federal Aviation Administration issued an airworthiness directive to correct an unsafe condition by requiring a flight control system upgrade, failing to comply would render any aircraft operations illegal, he said. “It will be impossible for Hong Kong to find alternative systems as even Airbus aircraft have US components such as engines and navigation systems,” he said. A CAD spokesman said the department had resilient measures in place, such as multiple layers of system and service backups, diverse suppliers and robust contingency arrangements, to ensure smooth and safe airport operations. “To safeguard the government’s interest, all contracts entered into between the CAD and its suppliers contain contractual terms requiring the suppliers to deliver the necessary equipment and services in full compliance with the requirements,” he said. The situation was being closely monitored to ensure continuous system and operational robustness, he added. Steven Dominique Cheung, chairman of the Hong Kong Professional Airline Pilots Association, agreed that it would be unfeasible for the city’s aviation sector to decouple from the US. If the industry failed to get new software or system updates, it would have an impact on safety and integration with the rest of the world, he said. “If our aircraft can’t get any replacement parts, the city’s aviation industry can’t function properly,” Cheung said. “We will lag behind the world in terms of aviation development. But there’s nothing Hong Kong can do if the US really imposes export controls on its critical software.” Cheung cited the example of Russia, which was forced to source and smuggle parts for its Airbus and Boeing jets through complex, indirect routes after Western nations imposed extensive sanctions on the country following its invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. “Russian aircraft are becoming increasingly outdated and old. They can still operate as they still have various sets of backup systems, but with tremendous safety risks,” he said. “In other words, the entire supply chain will be impacted as the issue concerns the ecosystem, not just about replacement of a system. Hong Kong’s aviation development would be hard hit without the supply of critical parts. The industry can still operate but will be marred by many disruptions.” Cheung said replacing an aviation system would be prohibitively expensive, with the process of transferring historical data expected to take an enormous amount of time and resources. “For airlines, changing to a new system is like running a new company [and] starting over from scratch. It’s not worth it.” A spokesman for the Airport Authority said its procurement strategy had always taken into account a broad range of factors including performance, security and resilience to ensure smooth and safe operations. “[We] will continue to adhere to this strategy, adopting a holistic package of technological and innovative solutions to further enhance services and operations,” he said. Greater Bay Airlines, which only uses Boeing aircraft, said it was closely monitoring the situation and emphasised that flight safety was the company’s top priority. “We have contingency plans in place for various scenarios that may impact the airline’s operations. Meanwhile, we will maintain close communication with respective regulatory bodies,” it said. Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific Airways and Hong Kong Airlines did not reply to the Post’s inquiries despite repeated requests.

.css-sioo19{color:#c79a00;}Exclusive | US clamp on critical software could cripple Hong Kong aviation, experts warn

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Civil Aviation Department says resilient measures in place to ensure smooth and safe airport operations

Exclusive | US clamp on critical software could cripple Hong Kong aviation, experts warn

Civil Aviation Department says resilient measures in place to ensure smooth and safe airport operations