China 'stole Aust fighter plane design'

Top secret documents have reportedly revealed that Chinese spies stole key design information about Australia's new Joint Strike Fighter.

The documents, which were disclosed by former US National Security Agency intelligence contractor Edward Snowden to German magazine Der Spiegel, show that Chinese cyber spies stole "huge volumes" of sensitive military information relating to the plane.

The stolen information includes details of the fighter's radar systems, engine schematics, methods for cooling exhaust gas and "aft deck heating contour maps", Fairfax Media reports.

The Snowden documents reportedly confirm the Australian government has been informed of the cyber-espionage.