Overview
- Archer’s federal countersuit claims Joby and its agents misclassified thousands of pounds of China‑origin aircraft materials as consumer goods such as socks, hair clips and photo albums to evade tariffs and foreign‑influence oversight.
- The complaint alleges Joby relied on a Shenzhen, China, manufacturing subsidiary for critical components and benefited from Chinese government support and grants.
- Joby rejected the allegations, with attorney Alex Spiro calling them nonsense and accusing Archer of inventing theories.
- The countersuit responds to Joby’s November 2025 trade‑secret case that accuses Archer of using confidential information taken by former Joby employee George Kivork; that case is now in federal court.
- On the same day, DOT and FAA named both firms to new pilot projects across 26 states, with reporting indicating Archer in three and Joby in five, and Archer is seeking damages and Joby’s removal from those programs.