Retired Air Force Pilot Arrested for Illegally Training Chinese Military

Retired Air Force officer and former pilot Maj. Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. was arrested Feb. 25 in Jeffersonville, Ind., charged in a federal complaint for “providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization.”

“The United States Air Force trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our Nation. He now stands charged with training Chinese military pilots,” Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A. Eisenberg said in a statement.

When U.S. persons, whether military or civilian, provide training to foreign military, it is illegal unless they have a license from the U.S. State Department, Eisenberg said.

“Providing U.S. military training to our adversaries represents a significant threat to national security,” said Lee M. Russ, executive director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations’ Office of Special Projects. “AFOSI remains committed to countering the threat posed by those who violate the trust placed in them and endanger our service members.”

Since at least August 2023, Brown allegedly “conspired with foreign nationals and U.S. persons to provide combat aircraft to pilots in the Chinese Air Force,” according to federal documents. The Chinese Communist Party’s armed forces are formally known as the People’s Liberation Army, with its aerial forces known as the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

Brown allegedly began arranging the terms of his contract to train Chinese military pilots using a co-conspirator to negotiate with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national who pleaded guilty in federal court in 2016 to conspiring to hack into the computer networks of major U.S. defense contractors and steal sensitive military and export-controlled data for the Chinese government.

The Justice Department says that throughout his correspondence, Brown repeatedly stated his intent to train Chinese military pilots in combat operations. The resume he prepared for his application listed his objective as instructor fighter pilot. A co-conspirator told Brown he hoped that Brown would be assigned to his base, “but otherwise you’ll go where there is the local equivalent as the [U.S. Air Force] Weapons School.”

Brown later told the co-conspirator upon his arrival in China: “Now … I have the chance to fly and instruct fighter pilots again!”

In December 2023, he traveled to China to begin his instructor work with Chinese military pilots. His first day there, he answered questions for three hours about the U.S. Air Force and, on his second day, presented a brief about himself for the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

He stayed in China until returning to the United States in early February, per the Justice Department release.

Brown served 24 years in the Air Force, leaving active duty in 1996. He commanded sensitive units responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems, led combat missions, and served as a fighter pilot and simulator instructor on aircraft including the F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt II, per the Justice Department.

He later served as a commercial cargo pilot and, more recently, as a contract simulator instructor for two U.S. defense contractors, training U.S. military pilots to fly the A-10 and F-35.

According to the release, Brown’s charges are similar to those of former Marine Corps pilot Daniel Edmund Duggan, who was charged in a similar manner in September 2017. Duggan is alleged to have trained Chinese military pilots on aircraft carrier takeoff and landing tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Authorities arrested Duggan in Australia in October 2022. He is currently being extradited to the United States.

As early as 2022, there have been reports that Western pilots are being targeted by China to train Chinese military pilots.

The Aviationist reported that 30 former British pilots had been recruited by China since late 2019, with offers of $270,000 annual salaries.

But the British newspaper Express reported in 2022 that some of those same pilots were tasked by U.K. officials with collecting intelligence on China while in the country. All the pilots had left China, and the “operation” had ended as of 2022, according to the report.

The French newspaper Le Figaro also reported that China had been seeking French instructors for their expertise in aircraft carrier landings.

A 2024 bulletin from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence alerted individuals about efforts by the Chinese government to recruit current and former military personnel from NATO nations and other Western countries.

“The insight the PLA gains from Western military talent threatens the safety of the targeted recruits, their fellow service members, and U.S. and allied security,” said Brig. Gen. Amy Bumgarner, commander of AFOSI. “AFOSI, alongside our law enforcement and counterintelligence counterparts, will continue our unrelenting pursuit of any adversary jeopardizing our people, security, or resources to ensure the Air Force’s ability to fly, fight, and win in a future conflict.”

The United States and NATO addressed attempts by China to manipulate trained Airmen at the Securing Our Military Expertise from Adversaries Conference at NATO Allied Air Command, Ramstein Air Base, in early 2024.

The conference was the first of its kind focused on the ongoing problem, according to the release.

Officials noted that Chinese agents have targeted individuals such as pilots, maintainers, air operations center personnel, and other technical experts who can provide knowledge of U.S. and NATO tactics, techniques, and procedures.

In early 2025, Air Force commanders issued statements warning both current and former service members to be aware of efforts by private aviation companies with Chinese military ties trying to recruit them.

“To do this, the [People’s Liberation Army] has used private companies, like the Test Flying Academy of South Africa, Beijing China Aviation Technology Co., and Stratos, to hire former fighter pilots from Canada, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Australia, the United States and other Western nations to train PLA Air Force and Navy aviators,” according to a press release issued in February 2025 by U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa.

Officials ask that individuals contacted by such agencies immediately contact the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

Gen. James B. Hecker, then-commander of NATO Allied Air Command and U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa, issued his warning to U.S. and Allied aircrew members to avoid job offers from privately owned aviation companies backing China.

Hecker’s warning came after an update to German defense laws in January 2025. The update imposed harsher penalties on German-trained service members who provide such services or military intelligence to foreign militaries.

Both the United Kingdom and Belgium passed similar laws in 2023 and 2024, respectively.

“Once you fly on our team, even after you hang up your uniform, you have a responsibility to protect our tactics, techniques, and procedures,” Hecker said. “The new laws passed last year are proof that allies will seek to hold individuals accountable when they compromise the safety of our teammates by pursuing employment backed by our adversaries. We welcome these legal changes and encourage other allies to consider similar measures.”