‘Elite’ ex-US Air Force fighter jet pilot charged with providing defense services to the Chinese military
An “elite” former US Air Force officer and combat pilot was arrested Wednesday over allegations he spent years overseas training Chinese military pilots.
Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., 65, was arrested in Jeffersonville, Ind., and charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA).
“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 Eisenberg said in a statement.
“When US persons – whether military or civilian – provide training to a foreign military, that activity is illegal unless they have a license from the State Department,” Eisenberg added. “The National Security Division will use all tools at its disposal to protect our military advantages and hold to account those who would violate the AECA.”
Brown had been in China between December 2023 and February 2026, training military pilots for the US adversary, prosecutors allege. Jeffrey Greenberg/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Brown, who went by the call sign “Runner,” led combat missions, commanded sensitive units, was responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems and served as a pilot instructor for a variety of aircraft during his 24 years of service in the Air Force, according to the Justice Department.
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He trained US military pilots on how to fly the A-10 Warthog, F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon and the highly advanced F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, among other aircraft.
Around August 2023, Brown used a co-conspirator to negotiate a contract with a Chinese national to train military pilots for the People’s Republic of China (PRC), according to the criminal complaint against him.
The Chinese national, Stephen Su Bin, had previously pled guilty to conspiring to steal sensitive US military data from US defense contractors and his company was listed by the US government as a known entity of the Chinese government.
Throughout negotiations, Brown “consistently stated his intent to train PRC military pilots in combat aircraft operations,” according to the DOJ.
“Now…. I have the chance to fly and instruct fighter pilots again!” Brown allegedly wrote in a message to his co-conspirator when he arrived in China in December 2023.
Brown remained in China until he traveled back to the US in early February 2026.
“Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience flying US military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect,” Roman Rozhavsky, the assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, said in a statement.
“The Chinese government continues to exploit the expertise of current and former members of the US armed forces to modernize China’s military capabilities,” Rozhavsky warned. “This arrest serves as a warning that the FBI and our partners will stop at nothing to hold accountable anyone who collaborates with our adversaries to harm our service members and jeopardize our national security.”
US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Brown “betrayed the country” and “jeopardized the safety of our servicemembers and allies.”
“We will hold Brown, and anyone conspiring against our Nation, accountable for their actions,” Pirro asserted. “The Department of Justice and my prosecutors are steadfast in our commitment to use every lawful tool available to keep American military expertise where it belongs – here in America.”Former Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., warned in 2023 memo that China was attempting to lure US airmen to boost it’s own military with “too good to be true” job offers.
The People’s Liberation Army’s effort to target and recruit American military talent, including veterans, is part of a stealthy ploy by the Chinese government to “fill gaps in their military capability” and represents a growing threat to national security, Brown said at the time.
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