US detains former Air Force pilot over alleged training of Chinese military personnel

The United States Department of Justice on Wednesday announced the arrest of a former United States Air Force fighter pilot accused of illegally providing training to members of the Chinese military.

The suspect, Gerald Brown, 65, was taken into custody in Indiana after recently returning to the United States from China, where he had been living since December 2023, according to a statement from the Justice Department.

Brown is alleged to have conspired with foreign nationals to deliver combat aircraft training to pilots in the Chinese Air Force without obtaining the required authorization from the US State Department.

Confirming the arrest, Kash Patel, director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, said the operation involved coordinated efforts by the FBI and its partners, describing the case as a significant national security matter.

Court filings state that Brown served 24 years in the US Air Force, during which he held command roles involving sensitive units, including those linked to nuclear weapons delivery systems. He also flew combat missions and worked as a fighter pilot and simulator instructor on several fighter and attack aircraft platforms.

After retiring from military service in 1996, Brown reportedly worked as a cargo pilot before later becoming a US defense contractor, training pilots on aircraft such as the A-10 and the advanced F-35 fighter jet.

Investigators allege that in August 2023, Brown entered into contract negotiations with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national who previously served a four-year prison sentence in the United States following a separate espionage case. Brown is said to have travelled to China in December 2023 to commence the training assignment.

An official from the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, Roman Rozhavsky, said China continues to seek out the expertise of current and former US military personnel to advance its defence capabilities. He added that the arrest underscores the determination of US authorities to hold accountable anyone who collaborates with adversaries in ways that threaten national security or endanger American service members.