Retired US Air Force officer arrested for providing military training to China

A retired U.S. Air Force officer was arrested on February 25 on charges of providing military training to Chinese pilots without authorization. Sixty-five-year-old Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., once entrusted with the nation's most sensitive nuclear and stealth technology, now faces federal charges for allegedly selling that expertise in a direct violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA), as per the Department of Justice. 

"Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., also known by the call sign "Runner," 65, a U.S. citizen, was arrested today in Jeffersonville, Indiana. Brown was charged by criminal complaint for providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act (AECA)," the DOJ informed in a press release, adding that Brown Jr. will be appearing before a magistrate judge today, February 26.  

Who is Gerald Eddie Brown Jr.? 

With a career that spanned over 24 years before ending in 1996, Brown Jr. reached the rank of Major, commanded units responsible for nuclear weapons delivery, and served as an instructor for iconic aircraft, including the F-15 Eagle and A-10 Warthog, as per the DOJ. Most recently, he worked as a contract simulator instructor, training U.S. pilots on the F-35 Lightning II—the cornerstone of modern American air superiority.

"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," said Assistant Attorney General John A. Eisenberg. "When U.S. persons… provide training to a foreign military, that activity is illegal unless they have a license from the State Department."

What are the charges against Gerald Eddie Brown Jr.? 

Federal prosecutors allege that in August 2023, Brown began negotiating a contract to train PLAAF pilots. His intermediary was reportedly linked to Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national previously convicted in 2016 for hacking U.S. defense contractors to steal military data. Despite the risks, Brown seemed eager. In a resume submitted for the role, he listed his objective simply as "Instructor Fighter Pilot." After arriving in China in December 2023, he allegedly spent his first day answering questions about the U.S. Air Force for three hours. In a message to a co-conspirator, Brown reportedly exclaimed, "Now…. I have the chance to fly and instruct fighter pilots again!"

The arrest of "Runner" highlights a worrying trend of Western pilots being recruited by Beijing. FBI Assistant Director Roman Rozhavsky said that Brown "allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect," adding that the Chinese government "continues to exploit the expertise of current and former members of the U.S. armed forces to modernize China's military capabilities."