Former US Pilot Arrested for Secret Chinese Training

A former United States Air Force officer and elite fighter pilot has been arrested on allegations of clandestinely training Chinese military pilots without authorisation, the U.S. Department of Justice has confirmed.

The arrest took place in Indiana on Wednesday, when former Air Force Major Gerald Brown, 65, was taken into custody. He faces charges of conspiring to provide defence-related instruction to foreign military personnel without governmental approval, a serious federal offence.

Brown, once a distinguished instructor for the F–35 Lightning II, was widely known in the Air Force by his call sign “Runner.” During a 24-year military career, he led multiple combat missions and served as commander of a highly sensitive unit responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems. Following his departure from the Air Force in 1996, he worked as a commercial cargo pilot before providing training to U.S. military pilots on F–35 and A–10 aircraft as a defence contractor.

FBI Counterintelligence and Espionage Division Assistant Director Roman Rozavski stated,

“Brown betrayed his country by providing training to Chinese pilots, directly opposing those he had sworn to protect. This arrest serves as a warning to others.”

Washington D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro added, “All those conspiring against our nation will be held accountable for their actions.”

According to federal authorities, Brown travelled to China in December 2023, where he began training Chinese military pilots. He remained in China until early February 2026. The arrangement was facilitated by Chinese national Stephen Su Bin, who was previously convicted in 2016 for conspiring to steal U.S. military secrets via cyber attacks and sentenced to four years in prison.

This case bears resemblance to that of former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Dugan. Dugan, 57, an Australian citizen, was arrested in Australia in 2022 for providing training to Chinese forces and is currently challenging extradition to the United States.

Western nations have repeatedly warned of such practices. In 2024, the governments of the U.S., U.K., Australia, Canada, and New Zealand issued a joint advisory highlighting China’s efforts to exploit the expertise of current and former military personnel, including those from NATO countries, to enhance the People’s Liberation Army’s operational capabilities. The notice emphasised that unauthorised training of foreign military forces could result in both civil and criminal penalties.

Gerald Brown: Career Overview

The arrest of Brown highlights ongoing concerns over foreign recruitment of Western military expertise and the potential security risks posed to the United States and its allies.