A former US Air Force F-35 instructor, Major (Ret’d) Gerald Brown Jr, 65, has been arrested in Indiana for allegedly providing tactical training to the China military without authorization. Brown, an elite fighter pilot with decades of experience, reportedly used a co-conspirator, Stephen Su Bin, to negotiate a contract to train Chinese pilots on combat aircraft operations.
The US Department of Justice said Brown consistently stated his intent to instruct PRC military pilots and traveled to China in December 2023 to carry out the training. He returned to the US in early February 2026. Brown previously served 24 years in the US Air Force, leading combat missions and commanding units with responsibility for nuclear weapons delivery systems.
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After retiring in 1996, Brown flew commercial cargo aircraft and later worked for US defence contractors training pilots on the A-10 and F-35. According to authorities, providing such training to a foreign military without a State Department licence violates the Arms Export Control Act (AECA) and poses a serious national security risk.
Assistant Attorney General for National Security John A Eisenberg said the US entrusted Brown with national defence but now charges him with illegally aiding China. Lee M Russ, executive director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, added that US military training for adversaries represents a critical threat to national security.
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Brown’s alleged actions coincide with concerns over China developing its own F-35 equivalent, the J-35A, which debuted in 2024. The investigation highlights ongoing US vigilance to protect military technological advantages and prevent unauthorised transfer of sensitive combat expertise.