Retired Air Force major allegedly trained Chinese military fighter pilots — and is linked to spying, hacking network

A former Air Force major was arrested for allegedly training Chinese military pilots in a scheme arranged by a Chinese national who admitted stealing U.S. military secrets.

65-year-old Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. flew to China in Dec. 2023 to train pilots and returned in February of this year, according to the Dept. of Justice. He was arrested on Feb. 18 and charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese pilots without U.S. government authorization.

'He broke that oath and betrayed the country, jeopardizing the safety of our service members and allies.'

More significantly, Brown is also allegedly linked to Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese man who pleaded guilty in 2016 to conspiring to hack into U.S. defense contractors' computer networks and steal sensitive military data for the Chinese People's Liberation Army.

Su Bin was sentenced to four years in prison, and he was placed on the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Entity List in 2014, along with his company PRC Lode Technology Company.

The DOJ says Brown answered questions about the U.S. Air Force for about three hours on his first day in China and then presented a brief for the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air Force on the second day.

The U.S. has warned that China is actively targeting Western countries in spying operations.

"China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) continues to target current and former military personnel from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations and other Western countries to help bolster the PLA’s capabilities," read a warning in a joint 2024 statement from the U.S., the U.K., Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.

Brown was known by the call sign "Runner" during his 24 years in the U.S. Air Force. He could face significant prison time if convicted.

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"As an Air Force Officer, Brown took an oath to defend our nation against all enemies foreign and domestic. He broke that oath and betrayed the country, jeopardizing the safety of our service members and allies," said U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro about the case.

"We will hold Brown, and anyone conspiring against our nation, accountable for their actions," she added. "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."

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