Former US F-35 Pilot Arrested, Allegedly Trained Chinese Military Illegally

The US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the arrest of Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., a former US Air Force major, on charges of illegally training Chinese military pilots. Brown, who goes by the call sign ‘Runner’, was arrested in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on Wednesday, March 25th.

Federal prosecutors have charged Brown with violating the Arms Export Control Act. He is accused of providing defense services and combat air training to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of China without official authorization from the US government.

Brown is a veteran with over 24 years of service. During his military career, he was a pilot of elite fighter jets, including the F-4, F-15, and F-16. After retiring, he even worked as a simulator instructor for the US’s most advanced fighter aircraft, the F-35 Lightning II and A-10.

“The United States trained Major Brown to be an elite fighter pilot and entrusted him with the defense of our nation. Now, he is accused of training Chinese military pilots,” stated Assistant Attorney General for National Security, John A. Eisenberg.

Investigations reveal that since August 2023, Brown has been negotiating to train Chinese pilots. He is alleged to have collaborated with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese citizen who was previously convicted in the US for hacking sensitive data from American defense contractors.

Court documents show that Brown traveled to China in December 2023 to provide in-person training. In his summary, Brown openly expressed his enthusiasm for returning to train fighter pilots in China.

This case adds to the growing list of former Western military personnel who have been caught up in legal trouble for assisting in the modernization of the Chinese military, following a similar case involving former US Marine Corps pilot, Daniel Edmund Duggan. (Fox News/B-3)