Ex-Air Force, Marine Pilots Accused of Helping China Reveal Broader Trend

When federal agents arrested retired Air Force Major Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. in Indiana in February 2026, prosecutors described him as exactly the kind of military aviator foreign governments would want to recruit: a former fighter pilot instructor and veteran of some of America’s most advanced military aviation programs.

Brown agreed to use that expertise to train pilots in China’s military without the authorization required by U.S. law, according to federal prosecutors. His arrest came as another former American military pilot, Daniel Edmund Duggan, continued fighting extradition from Australia on similar allegations. Together, the cases have become some of the most prominent examples of what U.S. officials describe as a broader effort by China to recruit former Western military personnel and use their experience to strengthen the People’s Liberation Army.

It reflects a broader pattern of China infiltrating different aspects of the U.S. military and government. Eileen Wang, the former mayor of the Arcadia City Council in California, pleaded guilty to being a Chinese foreign agent who pushed propaganda directly from her pulpit as the head of the municipality. She faces up to 10 years in prison.

In April, the Department of Justice announced that Tianrui Liang, 21, of China, was charged with conduct related to allegedly illegally documenting Air Force planes located at Offutt Air Force Base in Bellevue, Neb.

Brown’s Post-Military Career Raised Eyebrows

Brown spent more than 24 years in the Air Force and retired with the rank of major, according to court filings.

During that time, he flew combat missions during Operation Desert Storm, commanded units responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems, served as a fighter pilot instructor, and held security clearances that reached the Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information level.

His military career included flying the F-4 Phantom II, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-111 Aardvark, A-10 Thunderbolt II, and AT-38 trainer aircraft. Personnel records cited by prosecutors describe him as a squadron “Top Gun” pilot and a leader in multiple combat and operational assignments.

After leaving active duty, Brown spent years in civilian aviation. He flew cargo aircraft for UPS and traveled to China more than 30 times while working in that role. He was terminated from said role in 2017 after it was determined he caused a physical altercation in the cockpit of a UPS aircraft during a flight.

Due to that altercation, his FAA pilot’s license was revoked in 2018. He briefly worked as a simulator instructor for a cargo company in Florida in 2019-20. Brown also worked with defense contractors supporting U.S. military training programs.

Prosecutors said Brown trained American pilots on the A-10 and F-16 in South Korea. He lost that position in 2022, however, after being accused of creating a hostile work environment and sexual harassment of trainees.

He later worked for Lockheed Martin as an F-35 simulator instructor before losing that position in 2023 after being unable to obtain the required security clearance due to his previous work-related incidents.

The Alleged Recruitment

Federal investigators allege that Brown’s path to China began in 2023 through a former Ecuadorian Air Force pilot already working as an instructor in China.

According to messages cited in the affidavit, the recruiter told Brown that Chinese military aviation programs were looking for experienced fighter pilots. Brown allegedly responded enthusiastically. When told that fighter pilots were needed, prosecutors said he replied, “I’m in!”

According to investigators, Brown submitted a résumé titled “Instructor Fighter Pilot” and listed his objective as “Tactical Aviation Employment.” The résumé highlighted his decades of military aviation experience and thousands of hours in fighter aircraft.

Prosecutors allege that Chinese recruiters quickly expressed interest and discussed placing Brown at what participants described as the Chinese equivalent of the U.S. Air Force Weapons School, one of the Air Force’s premier tactical training institutions.

The affidavit also contains messages that prosecutors say show Brown understood the sensitivity of the arrangement. In one exchange, Brown allegedly stated, “I think we better keep this quiet.” In another, he allegedly asked others not to tell people he was coming to China.

Prosecutors also cite messages in which Brown stressed keeping the arrangement off social media and discussed secure methods of communication.

Brown ultimately accepted an offer and traveled to China in December 2023, according to the affidavit. Prosecutors allege he later spent hours answering questions about the U.S. Air Force and provided presentations to members of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force.

hey further allege that he remained in China until returning to the United States in early 2026.

The Duggan Connection

The Brown case is not the first time federal prosecutors have accused a former American military pilot of helping train Chinese military personnel.

Daniel Edmund Duggan spent years flying military aircraft as a Marine Corps aviator before relocating to Australia in 2002. He later renounced his U.S. citizenship and became an Australian citizen in 2012.

Prosecutors allege that between 2010 and 2012, Duggan worked through the Test Flying Academy of South Africa, commonly known as TFASA, to provide military flight training to Chinese military personnel.

According to the indictment, Duggan allegedly trained Chinese military pilots in tactics, techniques and procedures associated with aircraft-carrier operations. Carrier aviation is one of the most technically demanding disciplines in military aviation and has long been viewed as a strategic priority for China’s military modernization efforts.

The connection between the two cases runs deeper than the allegations themselves.

Brown’s affidavit identifies Chinese national Stephen Su Bin as a key figure in the recruitment effort. Su Bin previously pleaded guilty in the United States to participating in a conspiracy to hack major U.S. defense contractors and steal military-related information for China. The affidavit further states that Su Bin had prior ties to TFASA and had previously worked with Duggan.

Prosecutors cite messages showing that participants in Brown’s alleged recruitment effort were discussing Duggan’s indictment while evaluating their own legal exposure. One individual allegedly sent another a copy of Duggan’s indictment and commented that it “spells it out clearly” regarding the legal risks associated with training Chinese military pilots.

Australian authorities arrested Duggan in October 2022 at the request of the United States. Since then, he has fought extradition through Australia’s court system while maintaining his innocence.

In April 2026, however, Duggan suffered a major setback when an Australian federal judge rejected his latest appeal challenging the extradition process. Although additional legal options remain available, the ruling moved him significantly closer to being transferred to the United States to stand trial.

Military Expertise as a Strategic Asset

Neither Brown nor Duggan is accused of stealing classified documents or engaging in traditional espionage. Instead, prosecutors argue that military expertise itself can be a controlled export.

Under the Arms Export Control Act and related regulations, military training and defense services generally require authorization before they can be provided to foreign governments or foreign military organizations.

Federal officials argue that experienced military aviators possess decades of knowledge about tactics, techniques, operational planning and combat aviation that took enormous amounts of time and money to develop. The United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom have jointly warned that China’s military continued targeting current and former military personnel from NATO countries and other Western nations to strengthen the capabilities of the People’s Liberation Army.

Both men are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court. The cases have become a focal point in a broader struggle over whether military expertise can be treated as a strategic asset long after a service member leaves uniform.