Retired Air Force Major Arrested for Training Chinese Pilots

Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., a retired U.S. Air Force major and former instructor on advanced fighter jets including the F-35, was arrested in Jeffersonville, Indiana, on Wednesday and charged with conspiring to provide unauthorized military training to pilots in China's People's Liberation Army Air Force.

The 65-year-old veteran faces charges under the Arms Export Control Act for allegedly delivering defense services without a required license from the U.S. State Department. According to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia, Brown traveled to China in December 2023 and remained there for more than two years, conducting training sessions until his recent return to the United States. Prosecutors allege that during his time in China, Brown answered questions about U.S. Air Force operations, prepared a presentation about his background for Chinese military officials and instructed pilots on combat aircraft techniques.

Brown's military career spanned 24 years, ending with his retirement in 1996 at the rank of major. He commanded units responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems, led combat missions and served as an instructor on aircraft such as...