26.02.2026 09:21
U.S. Air Force officer and former F-35 instructor pilot Gerald Eddie Brown Jr. was arrested on charges of training Chinese military pilots on how to fight against the U.S. Air Force.
A former officer and F-35 instructor pilot who served in the U.S. Air Force, Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., was arrested on charges of training Chinese military pilots and is facing federal charges. According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Brown is accused of providing defense services to pilots of the People's Liberation Army of China without obtaining the necessary permissions.
65-year-old Brown was taken into custody in Jeffersonville, Indiana. A criminal complaint was filed against him for conspiring to provide training to Chinese military pilots and to provide defense services in this context. This type of training service was alleged to have been provided without the mandatory permission required from the State Department.
TRANSFERRED HIS EXPERTISE TO CHINESE MILITARY PILOTS
It was stated that Brown flew advanced fighter jets such as the F-35 Lightning II during his base duty and also served as an instructor pilot in the U.S. Air Force. Department of Justice officials expressed that Brown had previously trained for the U.S. aviation advantage but is now accused of transferring that same expertise to Chinese military pilots.
PRESENTS A SERIOUS SECURITY RISK
The federal charges allege that Brown provided unauthorized defense services under the International Arms Sales Control Act. Officials noted that such services pose a serious risk to national security and that it is prohibited for U.S. personnel to provide training to foreign military units in this context.
Details regarding Brown's activities in China indicate that there are claims he participated in these trainings since 2023. The U.S. government stated that providing unauthorized training could weaken national security, and it was reported that the individual was arrested after returning to Turkey in 2026.
SIMILAR CASES HAVE COME TO LIGHT
This incident is considered part of international investigations into former military personnel facing similar charges. In previous years, other former U.S. military pilots had also faced legal proceedings for allegedly training Chinese pilots. Brown is expected to appear before a judge in southern Indiana in the coming days.