The U.S. Department of Justice has charged former Air Force officer Gerald Brown with providing illegal training to Chinese military pilots. Brown was arrested in Indiana.
In the United States, a former Air Force major was arrested on allegations of providing unauthorised defence services to Chinese military pilots. The U.S. Department of Justice claimed that Gerald Brown engaged in activities aimed at enhancing China’s military capabilities.
Allegation of “Betrayal of His Country”
Roman Rozhavsky, Assistant Director of the Counterintelligence and Espionage Division of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, alleged that Brown “betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he once swore to protect.”
Jeanine Ferris Pirro, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, stated that Brown and anyone acting in a similar manner would be held accountable before the courts.
Previous Similar Case: Daniel Duggan
The Department of Justice stated that the case bears similarities to that of former U.S. Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan, who was arrested in Australia in 2022. Duggan is accused of violating the U.S. Arms Export Control Act by providing flight training to Chinese military personnel.
Duggan’s extradition was approved in December 2024 by then Australian Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus. However, Duggan appeared before a court in Australia in October 2025 to challenge his extradition.
Joint Warning from Western Countries
In 2024, the governments of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom issued a joint security statement warning that China was targeting current and former NATO personnel. The statement emphasised that information obtained by the People’s Liberation Army from Western military expertise could pose risks to the security of allied nations.
Authorities warned that providing unauthorised training and defence services to foreign militaries could result in serious legal and criminal consequences.
