FBI Arrest Reveals China's Strategies to Enhance Military Recruitment

Gerald Eddie Brown, Jr., a former United States Air Force officer with over two decades of service, has been arrested by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for allegedly providing unauthorised combat aircraft training to Chinese military pilots. This incident underscores China's efforts to modernise its military capabilities by recruiting foreign experts with knowledge of Western military operations.

Brown, who served for 24 years in the Air Force, was taken into custody for betraying his country by training members of the People's Liberation Army (PLA). His arrest highlights the growing concern that Beijing is tapping into Western military talent to bolster its defence forces. According to a bulletin issued by the United States, along with allied nations including Australia, the United Kingdom, Canada, and New Zealand in 2024, China has been actively seeking the expertise of current and former military personnel from NATO and other Western nations for this purpose.

The United States Department of Justice reported that Brown, known by his call sign 'Runner,' has faced a criminal complaint. The allegations include providing and conspiring to provide defence services to Chinese military pilots without the necessary authorisation, in violation of the Arms Export Control Act.

Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division, commented, "Gerald Brown, a former F-35 Lightning II instructor pilot with decades of experience flying U.S. military aircraft, allegedly betrayed his country by training Chinese pilots to fight against those he swore to protect." Rozhavsky reiterated that the Chinese government is exploiting the knowledge of former U.S. military individuals to further its military goals.

US Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro emphasised the gravity of Brown’s actions, stating that as an Air Force officer, he took an oath to defend the nation from adversaries. She asserted that by breaking this oath, Brown endangered both American servicemembers and international allies.

Lee M. Russ, executive director of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Office of Special Projects, indicated that offering military training to potential adversaries poses a significant threat to national security.

The investigation reveals that Brown began negotiating a contract to train PLA pilots around August 2023, enlisting the help of a co-conspirator to interact with Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national previously convicted of hacking into major U.S. defence contractors' networks.

Brown's trip to China took place in December 2023, during which he participated in a three-hour session answering questions about the U.S. Air Force. He also provided a self-introduction to the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF). After this trip, he returned to the United States in early February 2026.

This case is reminiscent of another incident involving a former United States Marine Corps pilot, Daniel Edmund Duggan, arrested in Australia in October 2022 for training Chinese military pilots without proper authorisation. Duggan is awaiting extradition to the U.S. to face similar charges under the Arms Export Control Act.

As international tensions continue to evolve, the implications of such collaborations between former Western military personnel and foreign armed forces are under scrutiny, raising questions about national security and the integrity of military expertise.