The U.S. Department of Justice has announced the arrest of Gerald Eddie Brown Jr., a 65-year-old former Air Force major and elite F-35 instructor, for allegedly conspiring to provide unauthorized defense services to the Chinese military. Brown, known by his pilot call sign “Runner,” was taken into custody on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, in Jeffersonville, Indiana, shortly after returning to the United States from China. Federal prosecutors allege that starting in August 2023, Brown willfully conspired with foreign nationals to train pilots of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in advanced combat maneuvers. According to the indictment, Brown’s activities violated the Arms Export Control Act, as he lacked the mandatory State Department licenses required for U.S. citizens to provide military training to a foreign power.
Brown’s military career spanned over 24 years, during which he commanded sensitive units responsible for nuclear weapons delivery systems and served as a high-level instructor for several advanced aircraft, including the F-15, F-16, and the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II. After retiring from active duty in 1996, he reportedly worked as a contract simulator instructor for U.S. defense firms, training American pilots on the same technology he is now accused of compromising. Investigators claim that during his time in China, which began in December 2023, Brown provided detailed three-hour briefings on U.S. Air Force operations and conducted flight instruction. FBI officials have described the case as a significant betrayal of national security, noting that Brown was essentially training America’s adversaries to fight against the very service members he once led.
The arrest has sent shockwaves through the defense community, particularly as it marks the second high-profile case of its kind following the 2017 charges against former Marine pilot Daniel Duggan. Prosecutors revealed that Brown’s contract was allegedly negotiated through a co-conspirator linked to Stephen Su Bin, a Chinese national previously convicted of hacking U.S. defense contractors. In intercepted messages, Brown reportedly expressed excitement about the opportunity to “instruct fighter pilots again,” seemingly disregarding the legal and ethical implications of his actions. As he awaits his initial court appearance in Indiana, federal authorities have reiterated a stern warning: the U.S. will aggressively prosecute any current or former military personnel who attempt to sell their specialized combat expertise to foreign adversaries.
