Former Air Force Instructor Charged With Training Chinese Pilots

Justice Department alleges retired officer instructed foreign personnel without required authorization.

Zach Vasile

Thursday, February 26, 2026 at 12:45 PM ET

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Edited By:

Travis Tingle

F-35 Lightning II [Credit: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

Former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot Gerald Brown Jr. was arrested and charged with illegally training members of the Chinese military (People's Liberation Army).
Brown is accused of providing and conspiring to provide unauthorized defense services to Chinese military pilots, violating the Arms Export Control Act.
Prosecutors allege Brown, an experienced fighter pilot and instructor, lacked the required State Department license to provide such training to foreign military units.

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A former U.S. Air Force officer and pilot is accused of illegally training members of the People’s Liberation Army.

Gerald Brown Jr. was arrested Wednesday in Jeffersonville, Indiana, and charged with providing and conspiring to provide defense services to Chinese military pilots without authorization, according to the U.S. Justice Department. His actions violated the Arms Export Control Act, prosecutors said.