B2 secrets stolen by Chinese

[bj229r]

Well so much for THAT 29 gazillion dollars spent putting us out front:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20061123-122450-1979r.htm

China obtained secret stealth technology used on B-2 bomber engines from a Hawaii-based spy ring in a compromise U.S. officials say will allow Beijing to copy or counter a key weapon in the Pentagon's new strategy against China.
    Details of the classified defense technology related to the B-2's engine exhaust system and its ability to avoid detection by infrared sensors were sold to Chinese officials by former defense contractor Noshir S. Gowadia, an Indian-born citizen charged with spying in a federal indictment released by prosecutors in Hawaii.
    Additionally, Mr. Gowadia provided extensive technical assistance to Chinese weapons designers in developing a cruise missile with an engine exhaust system that is hard to detect by radar, according to court papers made public recently.
    He also helped the Chinese modify a cruise missile so that it can intercept U.S. air-to-air missiles, and helped Chinese weapons designers improve testing and measurement facilities, the court papers state.
    Most of the indictment, handed up Nov. 8, outlines how the engineer helped China develop a radar-evading stealth exhaust nozzle for a cruise missile engine.
    Additionally, the court papers indicated that Mr. Gowadia sent e-mails to Israel, Germany, and Switzerland in 2002 and 2004 that contained data labeled "secret" and "top secret" that was related to U.S. stealth technology intended for use in the TH-98 Eurocopter and for foreign commercial aircraft.
    One computer file found in Mr. Gowadia's Maui, Hawaii, home was a file containing the radar cross-sections of U.S. B-1 and F-15 jets and the Air Force's air-launched cruise missile, information that would be useful to countering those systems by anti-aircraft missiles or other air defense weapons.
    The case is the second major military technology espionage case involving China. Earlier this year, two Chinese-born brothers in Los Angeles were arrested as suspects in passing Navy warship and submarine weapons secrets to China.
    In all, Mr. Gowadia is charged with making at least six secret visits to China from 2002 through 2005, and being paid at least $110,000 by Chinese officials for highly classified defense technology supplied through January, according to court papers. Investigators think he was paid as much as $2 million, some of which remains in foreign bank accounts.
    The first known compromise was Mr. Gowadia's lecture in a foreign country in 1999 that involved the disclosure of defense secrets..

[deSelys]

I blame the new James Bond.

[Catalyst]

money talks....

secrets walk...

[StarOfAfrica2]

I have to take a couple of exceptions to this.  

First of all, there was no "spy ring".  It was one guy, who owned a house on Maui, and happened to be arrested there.  No one else was arrested.  This happened over a year ago.  '

Second, there is absolutely, positively, NO evidence that he sold anything to the Chinese except the technology relating to materials and design of B-2 air intake ducts and engine exhaust ducts.  Granted, these are essential components of the B-2's stealth technology and radar avoidance, but they arent exactly super high top secret.  One good photo and some decent engineers could get most of that.  

Third, just because information the man had access to was on his computer, does not mean he sold it to anyone.  While he DID work with the Chinese on developing a Cruise missile that's harder to detect, and worked with them to develop a system, to more easily detect incoming planes or missiles, he had nothing to do with guidance systems or "missile interceptors".  The govt. already has a conviction against him for selling the stealth info from the B-2.  What they wanted was to charge him with Treason, and what he sold was so minimal that they couldnt charge him that way.  So they go after him on the missile stuff.  They want a hanging offense.  Period.

Now, I'm not defending the guy.  He sold out his country, no matter how minor it was, and thats inexcusable.  I personally think we should fly him low over Bejing and just drop him without a parachute.  But I also dont agree with what prosecutors are doing now.  They got their conviction but didnt like the sentence, so they are trying to make him appear worse than he was so they can get capital punishment.

[FiLtH]

Kill him.

[Masherbrum]

Originally posted by FiLtH
Kill him.

Couldn't agree more.

[DiabloTX]

The first known compromise was Mr. Gowadia's lecture in a foreign country in 1999 that involved the disclosure of defense secrets...The new indictment states that Mr. Gowadia continued to be engaged in a conspiracy to sell classified technology through January 2006.



Ya think some lights would have went off back in '99???  I smell Clinton...

[Pei]

Originally posted by DiabloTX
The first known compromise was Mr. Gowadia's lecture in a foreign country in 1999 that involved the disclosure of defense secrets...The new indictment states that Mr. Gowadia continued to be engaged in a conspiracy to sell classified technology through January 2006.



Ya think some lights would have went off back in '99???  I smell Clinton...

I knew it would be his fault, eventually.

[john9001]

Mr. Gowadia never had sex with the chinese, not one time.

[Habu]

Kill him.

[SFRT - Frenchy]

Holly Benjamin, franklin ... $110,000? As in One hundred and 10 THOUSAND? What kind of looser are we talking about? Can't even buy a freacking Ferrari.