Who is Noshir Gowadia, the India-born B-2 bomber project engineer turned Chinese spy?
As the United States' B-2 stealth bombers gain limelight following the US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, Indian-American Noshir S Gowadia's story from 2010 has also resurfaced. Noshir Gowadia had contributed to the development of the B-2 Spirit bomber's unique propulsion system and low observable capabilities.(X/@arctotherium42/Reuters)
Gowadia, a former B-2 stealth bomber engineer, was found guilty of selling sensitive and classified defence information to China in 2010 by a US federal jury. Follow Iran Israel war live updates
The former Northrop Grumman engineer, who helped design the B-2 stealth bomber, was also convicted of illegally communicating classified information three other times and unlawfully exporting technical information on those occasions, and filing false tax returns between 2001 and 2002. ALSO READ | What are B-2 Stealth Bombers and why US used it to target nuclear sites in Iran | Explained
"Gowadia provided some of our country's most sensitive weapons-related designs to the Chinese government for money,' David Kris, the Assistant Attorney General for National Security at the time, had said.
Gowadia, who was aged 66 in 2010, was sentenced to life imprisonment.
"This prosecution should serve as a warning to others who would compromise our nation's military secrets for profit. I commend the many prosecutors, analysts, and agents --including those from the FBI and the Air Force -- who were responsible for this investigation and prosecution," Kris had said. How did Noshir Gowadia sell intel to China?
Noshir Gowadia was first arrested in October 2005 for allegedly willfully communicating national defence information to a person not entitled to receive it.
Additional charges were added to his name in 2005, 2006, and again in 2007.
Gowadia worked for the Northrop Grumman Corporation from 1968 to 1986, contributing to the development of the B-2 Spirit bomber's unique propulsion system and low observable capabilities. ALSO READ | US B-2 bombers flew 37 hours non-stop, refueling mid-air to hit Iran nuclear sites
Northrop Grumman produces the B-2 stealth bomber, which can only be flown by the US Air Force.
Until 1997, the Indian-American engineer continued working on classified matters as a contractor with the US government. After that year, Gowadia's security clearance was terminated, HT had reported.
However, Norish Gowadia went the other way when he took six trips to China from July 2003 to June 2005. During these visits, the engineer provided defence service-related information to China in the form of designs, test support and test data analysis of technologies.
The US defence information was meant to help China with its cruise missile system by developing a stealth exhaust nozzle. Beijing paid Norish Gowadia at least US$110,000. ALSO READ | B-2 stealth bomber: How many bunker busters can it carry? Can it be detected? All FAQs answered
A PowerPoint presentation on the exhaust nozzle of a Chinese cruise missile project, evaluation of a redesigned nozzle, and prediction of Gowadia's modified exhaust nozzle helped the jury convict him.
Documents produced against the former engineer also included Gowadia's use of three foreign entities to mask the income he received from foreign countries.
Additionally, Gowadia was also convicted of underreporting his income and falsely denying the use of foreign bank accounts for the 2001-2002 tax convictions.
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