Newsmax
Friday, November 24, 2006

A Hawaii-based spy ring sold secret U.S. stealth bomber technology to China.

According to the Washington Times, the technology relates to the B-2 bomber's engine exhaust system and its ability to avoid detection by infrared sensors. The Times reports that the information was 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.

Court papers also allege that Gowadia helped Chinese weapons designers develop a cruise missile with an engine exhaust system that is hard to detect by radar, and a missile that can intercept U.S. air-to-air missiles.

According to the Times, court papers say 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. He may have been paid as much as $2 million.

Gowadia worked for B-2 developer and manufacturer Northrop Aircraft Inc. from 1968 to 1989 as part of an ultrasecret special access program for the B-2, and later as a Northrop contractor involved in classified research on missiles and aircraft. He also worked at Los Alamos National Laboratory in the 1990s.