Washington: Noshir Sheriarji Gowadia, a key figure in the development of the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and once hailed as a genius in American aerospace engineering, was sentenced to 32 years in prison for passing classified military secrets to foreign nations, including China. This case has gone down as one of the most serious acts of espionage in U.S. defense history.
Born in Mumbai in 1944, Gowadia immigrated to the United States at the age of 19 and became a citizen in 1969. He joined Northrop (now Northrop Grumman) in 1970, where he played a critical role in designing the infrared-suppressing exhaust system for the B-2 bomber—a project internally known as “Blueberry Milkshake.” His work made the B-2 nearly invisible to enemy radar and heat-seeking systems.
However, decades later, financial troubles led him down a darker path. After losing his security clearance in 1997 and purchasing a luxury home in Maui, Hawaii, Gowadia began secretly working with Chinese officials. In 2003, he provided classified designs for stealth technology that allowed cruise missiles to evade radar, receiving at least $110,000 in return.
An FBI raid on his Maui residence in 2005 uncovered 500 pounds of classified materials. He was charged under the Espionage Act and the Arms Export Control Act. During his trial in 2010, prosecutors proved he conspired to export national defense information and laundered money, among other charges. He was convicted on 14 of 17 counts.
“He violated his oath of allegiance to the United States,” said Judge Susan Oki Mollway during sentencing in 2011. Gowadia is currently serving his sentence at the high-security federal prison in Florence, Colorado.
Ironically, the B-2 bombers he helped engineer were used in Operation Midnight Hammer in June 2025—striking key Iranian nuclear sites with surgical precision, once again demonstrating the enduring impact of the very technology he once betrayed.
