Whiteman Air Force Base: Chinese national sentenced for photographing B-2 bombers

Qilin Wu, a Chinese national, has been sentenced to six months in federal custody and is awaiting deportation to China following the unauthorized photography of sensitive military assets at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri.

In December 2025, Wu was observed near the perimeter of the base, which serves as a primary location for the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber. Despite receiving a direct warning from security personnel not to photograph the installation, Wu returned to the site the following day. Investigators recovered 18 video clips from his phone containing footage of the B-2 bombers, base perimeters, entrances, and other military infrastructure. Wu also admitted to previously photographing military bases in Florida and Virginia.

The case utilized a Cold War-era legal framework, specifically a presidential executive order signed by Harry Truman and Title 18, Section 795 of the U.S. Code, which prohibits the unauthorized photographing or mapping of protected military facilities and equipment.

Colonel David Bethel, commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Region 8, stated that the case highlights a shift in the security environment, moving from overt overseas threats to more ambiguous activities occurring around domestic military installations. AFOSI officials emphasized that the pattern of behavior—returning after a warning and documenting infrastructure beyond just the aircraft—necessitated the investigation.