The Missouri Attorney General’s Office says 35-year-old Qilin Wu was arrested in early December after allegedly photographing Whiteman Air Force Base and a second U.S. Air Force installation. Investigators recovered 18 images and videos from his phone and say he admitted photographing another base. Wu reportedly entered the U.S. illegally near Nogales, Arizona, in June 2023 and faces one federal count that carries up to one year in prison.
Chinese National Arrested After Allegedly Photographing B-2 Stealth Bomber Base
Chinese national charged with photographing US stealth bomber base after illegal entry
The Missouri Attorney General’s Office says 35-year-old Qilin Wu, a Chinese national, was arrested in early December after authorities allege he took photographs and videos of Whiteman Air Force Base — home to the U.S. Air Force's B-2 Spirit stealth bomber fleet — and another unidentified Air Force installation.
A B-2 Spirit stealth bomber takes off from a field.
According to court documents, officers first encountered Wu on Dec. 2 near the perimeter of Whiteman AFB after a suspicious minivan with Massachusetts license plates was reported. Patrol officers say Wu told them he was there to observe the B-2 aircraft and was warned that photography and videography of the facility were prohibited.
A staff member directs a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber at Whiteman Air Force Base.
The next day, officers say the same minivan returned. Authorities arrested Wu and recovered a phone containing 18 images and videos the office says depicted perimeter fencing, a gate and military equipment. Investigators also report that Wu admitted he had photographed a second U.S. Air Force base and its aircraft; officials have not disclosed that location.
A fleet of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers are seen on a runway at Whiteman Air Force Base.
Court filings state Wu illegally entered the United States near Nogales, Arizona, on June 22, 2023. He was initially detained by immigration authorities but released due to limited detention space and given an immigration removal hearing scheduled for Feb. 9, 2027.
Charges and Investigation
Wu has been charged in federal court in the Western District of Missouri with one count of taking photographs of a protected military installation and military equipment without authorization. If convicted, he faces up to one year in federal prison.
The investigation involved the U.S. Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Air Force Security Forces and Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Note: Officials have not publicly identified the second Air Force installation Wu allegedly photographed.
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