The B-2 Engineer Who Became a Spy: The Complex Case of Indian American Noshir Sheriarji Gowadia

In the rolling hills of Maui’s North Shore, overlooking the pristine waters of Uaoa Bay, stood a $3.5 million Mediterranean-style home with blue-tiled roofs and panoramic ocean views. On October 13, 2005, this tranquil paradise became the epicenter of one of the most significant espionage cases in American history. The man living there, Noshir Sheriarji Gowadia, was about to face a dramatic fall from grace—from celebrated defense engineer to convicted spy.

The Making of a Brilliant Engineer

Born on April 11, 1944, in Mumbai (then Bombay), India, to a Parsi family, Noshir Gowadia displayed exceptional intellectual prowess from an early age. According to Popular Mechanics, he was reportedly earning the equivalent of a Ph.D by age 15, marking him as a prodigy in engineering circles. In the summer of 1963, at just 19 years old, Gowadia arrived in the United States to pursue aeronautical engineering studies, seeking opportunities that would define both American military superiority and his eventual downfall.

Gowadia became a naturalized U.S. citizen on July 25, 1969, and about a year later landed a coveted position at Northrop Corporation (now Northrop Grumman). His timing was fortuitous—he joined the defense industry just as the U.S. military was ramping up efforts to develop revolutionary stealth technology in response to increasingly sophisticated Soviet air defenses.

Gowadia’s Role in the Stealth Revolution

The 1970s marked a turning point in military aviation. The Vietnam War had demonstrated America’s vulnerability to advanced air defenses, with thousands of aircraft shot down by surface-to-air missiles and anti-aircraft artillery. The 1973 Yom Kippur War further highlighted this threat when Israel lost 30 percent of its aircraft in just 10 days. The U.S. Air Force concluded that such losses in a potential Soviet conflict would devastate America’s entire aircraft fleet within two weeks.

Enter the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which launched a program to develop “invisible” aircraft. In 1981, after intense competition with Lockheed, Northrop won the contract to build what would become the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber—a $36 billion project that was 100 times larger than the previous F-117 stealth fighter contract.

At Northrop, Gowadia became instrumental in one of the B-2’s most critical innovations: its propulsion system. Working under the code name “Blueberry Milkshake,” he spent seven years developing the bomber’s revolutionary tailpipe system, which reduced the aircraft’s infrared, visual, and radar signatures. “The entire geometry came from me,” Gowadia would later claim, and by most accounts, this wasn’t mere boasting.

According to Popular Mechanics, the B-2’s stealth capabilities were extraordinary. The flying-wing design eliminated vertical stabilizers that reflect radar waves, while its curved surfaces deflected radar beams. Most impressively, Gowadia and his team developed systems to reduce engine heat signatures—tucking engines deep inside the fuselage, routing exhaust across the wing through flat nozzles, and even injecting chlorosulfonic acid into the exhaust to make contrails nearly invisible.

The result was remarkable: “The B-2 has the radar signature of a frisbee or a dinner plate,” aviation historian Peter Westwick noted. This revolutionary aircraft could carry 40,000 pounds of ordnance, fly 10,000 nautical miles with one refueling, and operate at 50,000 feet while remaining virtually undetectable.

From Success to Suspicion

Gowadia’s nearly two-decade career at Northrop came to an abrupt end in 1986 when, at age 42, he was diagnosed with a rare genetic blood disorder. Doctors warned that he could die without reducing his workload, according to John Shiffman’s book “Operation Shakespeare.” He left Northrop and launched his own defense consulting firm in Albuquerque, New Mexico, maintaining his top-security clearance for continued work on classified projects.

Gowadia’s activities first attracted law enforcement attention in spring 2004 when a furniture container addressed to him arrived in Honolulu. When Customs agents opened it, they discovered documents about aircraft infrared-suppression technology.

Initially, the transition seemed successful. Gowadia consulted on next-generation CIA reconnaissance aircraft, nuclear weapons projects at Los Alamos, security assessments for the F-22 stealth fighter, and even Air Force One upgrades. However, his relationship with the defense establishment began souring in 1993 over a DARPA contract dispute involving aircraft contrail elimination technology. When DARPA moved forward without him on what he believed would be a $2 million contract, Gowadia became embittered.

“I was one of the fathers of the U.S. Air Force Northrop B-2 Stealth Bomber, and its entire propulsion system was conceived and conceptually designed by me,” he wrote angrily to a relative. By 1997, his security clearance was terminated, effectively ending his relationship with the U.S. defense community.

The Path to Espionage

In 1999, Gowadia founded N.S. Gowadia Inc. and purchased his Maui property, taking out a construction loan for an $1.8 million home with monthly mortgage payments of $15,000. Prosecutors would later argue this financial pressure drove him to desperate measures.

Feeling unappreciated by his home country, Gowadia began aggressively soliciting business abroad. On October 23, 2002, he faxed a Swiss government official proposing infrared-reduction technology for helicopters—a proposal that allegedly contained top-secret classified information. Similar overtures followed to contacts in Israel, Australia, and Singapore, though none materialized into contracts.

But across the Pacific, China proved more receptive.

The China Connection

In July 2003, Gowadia made his first trip to mainland China, crossing from Hong Kong to Shenzhen accompanied by two men: Henry Nyo and Tommy Wong. Wong, who worked for China’s foreign experts bureau, served as Gowadia’s handler, while Nyo had facilitated initial meetings. Notably, Wong arranged for Gowadia to enter China without passport registration, concealing his travel.

The group traveled to Chengdu, a major center for Chinese fighter aircraft and cruise missile research. There, according to the government indictment, Gowadia delivered a PowerPoint presentation on “low-observable technologies”—stealth propulsion systems that could make missiles difficult to track through radar and infrared detection, similar to his B-2 work.

For this first week-long visit, Gowadia received $15,000 in cash. When customs officials questioned the money upon his return to Hawaii, he claimed it was for purchasing an antique desk overseas.

A Dangerous Partnership

Over the following three years, Gowadia made multiple trips to China, working on what prosecutors alleged was a stealth cruise missile exhaust nozzle project. Using email aliases—he was “Catch a Monkey” while Wong was “Fly Monkey King”—they negotiated terms and shared sensitive information.

The scope of Gowadia’s alleged assistance was extensive. According to the indictment, he:

• Designed low-observable exhaust nozzles to reduce infrared signatures
• Analyzed lock-on ranges of Chinese cruise missiles against U.S. air-to-air missiles
• Shared classified information about the B-2’s vulnerabilities
• Attended testing of the exhaust nozzle in Beijing in November 2004

The financial rewards were substantial: prosecutors alleged Gowadia received approximately $110,000 over three years, money he laundered through offshore accounts and a bogus Liechtenstein charity supposedly for children (though no charitable donations were ever made).

The Investigation and Arrest

Gowadia’s activities first attracted law enforcement attention in spring 2004 when a furniture container addressed to him arrived in Honolulu. When Customs agents opened it, they discovered documents about aircraft infrared-suppression technology. Subsequent airport searches before outbound flights yielded more suspicious materials.

The FBI spent over a year building their case, analyzing seized documents, surveilling Gowadia’s property, and conducting forensic financial analysis. On October 13, 2005, fifteen federal agents descended on his Maui home.

The arrest was almost anticlimactic. Special Agent James Tamura-Wageman found Gowadia gardening in his backyard, holding a garden tool. “We have an important matter of national security to discuss with you,” the agent explained. Though Gowadia initially refused handcuffs, he appeared nervous but calm, his hands trembling as agents secured the property.

The search was extensive, yielding 500 pounds of evidence in 40 boxes, including documents marked classified, six computers, thumb drives, and other electronic media containing restricted information.

The Confession and Trial

Perhaps most damaging to Gowadia’s case were his own statements during FBI interviews. Over 13 days of questioning in Maui and Honolulu—where agents housed him in hotels under the alias “Thatcher Steele”—Gowadia gradually revealed the extent of his activities.

His final statement, written on October 22, 2005, was unambiguous: “On reflection what I did was wrong to help the PRC make a cruise missile. What I did was espionage and treason because I shared military secrets with the PRC.”

The trial, delayed repeatedly due to security clearance issues for defense counsel and questions about Gowadia’s mental competency, finally began on April 12, 2010. Defense attorneys argued that Gowadia suffered from narcissistic personality disorder, making him incompetent to stand trial. They claimed his confessions were coerced and that he had only shared already-declassified information.

The prosecution’s case was overwhelming. After 41 days of trial and six days of jury deliberation, Gowadia was convicted on August 9, 2010, on 14 of 17 counts. On January 24, 2011, he was sentenced to 32 years in prison.

The Question of Guilt

Was Noshir Gowadia truly guilty of espionage, or was he a victim of prosecutorial overreach and his own psychological disorders? The evidence suggests a complex answer.

The Case for Guilt:

The prosecution’s evidence was extensive and largely built on Gowadia’s own admissions. His written confession explicitly acknowledged wrongdoing, and the physical evidence—classified documents, financial records, travel patterns, and electronic communications—painted a clear picture of systematic espionage activity.

The financial motive was credible: facing $15,000 monthly mortgage payments on his Maui home, Gowadia needed income after losing his security clearance. His methodical approach—using aliases, offshore accounts, concealed travel—suggested deliberate criminal intent rather than innocent consultation.

Ashton Gowadia maintains his father’s innocence, claiming the jury never saw exonerating evidence due to classification restrictions. “The entire narrative was controlled by the FBI,” he argues.

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Most damning was the nature of his assistance to China. He wasn’t merely sharing general engineering principles but was actively helping design weapons systems that could be used against American forces. His analysis of lock-on ranges for Chinese cruise missiles against U.S. air-to-air missiles had clear military applications.

Questions About the Case:

However, several factors complicate the narrative of straightforward guilt:

1. Mental Health Issues: Multiple psychological evaluations confirmed Gowadia suffered from narcissistic personality disorder. While this didn’t render him incompetent to stand trial, it may explain his grandiose sense of entitlement and poor judgment.
2. Classification Disputes: Defense witnesses, including scientists from GE and Northrop, testified that some information Gowadia allegedly shared may not have been properly classified or was already in the public domain.
3. Temporal Disconnect: Critics noted that Gowadia left Northrop in 1986, before the B-2’s test flights, raising questions about how current his knowledge actually was.
4. Coercion Claims: While denied by FBI agents, defense attorneys maintained that Gowadia’s confessions were obtained through psychological pressure and threats.

China’s Stealth Ambitions

The timing of Gowadia’s case coincided with China’s aggressive pursuit of stealth technology. When an F-117 stealth fighter was shot down during the Kosovo War, Chinese agents reportedly scoured the countryside, purchasing wreckage from local farmers for reverse engineering. This technology likely contributed to China’s J-20 stealth fighter, which made its maiden flight in 2011.

The H-20 stealth bomber project, which China announced in 2016, represents the ultimate prize. With an estimated range of 4,970 miles carrying 10 tons of bombs, it could put U.S. territories including Guam within striking distance. Lieutenant General Wang Wei’s 2024 statement that the H-20 faces “no technical difficulties” and is “coming soon” suggests China may have overcome developmental hurdles that once seemed insurmountable.

Whether Gowadia’s assistance significantly accelerated these programs remains classified, but the rapid progress in Chinese stealth technology since his cooperation is notable.

Personal Motivations: Money or Ego?

While prosecutors emphasized financial motives, Gowadia’s own words suggest deeper psychological drivers. In one FBI statement, he revealed his sense of betrayal: “These allegations are hurtful in light of 30 years of extraordinary service to the nation. I am extremely well respected around the world, except in my own country for which I have done so much.”

He added: “I now work with other countries because I want to help others to a certain point and also being respected. There are people who believe B-2 would have not happened without me.”

This suggests that wounded pride and a desire for recognition, as much as money, drove his actions. The Chinese, experts note, are skilled at exploiting such psychological vulnerabilities, making targets feel valued and appreciated in ways their home countries supposedly do not.

Life in Supermax

Today, Gowadia serves his sentence at USP Florence ADMAX in Colorado, America’s most secure prison, alongside notorious inmates like El Chapo Guzman and 9/11 conspirator Zacarias Moussaoui. His son Ashton describes visits where his father remains “chained and behind glass, reminiscent of prison-visit scenes in Silence of the Lambs.”

Ashton Gowadia maintains his father’s innocence, claiming the jury never saw exonerating evidence due to classification restrictions. “The entire narrative was controlled by the FBI,” he argues. However, appellate courts have consistently upheld both the conviction and 32-year sentence, with Gowadia’s scheduled release date of September 11, 2033—ironically falling on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks that reshaped American national security.

A Tragedy of Brilliant Minds Gone Wrong

The case of Noshir Gowadia represents more than simple espionage—it’s a cautionary tale about the intersection of genius, ego, and betrayal in the modern security state. His contributions to American military superiority were genuine and significant; the B-2 bomber remains one of the most sophisticated weapons systems ever developed, capable of striking anywhere on Earth while remaining virtually invisible to enemy defenses.

Yet the same brilliance that created revolutionary stealth technology became the tool of its potential defeat. Whether driven by financial desperation, wounded pride, or psychological disorder, Gowadia’s decision to share America’s most closely guarded secrets with its primary strategic rival represents one of the most damaging security breaches in recent history.

The evidence of his guilt appears overwhelming, built not just on government accusations but on his own admissions and extensive documentary proof. While questions remain about classification protocols, psychological factors, and prosecutorial methods, the core facts seem indisputable: a brilliant engineer who helped create America’s most advanced stealth bomber systematically shared its secrets with China.

As tensions between the United States and China continue to escalate, and as Chinese stealth technology advances with suspicious speed, the Gowadia case serves as a stark reminder that America’s greatest security threats may come not from foreign infiltrators, but from trusted insiders whose loyalty can be compromised by the very human frailties of greed, ego, and resentment.

The man who once boasted that “the B-2 would not have happened without me” will spend the rest of his productive years in solitary confinement, his brilliant mind serving no nation at all—perhaps the ultimate irony in a case filled with tragic contradictions.

This story is based on court documents, FBI testimonies, and reporting from Popular Mechanics and Alchetron, with additional details from John Shiffman’s “Operation Shakespeare: The True Story of an Elite International Sting.”