A Chinese-American engineer has pleaded guilty to stealing highly sensitive U.S. defense trade secrets related to nuclear missile detection and evasion systems and funneling them to the Chinese government. The case highlights growing national security concerns over espionage and insider threats within the defense industrial base.
Engineer Admits to Massive Theft of Missile-Tracking Technology
Chenguang Gong, 59, a dual U.S.-China citizen residing in California, admitted in federal court to stealing over 3,600 files containing classified sensor technology while employed at a Los Angeles-based research and development company contracted by the U.S. government. The proprietary information focused on space-based infrared sensors designed to detect, track, and defend against nuclear, ballistic, and hypersonic missile threats.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, Gong transferred the sensitive files to three personal storage devices between January and April 2023, during his brief tenure with the defense contractor. Despite the short employment window, Gong managed to exfiltrate what the FBI described as “some of the company’s most important trade secrets,” with intellectual property valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
What the Stolen Technology Included
The files Gong took detailed highly advanced defense capabilities, including:
- Infrared sensors used in missile detection from space.
- Circuit designs enabling aircraft to identify and evade heat-seeking missiles.
- Next-generation sensor systems built to detect stealth targets and survive space deployment.
- Cryogenically cooled mechanical assemblies for these sensors.
Over 1,800 of the stolen files were clearly marked with restrictive classifications such as “PROPRIETARY,” “EXPORT CONTROLLED,” and “FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY.” The materials were later recovered from Gong’s temporary residence in Thousand Oaks, California.
Working with China Since 2014
Investigators discovered that Gong’s activity on behalf of China was not limited to this single breach. From 2014 to 2020, he worked at multiple U.S. military-affiliated firms, including a Texas-based defense contractor, while actively pursuing ties to the Chinese government.
Court records show Gong repeatedly traveled to China, where he applied for inclusion in the Chinese Communist Party’s Talent Programs. These state-sponsored recruitment initiatives seek out experts with access to sensitive foreign technologies that can enhance China’s military and scientific edge.
In his Talent Program applications and business proposals, Gong offered to develop:
- Infrared image sensors for military night vision goggles.
- Advanced analog-to-digital converters for radar targeting systems.
- High-end missile tracking systems leveraging integrated circuits.
In one instance, Gong even included a video presentation that revealed a specific sensor model number he had worked on while employed at a global aerospace and defense firm between 2015 and 2019.
Legal Outcome and Sentencing
Gong pleaded guilty to one count of theft of trade secrets in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. He was released on a $1.75 million bond while awaiting sentencing, which is scheduled for September 29.
If convicted under the full weight of the law, he could face significant prison time and fines. The U.S. government continues to emphasize the threat posed by foreign espionage actors exploiting insider access within defense and critical technology sectors.
“The stolen information involved systems that are critical to America’s national security—sensors that allow us to detect, track, and counter advanced missile threats,” said an FBI official.
