At America’s B-2 base, an old Cold War law gets new life

A Chinese national who returned to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri after being warned not to take photos has been sentenced to six months in federal custody, in a case that leaned on a mid-20th century legal framework governing images of sensitive military sites, according to the Air Force Office of Special Investigations.

“For our Special Agents, this isn’t about a single case,” said Col. David Bethel, commander of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations Region 8. “It’s about recognizing that the operating environment has changed.”

AFOSI officials said the case against Qilin Wu, who was taken into custody following a July court hearing, illustrates how authorities are applying Section 795 of Title 18 alongside Executive Order 10104, issued during the Truman administration, to address repeated, unauthorized photography around protected installations and equipment.

The encounter began Dec. 2, 2025, when 509th Security Forces Squadron personnel responded to a report of a suspicious minivan near the base perimeter. Investigators said Wu, driving a vehicle with Massachusetts plates, told responders he had come to observe the B-2. After being warned, he returned and photographed areas that went beyond aircraft, including the perimeter and infrastructure, prompting an investigation. “What made this different was the pattern of behavior,” said a senior AFOSI official involved in the investigation.

According to AFOSI, Wu later admitted to photographing aircraft and installations at other U.S. bases, including locations in Florida and Virginia.

Section 795 and Executive Order 10104 prohibit unauthorized photographs, sketches, maps and other visual representations of designated military installations, aircraft, weapons and equipment that require protection from public dissemination, officials said.

Following the July hearing, the court remanded Wu to the U.S. Marshals Service. He was then processed on an Immigration and Customs Enforcement detainer and will be deported to China, according to AFOSI.

“When someone gathers information around a sensitive military installation, AFOSI has the tools to hold them accountable,” Bethel said.

AFOSI officials highlighted the role of coordination between installation security forces and federal investigators when responding to suspicious activity, and said they will continue to assess each incident on its specific facts and circumstances.

“Det. 811’s work delivered strategic deterrence,” he said. “This case reflects AFOSI’s professionalism, integration and operational discipline required to defend our installations in an increasingly complex threat environment.”