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Brian Cantwell, former chair of Stanford University’s aeronautics department and a 14-year advisor on U.S. Air Force F-22 and F-35 engine teams, spent nearly a month at Beijing’s Beihang University delivering lectures and sharing unpublished research.

Beihang has been… https://t.co/EfBv4SAY4N pic.twitter.com/cM5F0mspQS

— UnveiledChina (@Unveiled_ChinaX) August 17, 2026

Brian Cantwell, former chair of Stanford University’s aeronautics department and a 14-year advisor on U.S. Air Force F-22 and F-35 engine teams, spent nearly a month at Beijing’s Beihang University delivering lectures and sharing unpublished research.

Beihang has been blacklisted on the U.S. Entity List since 2001 over missile and drone technology concerns.

During his May 2025 visit, organized under China's state foreign-expert recruitment program, Cantwell gave six technical lectures on fluid dynamics, reviewed student projects, and toured advanced state labs.

Beihang’s official notices highlighted that much of the fluid mechanics data Cantwell shared included unpublished research developed after 2019.

While fundamental physics behind turbulence isn't classified, Beihang plays a direct role in developing long-endurance drones and military hardware for the Chinese Communist Party.

By inviting top Western academics through state talent programs, Beijing gains access to cutting-edge expertise without needing to violate hardware export restrictions.