A Chinese citizen, Chen Dingwei, 29, has pleaded guilty in a US federal court to attempting to buy US-made military equipment for export to China, violating US arms export controls. Chen faces a potential 20-year sentence for trying to acquire military-grade satellite modems and radios manufactured for the US military by American companies, items prohibited for export to China under the US Arms Export Control Act. US District Judge David Sam accepted Chen's guilty plea in Salt Lake City, Utah, and set sentencing for October 19.

The US Department of Justice accused Chen of seeking to divert sensitive US military technologies to China, which could pose a threat to the US in the future. John A. Eisenberg, US Assistant Attorney General for National Security, emphasized the significance of these technologies, stating, "These advanced technologies are a product of United States ingenuity and investment." He highlighted the importance of advanced communication systems in safeguarding US warfighters and ensuring their effectiveness in modern battlefields.

James R. Ives, director of the Pentagon's Defence Criminal Investigative Service, which collaborated with the Department of Homeland Security in the investigation, underscored the critical role of advanced communication systems in protecting military personnel and enabling them to operate securely in contemporary combat environments.