Noshir Gowadia

Some Lesser Known Facts About Noshir Gowadia

• Noshir Gowadia grew up in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India.

• He excelled in academics from an early age and reportedly earned a PhD at 15.

• In 1963, he relocated from Mumbai to the United States to study aeronautical engineering. He obtained American citizenship through naturalisation on 25 July 1969.

  

• Noshir worked at Northrop Grumman from November 1968 to April 1986, where he contributed to the design of the Northrop B-2 Spirit stealth bomber’s engine and low-observable features.

• After leaving the company, Noshir worked on classified projects as a contractor for the US government until 1997. That year, his access to secure information was officially terminated when his security clearance was withdrawn.

• Between July 2003 and June 2005, Gowadia travelled to China six times, during which he shared confidential information to help improve their cruise missiles. He provided designs, test data, and analysis related to stealth exhaust nozzle technology, which reduces a missile’s heat and visibility, making it harder to detect.

• In October 2005, federal authorities launched a national security investigation into Noshir Gowadia over suspected leaks of classified information. As part of the probe, he was interviewed twice, and his home in Hawaii was thoroughly searched for evidence.

• On 26 October 2005, Noshir Gowadia was arrested and formally charged in the U.S. District Court for the District of Hawaii. Authorities alleged that the disclosure could endanger U.S. national security or benefit foreign governments.

•  Officials claimed that Gowadia had shared classified information primarily related to the B-2 stealth bomber. Confidential documents about the aircraft’s stealth technology were reportedly shown to representatives from at least eight foreign nations.

• In an affidavit, Gowadia confessed to sharing classified information, explaining that he did so to build his reputation and secure future business deals. After his arrest, he was denied bail and held in custody.

• On 8 November 2006, a federal grand jury in Honolulu, Hawaii, issued a revised set of 18 charges, adding new accusations to the ongoing case against Gowadia.

• Noshir’s trial was initially set for 10 July 2007. However, it was postponed to 12 February 2008, as his newly appointed lawyer needed to undergo a security clearance process by the U.S. Department of Justice to access and present classified evidence in court.

• The trial was later delayed again, this time to October 2008. It faced another postponement and was rescheduled for 21 January 2009.

• A new trial date of 5 May 2009 was also postponed, as the court needed time to determine whether Gowadia was mentally competent to stand trial.

• In November 2009, Noshir’s lawyers claimed he had narcissistic personality disorder and used two mental health experts to support the argument. However, on 20 November 2009, the judge found their testimony unconvincing and ruled it not credible.

• Judge Chang ruled that Noshir’s unwillingness to work with his lawyers did not mean he was unfit for trial, and that tension with his legal team was not a valid reason to claim incompetence; Chief Judge Susan Oki Mollway accepted and supported this ruling.

• Noshir Gowadia’s trial began on 12 April 2010 and lasted for almost four months, with 39 days of detailed technical evidence.

• FBI Agent Thatcher Mohajerin testified for several weeks during the trial, which ended with closing arguments on 29 July 2010. The case was led by prosecutor Ken Sorenson, while David Klein defended Noshir Gowadia.

• Noshir was initially scheduled to be sentenced on 22 November 2010, with the possibility of receiving life in prison. However, on 24 January 2011, he was given a 32-year prison sentence.

• After his sentencing, Noshir was moved to the high-security ADX Florence facility. In 2025, he was transferred to the United States Medical Center for Federal Prisoners (MCFP Springfield), with his release scheduled for 1 February 2032.