The Sixth Bureau 3. Suck, Squeeze, Burn, Blow
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Feb 20, 2026 A deep dive into why jet engines are so technically guarded and which companies dominate that field. A look at air shows as intelligence hunting grounds where operatives blend in. Tales of surveillance tradecraft, targeted recruitment using LinkedIn, and a sting that exposed a trove of operational evidence. Personal motives and workplace slights that drove risky behavior are also explored.
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Why Jet Engines Are Exceptionally Hard
- Commercial jet engines require extreme precision across materials, weight, power, and safety trade-offs.
- Only a handful of firms can build world-class engines, making that technology strategically valuable.
China's Strategic Engine Gap
- China has closed gaps in many technologies but still lags in commercial jet engine mastery.
- The government sees indigenous engines as a strategic priority and a target for espionage.
Spies Masquerading As Tourists
- Xu Yanjun and colleagues used staged travel and partying to blend in at the Paris Air Show.
- They conducted meetings and surveillance while appearing like ordinary tourists to avoid detection.