DARPA-Funded Researchers Push for Airborne Aerosol Flu Infection of Humans: Journal 'Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses'
Can airborne pathogens be weaponized?
A new peer-reviewed paper confirms that U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-funded researchers are now openly proposing human aerosol infection models for influenza A(H3N2), raising ethical concerns and bioweapons risks.
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The push for aerosolized infections comes as DARPA simultaneously prepares new AI-driven pandemic simulations for “natural or man-made infectious agents,” raising fresh concerns that government “preparedness” efforts may in fact be laying the groundwork for future bioweapons operations.
The U.S. government has a history of spraying Americans with dangerous agents, as seen in Operation LAC’s release of zinc cadmium sulfide over U.S. cities and Operation Sea-Spray’s covert aerosolization of bacteria over San Francisco.
The new study, published June 2025 in Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses, was funded by DARPA’s Biological Technologies Office (BTO) under Col. Matthew Hepburn, as well as by BARDA (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority), NIAID (National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases), and CDC contracts:
“...supported by Cooperative Agreement 1U01IP000497 from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) BTO under the auspices of Col. Matthew Hepburn through agreements N66001-17-2- 4023 and N66001-18-2- 4015, by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority” (p. 1).
The team, led by University of Maryland researcher Donald K. Milton, admits their previous human challenge experiments using intranasal inoculation failed to replicate real-world airborne transmission:
“Nasal inoculation of influenza virus did not reproduce EBA [exhaled breath aerosol] viral RNA shedding or symptoms observed in mild natural infection” (Abstract).
Because intranasal inoculation produced mild illness and weak aerosol shedding, the researchers now recommend infecting humans through aerosolized particles:
“New models, including possibly aerosol inoculation, are needed to study viral aerosol shedding from the human respiratory tract” (Abstract).
“Inoculation via aerosol inhalation might offer a more representative model for mimicking natural influenza infections” (p. 6).
The paper cites older research showing aerosol inhalation triggers stronger illness:
“Henle et al. [16] demonstrate that inhalation of various strains of influenza viruses led to febrile [fever] in human subjects, a response rarely seen with intranasal instillation” (p. 6).
DARPA’s Deep Ties to Aerosolized Bioweapons & Drones: The DEFUSE Background
This development must be seen in the larger context of DARPA’s known efforts to fund aerosolized pathogen delivery and drone-based systems.
In 2018, EcoHealth Alliance submitted a proposal to DARPA, codenamed DEFUSE, outlining plans to release aerosolized immune modulators, chimeric spike protein nanoparticles, and self-spreading vaccines via drones.
The proposal explicitly stated: “...large area inoculation of animals/humans.”
DARPA was also already working with Moderna by 2012 on RNA-based spike protein vaccines under project codename ‘ADEPT: PROTECT.’
Moderna’s 2016 spike protein patent sequence would later be found to perfectly match the pandemic COVID virus at a 1-in-3-trillion probability, according to scientists.
Whistleblower Major Joseph Murphy exposed how DARPA and the Defense Department sought to suppress DEFUSE’s details, while U.S. Senators demanded investigations into the program’s potential role in COVID-19.
The DEFUSE documents revealed explicit plans for:
Spraying aerosolized substances over humans
Drone-based delivery systems for large-area inoculation
Development of self-disseminating vaccines and host-to-host spreadable therapeutics
U.S. Right to Know’s FOIA requests further confirmed DEFUSE included:
“Sprays delivered by remote controlled drone” and “delivery vehicles” capable of inoculating “large area inoculation of animals/humans with bioengineered formulations.”
DARPA’s drone programs and massive 26% increase in military drone spending in FY2019 align with the DEFUSE timeline, as does the FAA’s 2019 integration of drones into national airspace for “operations over people and at night.”
Governments worldwide—including China, UAE, Spain, South Korea, the U.S., and others—would later deploy drones during the pandemic, under the cover story of “disinfection,” despite studies showing no evidence this was effective.
Alarm Over Biosecurity & Bioweapons Potential
Now, with DARPA’s current funding of University of Maryland researchers proposing human aerosol infection models for influenza, the path from DEFUSE to new aerosol-based human trials could be clearing.
Artificially generating highly efficient airborne strains under the guise of “better modeling” could enable dangerous gain-of-function outcomes, as was reportedly the case with the COVID-19 pandemic.
The work is funded by agencies with deep military biodefense ties, and one lead author (B.J.C.) discloses personal financial ties to:
“AstraZeneca, Fosun Pharma, GlaxoSmithKline, Haleon, Moderna, Novavax, Pfizer, Roche, and Sanofi Pasteur” (Conflicts of Interest).
Bottom line: DARPA-funded U.S. researchers are actively proposing the next phase of human challenge trials—to infect humans via airborne aerosol exposure for influenza A(H3N2).
Given the DEFUSE background, the precedent for weaponized aerosol delivery already exists.
The overlap of military funding, pharma ties, and the call for deliberate airborne human infection raises new red flags for biosecurity and public oversight—especially as government and globalist officials ramp up warnings of an incoming bird flu pandemic.
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The flu, as they call it is not a sickness it is your body detoxing. I haven’t had it in over 20 years.
They make up something and tell you you need to be free from it. Bodies will detox because that’s the way God made us!! Whenever I sneeze I say thank you Lord for detoxing me
They have already been doing this for some time through their ongoing stratospheric aerosol injections.