Former United Kingdom military pilots provide training to the People’s Liberation Army of China

China hired thirty former United Kingdom military pilots to provide training to the People’s Liberation Army of China. The armed forces will be trained and taught how to fight Western fighter jets and helicopters, British government officials have revealed. In this way, China wants to gain a strategic advantage over the West in the event of war.

Since the end of 2019 and the start of the pandemic, China has been making increasing efforts to bring former Western pilots on board. Not only former pilots, but also serving pilots and other specialists from the Royal Air Force, the Royal Navy and the British Army are eligible, as well as military personnel from other Western countries.

The Chinese interest appears to be great for pilots with years of experience flying British and other NATO combat aircraft, including the Typhoon, Tornado and the Harrier.

China is said to have lured 30 mainly ex-fighter pilots, but also some helicopter pilots with annual salaries of more than 275,000 euros. The Chinese military is also said to have tried to recruit former pilots with experience with the F-35 fighters. But so far, those efforts have proved unsuccessful.

The situation is so serious that the British Ministry of Defence raised the alarm on Tuesday to warn on-duty and former military personnel about such practices:

“When former UK military pilots provide training to the People’s Liberation Army of China it clearly erodes the UK’s defence advantage. We are taking immediate steps to deter and penalise this activity: 

Defence Intelligence are engaging with the individuals already involved to ensure they are fully aware of the risk of prosecution under the Officials Secrets Act.

The Government’s National Security Bill will capture a range of relevant activity and provide additional possible routes to prosecution.

We are conducting a review of the use of confidentiality agreements across Defence with the aim of providing additional contractual levers to prevent individuals breaching security.”

When former UK military pilots provide training to the People’s Liberation Army of China it clearly erodes the UK’s defence advantage. We are taking immediate steps to deter and penalise this activity:

— Ministry of Defence Press Office (@DefenceHQPress) October 18, 2022