In order to discourage former military pilots from joining the Chinese military, the U.K. has issued an intelligence notice. Western officials claim that efforts to headhunt pilots are underway and have lately intensified.
According to the BBC, former British military pilots are being enticed to China with a significant amount of cash in order to impart their knowledge to the Chinese military. The People's Liberation Army of China is said to have received training from up to 30 former U.K. military pilots.
As stated by a Ministry of Defence representative, no existing U.K. law is broken by the training or recruitment of pilots, but officials in the U.K. and other nations are attempting to stop the practice.
"It is a lucrative package that is being offered to people," one western official said. It was said that some of the packages are reported to be worth up to £237,911 ($270,000), which is a powerful inducement.
In order to better learn how Western aircraft and pilots work, retired British pilots are being used. This knowledge might be crucial in the case of a conflict, such as one over Taiwan. "They are a very attractive body of people to then pass on that knowledge," a Western official said. "It's taking Western pilots of great experience to help develop Chinese military air force tactics and capabilities."
The pilots, who are not just from the Royal Air Force but also from other branches of the military, have experience flying fast planes and helicopters. Typhoons, Jaguars, Harriers, and Tornadoes have all been flown by them. Although China is rumored to be interested in them, F-35 pilots are not believed to be involved. Many of the pilots are in their late 50s and have long since left the military. Other ally nations' pilots have also come under attack.
A small number of examples of ex-military pilots being hired were initially brought to the UK's attention in 2019 and were handled on an individual basis. Travel to China was virtually impossible before the Covid-19 outbreak, but attempts have since picked up, prompting this caution.
According to officials, they are being hired via middlemen headhunters, and they named a certain South African-based flying academy as being involved. There is no proof that any pilots have violated the Official Secrets Act or been involved in any criminal activity. The alert's objectives are to try and stop activity, educate current employees and business partners, and remind staff members of their responsibility to preserve sensitive information.
