ANALYSIS – As some in the U.S. and NATO countries expressed concern over learning that former RAF and other military pilots accepting lucrative contracts to train our arch-nemesis, Communist China, the U.K. may have been playing the Chicoms.
As I wrote about earlier, at least 30 former Royal Air Force (RAF) fighter pilots, and perhaps Australians and other westerners, have been training the People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) since 2019 in tactics and operations.
These pilots had flown Tornadoes, Typhoons, Jaguars and Harrier jump jets, and their pay topped $280,000 per year. (RELATED: Ex-UK Fighter Pilots Training ‘Chicoms' to Kill US, Allied Pilots for $280K)
None flew the latest F-35 stealth fighter.
Many observers, including me, called these Western pilots traitors.
This provoked a firestorm and even resulted in British defense intelligence issuing a rare “threat alert,” warning pilots not to divulge any classified secrets to China. (RELATED: Brutal US War With China Over Taiwan is ‘Imminent,' Experts Warn)
A defense spokesperson said: “All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and nondisclosure agreements across Defense.”
Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said the recruitment of U.K. pilots to train Chinese counterparts had been a concern within the Ministry of Defence “for a number of years.”
But now it appears British intelligence took advantage of a situation they couldn't legally stop at the time.
As the Express reports:
Despite mounting concerns in Whitehall, the Government was powerless to end the training scheme because no laws had been broken. But British security agencies did not just sit idly by, sources claim.
In an astounding double-bluff, they approached a small group of these Western pilots who had already signed up for £240,000 contracts and asked them to “wear two hats”, sources claim.
The pilots, from a mix of nationalities, were not trained intelligence officers. But, despite being retired from the service for many years, those who were approached agreed to help.
Keen not to add to the inherent risk of what the assets were being asked to do, handlers instructed them not to take chances. The idea was to use the time they had – many stayed for several months – and take mental stock of any information they collected.
Not all efforts bore fruit. Some were assigned what sources say were “mundane” tasks which gave them scant access to classified information. But others were more lucky.
These individuals found themselves training Chinese pilots of some of the newest, most state-of-the-art fighter jets in the PLAAF's fleet.
A source said the U.K. had “played China at its own game” — and won.
The operation is now over, and these pilots have returned, but the idea was to use the time they had with Chinese forces to “take mental stock of any information they collected,” the Express reported. (RELATED: Communist China's Economy is in Crisis – Let's Keep It That Way)
Meanwhile, Heappey wants to change British law via a new national security bill to introduce a two-strike rule that would give British ex-military pilots one warning before they are prosecuted for working with foreign countries deemed a threat. ALD
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This is disappointing to learn but not surprising. Many western citizens are lacking in patriotism and China is aggressive in exploiting these people with money or ideology or whatever it takes. No telling how many politicians, bureaucrats, professors, businessmen and others have been compromised.
Precisely why all of it SHOULD be illegal.
Pay Issue to train Chinese, blackmail??
I’d say that classifies them as traitors.
If this is all true, it is somewhat relieving. Other countries need to look at what was happening here and take steps to prevent it.