China is "aggressively" recruiting Western pilots to train its own

The United States and its allies warn that China is "aggressively recruiting" Western military personnel to train pilots, trying to lure them with "lucrative" contracts and promises of flying "exotic aircraft".

Here's What We Know

The Five Eyes intelligence sharing alliance, which includes the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, has issued a joint statement. In it, they detailed Chinese recruitment of current and former NATO military personnel.

In recent years, China has taken significant steps to build up its air force and navy, which has alarmed U.S. officials. However, Beijing still has some critical capability gaps as it seeks to modernise its forces and strengthen its aviation programmes.

These weaknesses have led it to seek technology and assistance from the West through malicious means.

"To overcome its shortcomings," the Chinese military "has aggressively recruited Western military talent to train its aviators, using private firms around the world that hide their ties to the People's Liberation Army and offer exorbitant salaries to recruits," said Michael Casey, the US director of the National Counterintelligence and Security Centre.

Chinese "radars" are pointed at Western pilots, flight engineers, air operations centre personnel and technical experts who know military tactics, equipment, etc. The airbases to which Western pilots arrive may be located in China or in other countries.

Although NATO governments have warned their veterans and military personnel about China's attempts, recruitment continues to grow.

Source: Business Insider