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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Dan Sabbagh Defence and security editor

UK to issue ‘threat alert’ over China’s attempts to recruit RAF pilots

A Royal Air Force C-130 Hercules transport aircraft flanked by two Typhoon fighter jets flown by an all-woman crew on route to perform a flypast over Wembley Stadium.
About 30 former RAF pilots are already believed to have taken advantage of ‘very generous’ recruitment packages offered by China. Photograph: MoD Crown Copyright/Getty Images

British defence intelligence is to issue a rare “threat alert”, warning that China’s military is trying to recruit serving and former RAF jet pilots to help train its own air force with generous recruitment packages.

Officials expressed “concern and disapproval” of these schemes because they posed “a threat to UK and western interests”. Although they are not explicitly banning pilots from providing training, they aim to take steps to “manage the risk”.

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