London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Jul 21, 2025

Ex-UK pilots in China did not share classified information - flying school

Ex-UK pilots in China did not share classified information - flying school

No classified information was passed on when former British military pilots offered training to China, a South African flying school has said.
Last week it was reported up to 30 former pilots had gone to train members of China's People's Liberation Army.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was taking "decisive steps" to stop Chinese recruitment schemes attempting to headhunt serving and former pilots.

The flying school said the MoD was "fully aware" of its work.

The UK authorities said the pilots, some of whom were paid more than £218,000 ($250,000), had not broken any current UK law. But officials said a South African flying academy was linked to their recruitment.

The South African flying school - Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA) - has now released a written statement, saying the company "has been in contact with the UK MoD for many years and they are fully aware of the nature of the company's business".

It said "none of its trainers are in possession of legally or operationally sensitive information relating to the national security interests of any country, whether those from where its employees are drawn or in which it provides training".

Some of that training is understood to have taken place in China.

The UK issued an intelligence alert last week to warn former military pilots against working for the Chinese military.

At the time of that alert, officials claimed the retired British pilots were being used to help understand the way in which Western planes and pilots operate, information which could be useful in the event of any conflict.

"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."

Officials also warned that recruitment had been ramping up recently.

The TFASA said that since 2013 "British tutors have been in direct contact on an individual basis with the UK MoD and other UK government agencies prior to undertaking training" including with Chinese clients and that no objections had been raised.

The company said many of its tutors formerly served in the armed forces but the training is "strictly unclassified" and work is in compliance with South Africa and other countries in which it operates.

It added it never actively recruits from serving personnel and the majority come from other civilian contractors.

TFASA said it was also "in the process of contacting the UK MoD" to ensure that there are no misunderstandings.

The UK's alert acknowledged that current laws were not being broken but officials have suggested that an upcoming national security bill may make it possible to prosecute such actions.

The issuing of the highly unusual alert is a sign that authorities may have been seeking to deter individuals from taking part by drawing attention to their activities following contact which did not dissuade the pilots from continuing the training.

"It certainly doesn't match my understanding of service of our nation - even in retirement - to then go and work with a foreign power, especially one that challenges the UK interest so keenly," armed forces minister James Heappey told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

An MoD spokesperson told the BBC: "All serving and former personnel are already subject to the Official Secrets Act, and we are reviewing the use of confidentiality contracts and non-disclosure agreements across defence, while the new National Security Bill will create additional tools to tackle contemporary security challenges - including this one."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
Iranian President Reportedly Injured During Israeli Strike on Secret Facility
EU Delays Retaliatory Tariffs Amid New U.S. Threats on Imports
Trump Defends Attorney General Pam Bondi Amid Epstein Memo Backlash
Renault Shares Drop as CEO Luca de Meo Announces Departure Amid Reports of Move to Kering
Senior Aides for King Charles and Prince Harry Hold Secret Peace Summit
Anti‑Semitism ‘Normalised’ in Middle‑Class Britain, Says Commission Co‑Chair
King Charles Meets David Beckham at Chelsea Flower Show
If the Department is Really About Justice: Ghislaine Maxwell Should Be Freed Now
NYC Candidate Zohran Mamdani’s ‘Antifada’ Remarks Spark National Debate on Political Language and Economic Policy
×