A South African company is central to a commercial arrangement that amounts to a threat to its national security, the government of the United Kingdom says.
The
Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), which is headquartered in Oudtshoorn acts as a head-hunting agency for the Chinese government,
an unnamed Western intelligence official told Sky News.
TFASA offers clients "qualified fighter and tactics instructors" for hire. In January it described itself as "the go-to provider of specialist flight testing and aviation training solutions for progressive nations across the world", when it announced a cooperation agreement with the South African Civil Aviation Authority.
But the UK says it is part of a system that poses a sufficient risk to warrant an official "threat alert",
the UK's ministry of defence says.
The recruitment breaks no current laws, the UK government says – but it would like to "deter" such activity.
The UK's armed forces minister James Heappey called for a change in law to prevent Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots from passing on intelligence to China in future, and a spokesperson for embattled UK Prime Minister Liz Truss promised "decisive steps" to stop such headhunting.
China is reportedly interested in recruiting pilots of the UK's F-35 fighters, which it shares with Nato allies, but has not yet secured the services of any with such experience. Instead, the pilots recruited have flown Harriers, Jaguars, Tornados and Typhoons.
Sign up with Google
www.businessinsider.co.za
