11 June 2024

China Is 'Aggressively Recruiting' Pilots from the US and NATO Countries, Intelligence Agencies Warn

Thomas Novelly

American intelligence agencies are warning that China is working hard to recruit American military pilots, as well as aviators from NATO and ally countries, as tensions continue to rise in the Pacific.

The warning about China's recruiting methods came in a bulletin published Wednesday by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, along with Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom -- countries that share intelligence with one another frequently.

"To overcome their shortcomings, China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been aggressively recruiting Western military talent to train their aviators, using private firms around the globe that conceal their PLA ties and offer recruits exorbitant salaries," Michael Casey, the director of ODNI's National Counterintelligence and Security Center, said in a statement. "Recent actions by Western governments have impacted these operations, but PLA recruitment efforts continue to evolve in response."

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