The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has been recruiting Western military pilots and experts to bolster its air combat capabilities, according to a report by the UK's Daily Mail. At least 18 British pilots have trained Chinese military pilots in recent years, with six teaching air combat skills, six providing submarine hunting tips, and six instructing future test pilots for the PLA Air Force (PLAAF). This practice, previously known, appears more extensive than initially feared, with China offering lucrative packages including salaries of up to USD 330,000, luxury apartments, and free airline tickets.
Five Eyes Warning and Recruitment Methods
In June 2024, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance—comprising Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the USA—issued a bulletin warning that the PLA was targeting current and former military personnel from NATO and Western nations. The bulletin stated that the PLA uses shell companies, including private firms in South Africa and China, to recruit former fighter pilots from countries such as Canada, France, Germany, the UK, Australia, and the USA. The goal is to enhance PLA air operations and gain insight into Western tactics, techniques, and procedures, which threatens the safety of recruits and allied security.
Role of Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA)
The Daily Mail identified the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), headquartered in Oudtshoorn, Western Cape, as a primary conduit for this recruitment. Established in 2003, TFASA was sanctioned by the US government in 2023. John A. Eisenberg, US Assistant Attorney General for National Security, alleged that TFASA "masquerades as a civilian flight-training academy" and serves as a "significant enabler" for the Chinese military, transferring NATO aviation expertise and restricted technology to the PLA. TFASA refuted these claims in June 2024, stating it has never deliberately headhunted serving NATO personnel and complies with all laws in jurisdictions where it operates.
Training Locations and Courses
Air combat courses were reportedly held at Qiqihar Airport in Heilongjiang Province before moving to a military airbase near Jinan in Shandong Province around 2019. A test pilot school was established in Guyuan, northwest China. The fighter weapons instructor course, modeled on the US Navy's Top Gun program, used PLA J-11 fighters to teach air-to-air and air-to-ground combat, defensive counter-air tactics, and beyond-visual-range engagement. British engineers also allegedly assisted in developing the Hongdu JL-10 supersonic training jet in Nanchang.
Project Elgar and Submarine Hunting Training
TFASA conducted a secretive five-year operation called Project Elgar to train PLA maritime patrol aircraft crews in submarine detection. Two 40-foot shipping containers, designed to replicate the interior of an American P-8 Poseidon aircraft, were dispatched from South Africa to China. They were intercepted by US authorities in Singapore in September 2025 after being loaded onto the Chinese cargo ship Cosco Aqaba in Durban. Six British nationals were reportedly involved. The FBI's Roman Rozhavsky accused TFASA of jeopardizing US national security, but TFASA denied any wrongdoing.
Legal Actions and Arrests
The UK closed a legal loophole with the National Security Act 2023, allowing prosecution of former British personnel training foreign militaries. British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps stated, "Anyone found to be acting against the UK's interests by training our competitors' militaries can now expect to be pursued and brought to justice." TFASA subsequently ended the employment of all UK nationals. In the US, former Air Force Major Gerald Brown Jr. was arrested in February 2026 for training Chinese pilots in Beijing for 26 months. He was charged with providing defence services without authorization. Former US Marine Corps pilot Daniel Duggan faces extradition from Australia to the US for training Chinese pilots in carrier operations.
Wider Implications and Warnings
Colonel Philip Ingram, a former British Army intelligence officer, described the pilots' actions as "touching on treason," stating they enable a potential enemy and put future service personnel at risk. Five Eyes warned that such recruitment may reduce deterrence capabilities and increase the risk of future conflict. The alliance advised personnel to beware of excessive flattery, lucrative offers, and obfuscation about company customers. General James B. Hecker, former commander of NATO Allied Air Command, emphasized that even after service, personnel have a responsibility to protect Western tactics.
Despite arrests and legal measures, the knowledge imparted by these instructors is now part of the PLA's permanent capability, highlighting the ongoing challenge of safeguarding military expertise.
