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The China has recruited retired British fighter pilots to train its People’s Liberation Army Air Force pilots, giving Beijing’s rapidly modernizing air force deep insights into Western air combat tactics, techniques and procedures.
Britain’s Defense Ministry has acknowledged that China had recruited as many as 30 former Royal Air Force fighter pilots to train their Chinese counterparts using Chinese planes, paying them as much as 3,00,000 dollars per year.
While none of the retired pilots have flown the F-35, they have flown advanced aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon, Jaguar and Tornado. The China has also attempted to recruit pilots trained on the highly-classified F-35, but its recruitment efforts have apparently not succeeded. The former fighter pilots, some in their late 50s, can pass on decades of experience to China’s new pilots, which is in line with China’s efforts to improve its fighter pilot training program and modernize its air force to match Western standards.
These skills could be pivotal in a Taiwan conflict, where Taipei’s US trained and equipped air force will be the self-governing island’s first line of defense against a Chinese blockade or invasion. China’s Western-trained fighter pilots could use the same techniques against the US and its allies if and when they attempt to come to Taiwan’s aid.