Summary and Key Points: China is aggressively seeking to bolster its military capabilities by recruiting experienced military personnel from NATO and Western nations, including pilots.

-The People's Liberation Army (PLA) has used shell companies to attract former Western military members, posing a significant security risk by gaining insights into Western air tactics and techniques.

-The "Five Eyes" intelligence partners issued a joint bulletin warning of this threat and advising vigilance against such recruitment efforts, which may carry legal consequences for those who participate.

China's PLA Actively Recruiting NATO Pilots: Five Eyes Warning

It is no secret that the People's Republic of China (PRC) and its ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will go to great lengths to obtain secrets about the United States military's latest and greatest platforms. As previously chronicled by The National Interest, Chinese hackers aid Beijing in obtaining classified design specs for Lockheed Martin's F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II fifth-generation aircraft, with the information being employed in the Chengdu J-20 Mighty Dragon fighter.

Moreover, there have been reports that hackers have infiltrated dozens of chemical and defense companies to steal trade secrets; while Beijing is believed to have stolen everything from nuclear weapons secrets to genetically-modified seeds!

However, it may not be limited to just data that should be seen as a grave concern for the U.S. military and a very real threat to U.S. national security and that of America's closest allies.

Last week, the "Five Eyes" intelligence partners – which include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand – issued a joint bulletin that warned that China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) is actively recruiting experienced military personnel, notably pilots.

The PLA "continues to target current and former military personnel from North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nations and other Western countries to help bolster the PLA's capabilities," the bulletin warned, adding that the Chinese military has set up private companies not only in China but also in South Africa with the goal of hiring former fighter pilots from the West.

"The PLA wants the skills and expertise of these individuals to make its own military air operations more capable while gaining insight into Western air tactics, techniques, and procedures. The insight the PLA gains from Western military talent threatens the safety of the targeted recruits, their fellow service members, and U.S. and allied security," the bulletin further noted.

In many cases, the "nefarious recruitment attempts" may not be obvious, as the shell companies do not promote China's nor the PLA's role. These reportedly offer lucrative contracts with vague details about the actual customer.

The Five Eyes warned that while pilots may not be teaching actual combat skills, could still increase the risk of reducing Western deterrence capabilities in a future conflict. In addition, those recruited could face legal charges.

"Those providing unauthorized training or expertise services to a foreign military can face civil and criminal penalties," the bulletin warned. Anyone being contacted by a foreign recruiter is urged to alert the authorities, while current and former service members are also directed to exercise caution when posting past employment details on job boards – as those can be monitored by the PLA.

This bulletin comes less than a year after two U.S. Navy sailors were charged with sending classified information to Chinese operatives, while a third sailor – a chief petty officer – was convicted in April for providing documents to an employee of a foreign government.

The foreign power wasn't named, but it has been speculated it was also China.

Author Experience and Expertise: Peter Suciu

Peter Suciu is a Michigan-based writer. He has contributed to more than four dozen magazines, newspapers, and websites with over 3,200 published pieces over a twenty-year career in journalism. He regularly writes about military hardware, firearms history, cybersecurity, politics, and international affairs. Peter is also a Contributing Writer for Forbes and Clearance Jobs. You can follow him on Twitter: @PeterSuciu. You can email the author: [email protected].