According to credible sources, the PLAAF has recruited former Western pilots to train its airmen, particularly in aircraft carrier operations.

An offensive training strategy revealed since 2022

The rise of the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) also relies on foreign expertise. Since 2022, several Western government investigations have revealed that retired military pilots have been hired to participate in the training of Chinese pilots, particularly in advanced missions such as aircraft carrier landing and tactical air combat. These recruitments, often carried out through consulting firms or indirect civilian contracts, involve former British, Australian, South African, and French pilots, some of whom come from fighter squadrons or naval air groups.

This approach is neither anecdotal nor improvised. It is part of a structured effort to quickly fill the operational gaps of the PLAAF, particularly in the field of shipboard operations, an area historically dominated by the United States and, to a lesser extent, France. The recruitment of pilots who have flown Rafale Marine and Super Étendard aircraft or served aboard the Charles-de-Gaulle is part of a strategy to transfer practical knowledge that would otherwise be inaccessible.

The use of this external expertise, which is prohibited by most European military contracts, has provoked political reactions. Above all, it raises questions about the real effectiveness of post-service control mechanisms, given the often very high financial offers, sometimes reaching €300,000 per year, with no legal obligation for transparency.

A discreet method outsourced to front companies

To circumvent legal and ethical obstacles, China mainly uses private service providers based abroad, often in South Africa or Southeast Asia. These companies act as intermediaries and offer aviation training missions to “undesignated” actors, without clearly specifying the final destination. This is the case with the Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA), mentioned in several British parliamentary reports, and with short-lived structures set up in Singapore and Laos.

The missions consist of training young Chinese pilots in complex maneuvers: BVR (Beyond Visual Range) air-to-air combat, in-flight refueling, short-runway approaches, and interception procedures in poor weather conditions. In several documented cases, foreign pilots are not informed of the exact nature of the contract at the outset and are only made aware of the Chinese context after signing.

These training sessions, sometimes organized on Western simulators or on L-15 or K-8 training aircraft, take place abroad, in environments controlled by the service providers. China’s objective is twofold: to accelerate the skills development of its future fighter pilots, but also to circumvent the structural limitations of its military schools, which are still marked by a rigid doctrinal culture inherited from the Soviet era.

The countries concerned have only very limited control over these activities. In France, Article L4122-2 of the Defense Code prohibits retired military personnel from working for foreign armies without authorization. But the reality is difficult to regulate: these services are often declared as aeronautical consulting or technical assistance.

A strategic need focused on air and naval operations

The Chinese Navy (PLAN) has been actively developing its air and naval capabilities for more than ten years. The entry into service of the Shandong, China’s second aircraft carrier (and the first to be designed domestically), followed by the launch of the Fujian in 2022, marked a new stage. However, these ships only have operational value if China has pilots capable of maneuvering from their flight decks. However, catapult-assisted takeoff (CATOBAR) remains a maneuver reserved for a very limited number of naval air forces around the world.

France has unique expertise in this field thanks to the Naval Air Group (GAN). Pilots trained at the Landivisiau Naval Aviation School have thousands of hours of flight time in a maritime environment, with specific skills in landing, wind management, and takeoff using steam or electromagnetic catapults. For Beijing, importing this expertise will enable it to gain several years of doctrinal development, provided that it captures the best practices.

The transition to a fully operational carrier air wing also requires skills in joint coordination, electronic warfare, and management of shipboard detachments. This is why some foreign pilots are used not only for technical training, but also for the design of tactical manuals, sometimes adapted from NATO doctrines.

The need is all the more urgent as China is preparing a generation of naval aircraft such as the J-15B and the future J-35, both intended for the flight decks of future CATOBAR aircraft carriers. The success of this transition depends directly on the skill level of the pilots on board.

Security implications ignored for too long

The revelations of 2022 have led to a belated realization in several NATO member countries. The issue is not just a transfer of skills, but also the potential exposure of sensitive tactical data or operational procedures. Even if the pilots involved do not have access to classified documents, the accumulation of behavioral information—such as how to assess a threat or order a maneuver—is in itself exploitable strategic data.

In France, several former airmen have been identified as having worked for these organizations without prior declaration. The Ministry of the Armed Forces has since strengthened its surveillance measures, notably by expanding post-activity checks and introducing restrictive contractual clauses in the departure contracts of naval aviation personnel.

In the United Kingdom, the response has been quicker. The Ministry of Defense has called several former pilots to order, threatening them with prosecution if they continue to collaborate with entities linked to China. Internal information campaigns have been conducted to warn personnel of the scope of their commitments abroad.

However, these measures remain reactive, while China’s approach is part of a planned strategy to build up its capabilities. The use of foreign experts fills a real doctrinal gap, accelerates the training cycle, and helps make the PLAAF a more credible force in a tense Indo-Pacific context.

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