Canberra: The UK Defense Ministry posted on Twitter that the pilots involved were at risk of being prosecuted under the Official Secrets Act, following reports that China's People's Liberation Army had been trained to train soldiers. 30 retired military pilots from Britain were hired.

Former Australian military pilots were reportedly recruited to join a South African flight school operating in China, according to allegations made by Australia's Defense Minister Richard Marles.

Australia will look into whether its own pilots are the subject of similar headhunting, amid reports that China's military is using lucrative schemes to help former RAF jet pilots train its air force.

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Former Defense Minister and Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton said he found the report "alarming" and would support any legislation the government proposes to address the problem.

According to officials cited by UK media, the headhunting for former UK pilots was allegedly carried out by a third party with connections to a "typical" South African flying academy.

According to one official, 30 pilots, mostly ex-fast jets, but also some helicopter pilots, were drawn from an annual salary of around £240,000.

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According to a Western intelligence official who did not wish to be named and was quoted by Sky News, South Africa's Test Flying Academy (TFASA), headquartered in Oudtshorne, serves as the Chinese government's recruitment service.

"Qualified Combat and Tactics Instructors" were available to hire by TFASA's customers, and in January the organization announced a partnership with the South African Civil Aviation Authority.

According to Reuters, the South African company declined to comment on rumors that it had hired Australian pilots to operate in China.

According to reports, TFASA advertised that it was looking for a "fixed wing and helicopter test pilot instructor" to work at an unspecified location in "Far East Asia", according to the Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) Online. Was in an undated advertisement with.

The company specifically sought candidates who had completed military test flight school in the United States or Great Britain. According to an Australian member cited by Reuters, the ad was distributed to each SETP member.

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In a statement from the Ministry of Defense (MoD) on Tuesday, the UK warned former military pilots who allegedly trained Chinese soldiers about the risk of prosecution and stressed that they have taken the practice to the UK. seen as reducing the defense advantage of.