Remember the Chinese video we posted 2 years ago, which allegedly show PLAAF J-10 pilots engaging in dogfights while using callsigns Jaeger and air combat lingo using English? It turns out that perhaps they were flying with German instructors during that time when the videos were recorded. German media outlets ZDF and Spiegel disclosed this week that a number of fighter pilots from Germany who have retired from active service are now plying their trade in China.
Germany’s Minister of Defense Boris Pistorius is said to have brought up the matter to Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu at the Shangri-la Dialog in Singapore today. Pistorius is said to have told DPA news agency later that Li did not deny the fact that German instructors are teaching his military pilots in China but Li downplayed the significance of the issue. The meeting was supposed last for 30 minutes but stretched to more than one hour. Pistorius was quoted as saying that both sides were “very opened” during the conversion and both parties were candied about their difference in opinions.
According to the news reports, these German pilots had worked for Test Flying Academy of South Africa. Test Flying Academy of South Africa (TFASA) has come under scrutinty recently and its chief operating officer, Keith Hartley, is being investigated by the Australian police and his home was searched.
Another former staff of TFASA, Daniel Duggan, is under arrest in Australia. He is facing possible extradition to the United States, which has charge Duggan of breaking U.S. arms control law by training Chinese pilots on how to land on aircraft carriers.
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