A defence official has revealed that the MoD is currently investigating the potential threats posed by Chinese-made vehicles, while staff have been advised to avoid talking about classified information in any vehicles.
Security Advice for Defence Personnel
In a recently aired appearance on LBC, a defence minister addressed claims that Ministry of Defence staff have been told not to discuss secret information while riding in China-made vehicles.
He explained that the MoD is “looking into” Chinese vehicles within its fleets, but stressed that security is a concern in all contemporary vehicles.
We have a fleet of thousands of vehicles in the Ministry of Defence and Chinese ones account for a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re traveling in a vehicle from China or a non-Chinese car, what we’ve asked our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having discussions at a classified level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret talks in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for anyone worried about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be prudent for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: ‘That’s precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Wider Security Background
This announcement comes as reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made buses, which could enable China to disable buses and bring disruption to transport systems.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, described as a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence situation underscores the importance of robust measures and caution in every aspects of official operations, from transport use to communication practices.
