An defence official has revealed that the MoD is actively investigating the potential security risks associated with Chinese vehicles, and staff have been told to avoid discussing classified information in any cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
In a recent interview on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified information while riding in Chinese vehicles.
The minister stated that the ministry is “investigating” Chinese vehicles within its vehicle pools, but emphasised that security is a concern in all contemporary cars.
Our department has a collection of thousands of cars in the Ministry of Defence and those vehicles account for a very small number.
But regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their vehicle, not to have discussions at a secret level in any kind of vehicle, because of the growing threats of eavesdropping that exist in every single automobile, to restrict those confidential talks in protected areas. This is a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was suggested that it would be wise for the ministry to stop using every Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Background
This announcement comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made buses, which could allow the Chinese government to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship has been shining laser beams at Royal Air Force aircrew, described as a “extremely risky” act by defence officials.
This broader defence environment underscores the significance of robust protocols and caution in all aspects of official operations, including vehicle use to communication habits.
