An defence official has stated that the Ministry of Defence is currently looking into the possible threats posed by Chinese-made cars, while personnel have been instructed to refrain from discussing classified matters in all cars.
Safety Advice for MoD Staff
In a recently aired appearance on a radio station, Luke Pollard commented on reports that Ministry of Defence officials have been instructed not to discuss classified material while riding in China-made vehicles.
The minister said that the MoD is “looking into” cars from China within its fleets, but noted that security is a concern in all modern vehicles.
We have a collection of thousands of vehicles in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
However regardless of if you’re driving a vehicle from China or a car from another country, our instruction to our staff is not to plug Ministry of Defence technology into their car, not to have discussions at a secret classification in any kind of vehicle, due to the growing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single automobile, to restrict those secret conversations in secure locations. That’s a wise and reasonable thing for everyone concerned about safety.
After it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, the minister replied: ‘That’s exactly what we are looking into at the moment.”
Wider Security Background
The revelation comes as claims from Norway and Denmark have alerted the UK to the existence of multi-purpose shutdown mechanisms in Chinese-made electric buses, which could enable China to disable public transport and cause chaos to public transit.
Additionally, a Russia intelligence vessel was reportedly shining lasers at Royal Air Force pilots, labeled a “highly dangerous” act by defence officials.
The broader defence environment highlights the significance of robust protocols and caution in every areas of official activities, from transport use to discussions habits.
