An defense official has revealed that the MoD is actively examining the potential threats posed by Chinese cars, and personnel have been told to refrain from talking about classified matters in all cars.
Security Advice for Defence Staff
During a recent interview on LBC, a defence minister commented on reports that MoD officials have been instructed not to talk about classified material while travelling in China-made cars.
He said that the MoD is “examining” cars from China within its vehicle pools, but noted that security is a issue in all modern cars.
Our department has a fleet of thousands of cars in the MoD and those vehicles represent a very small number.
But whether you’re driving a Chinese car or a car from another country, our instruction to our people is to avoid connecting MoD technology into their car, to avoid having conversations at a classified classification in any kind of vehicle, because of the increasing risks of eavesdropping that are present in every single vehicle, to only have those confidential conversations in protected areas. That’s a wise and sensible thing for everyone worried about security.
When it was put to him that it would be wise for the MoD to cease using all Chinese vehicles, Pollard responded: That is precisely what we’re investigating at the present time.”
Broader Security Context
The revelation follows reports from Scandinavian countries have alerted the United Kingdom to the existence of dual-use kill switches in Chinese-made electric buses, which could allow the Chinese government to switch off public transport and bring disruption to public transit.
Additionally, a Russian spy ship was reportedly directing laser beams at RAF pilots, described as a “extremely risky” action by defence officials.
The broader defence environment underscores the significance of strong protocols and vigilance in all areas of government activities, including transport use to discussions habits.
