Former French Pilot Investigated for Alleged Espionage Ties to China

Pierre-Henri Chuet, a former pilot of the French Navy, has come under formal investigation in France due to serious allegations of sharing sensitive national defense information with Chinese agents. Chuet, who has experience flying the Rafale M and Super Étendard fighter jets, was apprehended by the DGSI, France's domestic intelligence agency. Following his arrest, investigators conducted a thorough search of his home before presenting him to a magistrate in Paris for questioning. He is now facing multiple charges, including the unauthorized disclosure of national defense secrets, engaging in intelligence activities on behalf of a foreign power, and transmitting sensitive national data to an external state. Although he has been released, he remains under judicial supervision as the investigation unfolds.

The inquiry into Chuet's activities focuses on his alleged trips to China during 2018 and 2019 while he was still serving in the French Navy. French military regulations stipulate that active-duty personnel must notify their superiors before traveling abroad. Investigators are examining the possibility that these trips were financed by a South African aviation school, which purportedly organized training seminars for Chinese military pilots. These seminars allegedly included instruction on advanced aircraft carrier operations, landing signal technologies, and Western military tactics. Chuet has publicly denied the allegations of espionage, asserting that his role was limited to leading standard aviation seminars without any ulterior motives.