UK pushes back on Chinese E-7 spy fears
Links between China and repurposed Boeing 737 aircraft are not thought to represent a national security threat for the UK, despite a national newspaper suggesting otherwise.
The UK MoD has defended the acquisition of two repurposed Boeing 737 Next Generation aircraft, previously used by commercial airline operators in China and Hong Kong, which are set to form part of a larger fleet of three to five E-7 Wedgetail AEW Mk1 platforms.
Despite a 16 January report from The Daily Telegraph that the pair of 737s could compromise national security and help China spy on the UK, they will each undergo ‘comprehensive security checks’ prior to having their mission systems installed, according to a UK MoD spokesperson.
The decision to invest in repurposed aircraft will also not
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