A former French Navy pilot, Pierre-Henri Chuet, has been detained and placed under formal investigation in France over allegations of spying for China. Chuet, a dual French-Canadian national, is accused of passing sensitive military information to Chinese operatives, India Today reported.

He had previously stirred controversy in May 2025 when he questioned the performance of Indian Air Force Rafale fighter jets during Operation Sindoor and praised Chinese-made J-10C and JF-17 jets as “Rafale killers.” Rafales, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, remain the most advanced fighters in India’s inventory.

French prosecutors confirmed that Chuet is suspected of collecting and providing classified information to China. He was detained and questioned by the DGSI, France’s domestic intelligence and counter-terrorism agency, during the week of 20 July 2026, and his home was searched.

He has since been released but remains under judicial supervision while the investigation continues. He faces multiple charges, including disclosure of national defence secrets, sharing intelligence with a foreign power, and related offences.

Chuet served in the French Navy’s aviation wing until 2021, flying Super Etendard strike fighters and Rafale M multirole fighters from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle.

Reports suggest he made two undeclared trips to China in September 2018 and August 2019 while still serving, allegedly organising training sessions for Chinese military pilots through a South African aviation company, TFASA.

These sessions reportedly covered carrier landing technologies, naval aviation operations, airborne early warning systems, and Western military operations in Syria. French media outlets Le Canard Enchaine and Mediapart first reported these allegations in 2023 and 2025.

In April 2025, prosecutors received a referral from France’s Ministry of the Armed Forces identifying Chuet as a suspect in sharing intelligence with a foreign power. Intelligence Online later reported that he was taken into custody in July 2026 and placed under formal investigation. He has denied the charges, claiming he only organised seminars and that his 2019 trip “did not go well.”

Chuet is not the first Western pilot accused of aiding China. Earlier this year, US authorities arrested a former F-35 pilot for allegedly training Chinese personnel. In June 2024, the US, UK, Australia, Canada, and New Zealand issued a joint warning that China’s PLA was targeting current and former NATO military personnel to enhance its capabilities.

Beyond the espionage allegations, Chuet built a profile as a defence commentator, appearing on television programs and running a YouTube channel with over 560,000 subscribers.

During Operation Sindoor, the India-Pakistan conflict in May 2025, he claimed that a Pakistani J-10C shot down an Indian Rafale with a PL-15 missile.

His assertions were widely criticised, with Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier dismissing the claims as inaccurate. The Indian Air Force has consistently denied losing Rafales, and a June 2026 Request for Proposal confirmed all 36 Rafales acquired from France remain in service.

Despite his denials, Chuet now faces serious charges under French law. Being placed under formal investigation indicates sufficient evidence exists to pursue the case, though it is not a conviction. The matter will proceed under the supervision of an investigating magistrate, who will decide whether it should go to trial.

If proven, the allegations could mark one of the most significant cases of military espionage involving a former Rafale pilot, underscoring the risks posed by China’s recruitment of Western military expertise.

Agencies