A new research headquarters established by Chinese car manufacturer Chery near a critical Ministry of Defence (MoD) testing site in Bedfordshire has raised significant security concerns, according to a former British Army intelligence official. The facility's proximity to the UTAC Millbrook testing grounds, where the MoD evaluates nearly all of its wheeled military vehicles, has fueled worries about potential espionage and the theft of sensitive military data.
Phil Ingram, a former Colonel in the Army Intelligence Corps, expressed profound concern about the development. He stated that the location places Chery, which he described as a "a hi-tech company that produces surveillance devices in the shape of an automobile," in a strategic position to monitor Britain's military advancements. Ingram warned that this arrangement could facilitate "further espionage ambitions" and emphasized the need for extreme caution.
The UTAC Millbrook site, spanning 700 acres, features 40 miles of specialized tracks. It is utilized by the MoD for testing vehicles such as the new Boxer armored transporter. The facility is also scheduled to host Defence Vehicle Dynamics, an exhibition for the defense industry showcasing the latest Army vehicles.
Chery has characterized its establishment at Millbrook as a "major expansion" of its global research and development operations. The company intends to use the same testing tracks as the MoD to assess vehicle and chassis performance.
This is not the first time Chery vehicles have been linked to intelligence concerns. In Israel, the use of approximately 700 Chery Tiggo 8 Pro plug-in hybrid vehicles by the IDF had previously raised alarms among intelligence chiefs. There were worries that the vehicles could be exploited by China to eavesdrop on sensitive conversations, particularly given their deployment among high-ranking military personnel.
Chery has reportedly denied any intentions of spying on MoD testing or acquiring secret military information.