IDF to remove hundreds of Chinese-made vehicles over espionage fears
Defense Ministry begins collecting 600 Chery cars from officers after determining earlier security “sterilization” measures were insufficient.
After the IDF decided to ban the entry of Chinese-made vehicles to all military bases due to concerns over potential information leaks, the Defense Ministry has begun a “collection operation” to retrieve Chinese-made leasing vehicles (manufactured by Chery) that were assigned to officers. The operation involves approximately 600 vehicles and will take place over several months in multiple waves.
The Chery vehicles entered service in early 2022 and were intended for officers with large families. At the time, due to fears that the vehicles’ cameras could transmit information, the Defense Ministry decided to “sterilize” the media systems and disable certain functions in the onboard computers. However, it now appears that these measures were insufficient.
It should be noted that the Chery models used by officers are not the only Chinese-made vehicles in IDF service. Currently, electric patrol vehicles manufactured by MG are used by the Military Police within the Kirya base.
The IDF’s decision to phase out Chery vehicles raises broader questions about the use of other Chinese cars by personnel in sensitive defense positions, such as the Chery Tiggo 8 models used by Rafael officials, which regularly enter the defense company’s facilities.
Earlier today, Calcalist reported that a new government leasing tender for Knesset members was published, and in some categories, such as plug-in hybrid vehicles, Chinese automakers may be strong contenders.
The IDF stated it could not comment on the matter.
