Cameras on Royal Navy Drones Sent Data to China

K3 Scout surveillance drones used by the Royal Marines and elite Special Boat Service (SBS) were secretly transmitting information to an IP address in China, according to The Telegraph.

The Royal Navy has been using the £12m ($16.2m) fleet since March. Cameras fitted to the unmanned vessels contained Chinese-made components that transmitted “heartbeat communications” – data confirming that they were online and functioning normally – to an IP address in China. After discovering the transmissions, the Ministry of Defense (MoD) removed all internet connectivity from the cameras.

The drones were supplied by British defense contractor Kraken Technology Group, which sourced the cameras from a third party that had provided assurances about their security. The discovery raised concerns that security-cleared personnel at the SBS headquarters in Poole, Dorset, could have been exposed. There were also concerns that the cameras had been near sensitive meetings involving senior special forces staff and remained active even when the drones were switched off.

The K3 drones were intended to form part of a future UK defense package to secure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, with preparations for Britain’s plans in the Gulf conducted using the vessels.

The MoD said a thorough investigation found no evidence that its data or systems had been accessed, compromised or transmitted externally. A defense source described the incident as a major failure to check the origins of components.

The incident has also raised concerns over the Navy’s Project Beehive, a program to develop a combined fleet of uncrewed vessels and traditional warships.

(max)