Britain’s Royal Navy spy drone cameras sent data to China

Cameras fitted to Royal Navy surveillance drones used by Britain's elite special forces transmitted operational data to an internet address in China, a British newspaper reports, citing an investigation into the equipment.

The cameras on K3 Scout unmanned surface vessels contained Chinese-made components that sent so-called “heartbeat communications” to an IP address in China to indicate that the devices were online and functioning, according to the report.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) removed the cameras' internet connectivity after the issue was discovered. The ministry said there was no evidence that sensitive data or MoD systems had been accessed, compromised or transmitted externally.

The £12 million fleet has been used by the Royal Marines since March. The vessels were supplied by British defence contractor Kraken Technology Group, which sourced the cameras from a third party that had provided assurances about their security.

A defence source said the drones had been used in preparations for Britain's planned operations in the Gulf and raised concerns over the failure to verify the origins of components.

The report also said the drones had been used near sensitive meetings involving senior special forces personnel and that cameras could remain active when the vessels were switched off.

The MoD said a routine cyber vulnerability assessment had identified an issue affecting a subsystem of a Kraken unmanned surface vessel used by the Royal Navy. It said its investigation had found no evidence of MoD data or systems being accessed or transmitted externally.

Kraken said an audit had found that some third-party cameras compliant with US defence procurement requirements contained a small number of components originating outside the UK. The company said it was confident that no sensitive information had been shared outside intended channels and that potential vulnerabilities had been identified and closed.

The disclosure comes amid wider concerns in Britain over potential security risks linked to Chinese technology and components in military and government supply chains.

The K3 Scout vessels form part of the Royal Navy's Project Beehive programme to expand the use of uncrewed vessels alongside conventional warships. The drones are operated by the Coastal Forces Squadron and the Royal Marines' 47 Commando unit.

By Aghakazim Guliyev