Chinese-Made Components Cause Crisis: Royal Navy Surface Drone Cameras Found Sending Data to China

Reported by The Telegraph
Chinese Components Used in Drone Cameras

There have been reports that a camera mounted on an unmanned surface vessel (USV) operated by the Royal Navy sent military-related data to China.

On August 9 (local time), British daily The Telegraph reported that a camera mounted on the "K3 Scout" surface drone—used by the Royal Marines since March—covertly transmitted military base-related data to Chinese IP addresses.

UK Navy's 'K3 Scout.' Captured from Kraken Technology's official YouTube channel

These drones were supplied by British defense startup Kraken Technology. Some components in the camera mounted on the drones are of Chinese origin. Kraken Technology stated that the cameras were sourced from a third party and claimed to have received assurances regarding their security. However, an investigation by authorities revealed that the camera on the drone was transmitting automatic data to a Chinese IP address, indicating whether it was online and functioning properly.

The UK Ministry of Defence cut off all internet connections to the cameras when concerns about their security were raised. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Defence said, "Routine cyber vulnerability assessments identified an issue affecting a sub-system of the Kraken unmanned surface vessel used by the Navy," but added, "There is no evidence that Ministry of Defence data or systems were compromised or transferred externally."

In contrast, The Telegraph pointed out that members of the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service (SBS) headquarters may have been exposed. Concerns were also raised that the drones were positioned near sensitive locations where high-ranking special forces officers discuss confidential matters, and that the cameras continued to operate even after drone operations were halted.

This security incident is likely to seriously impact the BeeHive project, an initiative by the UK government to modernize combat capabilities by integrating traditional warships and unmanned surface vessels. A defense official familiar with the maritime drone project told the outlet, "A serious failure occurred in verifying the origin of components," adding, "We have lost trust in this platform."

The Conservative Party, the main opposition in the UK, has called on the government to immediately inspect the equipment to uncover any hidden traces of China. Last month, the Royal Navy Special Boat Service (SBS) banned Chinese-made electric vehicles from its headquarters due to security concerns.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.