Cameras aboard the Royal Navy’s unmanned surface vessels were found transmitting data back to China, prompting the UK Ministry of Defence to sever all internet access to the fleet.
A routine cyber assessment revealed that the devices in the 12-million-pound ($16.2-million) K3 Scout drone fleet used by the Royal Navy’s Special Boat Service were sending automated power-status signals to an internet protocol address in China, according to The Telegraph.
The vessels were supplied to the military earlier this year by British defense firm Kraken Technology Group, which developed the Scout using optical equipment sourced from a third-party vendor.
No Intrusion Flagged
The incident raised concerns that the China-linked connection could expose operational information about Britain’s elite special forces, including during preparations for deployments to the Persian Gulf.
However, defense officials insisted that no sensitive information had been accessed or transmitted outside secure Ministry of Defence systems.
“A thorough investigation found no evidence of [Ministry of Defence] data or systems being accessed, compromised or transmitted externally,” a spokesperson said.
Kraken also confirmed that a joint audit with the Royal Navy identified and closed all potential security risks, while acknowledging that some third-party cameras contained foreign-made parts.
The incident comes as London tightens scrutiny of Chinese-linked technology across military infrastructure. The UK has recently moved to restrict Chinese-built electric vehicles and hardware at armed forces installations.
