UK Navy drone cameras reportedly sent data to China
The Telegraph reports that Chinese-made cameras on Royal Navy reconnaissance sea drones secretly transmitted data to a device in China, prompting the Ministry of Defence to cut the drones' internet connections. The ministry says no evidence was found that data or systems were accessed, but the incident has raised espionage concerns.
Britain's Ministry of Defence has disconnected all internet links to its K3 Scout reconnaissance sea drones after discovering they were sending data to China, The Telegraph reported, citing a source in the defence sector.
The drones are intended for use by elite Royal Navy special forces units on planned missions in the Persian Gulf. Chinese-made components installed on the vessels were found to be secretly transmitting information to a device located in China.
Cameras active since March
The drones, worth around £12 million and in service since March 2026, were supplied by Kraken Technology Group, with their cameras built by a subcontractor that had previously guaranteed their security. An investigation found the cameras were sending so-called "heartbeat signals" to an IP address in China — data confirming the devices were online and functioning normally.
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said the issue was identified during a routine cybersecurity vulnerability assessment. A thorough investigation reportedly found no evidence that Ministry of Defence data or systems had been accessed, compromised or transferred outside the department.
Espionage fears
Still, the discovery has raised concerns that Beijing may be attempting to spy on the British military. A source told the newspaper it represented a "serious failure" in vetting the origin of the components and a loss of trust in the manufacturer. There are additional concerns that the drones had been positioned near locations where senior special forces officials held meetings, and that the cameras continued operating even after the drones themselves were switched off.
The K3 Scout drones were part of a defence package London offered to help ensure freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz.
In 2025, Britain's MI5 security service warned members of parliament about persistent attempts by Chinese intelligence agencies to interfere and gather confidential information, including through the use of job-seeking websites. In 2020, the UK banned Chinese telecoms manufacturer Huawei from its 5G network over security concerns, and since then a series of supply-chain vulnerabilities has led the Ministry of Defence to remove Chinese-made equipment and cameras from sensitive sites.