UK Naval Drones Sent Data to China
British marine drone cameras were secretly transmitting data to China - The Telegraph. Marine reconnaissance drones K3 Scout from elite British special units were secretly transmitting data to China, reports The Telegraph.
Consensus
- The UK Ministry of Defence disconnected naval drones from the internet after discovering that their cameras transmitted data to a Chinese IP address.
- The drones, known as K3 Scout, were supplied by the British defense contractor Kraken Technology Group.
- The cameras contained components of Chinese origin that transmitted 'pulse signals' — technical data confirming the devices' online status and functionality.
- The Ministry of Defence stated that no evidence of sensitive or critical information leakage was found.
- The drones were intended for use in a UK-led mission to ensure maritime freedom in the Strait of Hormuz.
- The drones had been in service since March 2026.
Points of divergence
- The drones were based at the SBS special forces headquarters in Poole, and cameras remained active even when drones were powered off. — kommerant
- The scandal occurred amid political efforts by the Labour government to improve relations with Beijing and subsequent calls from opposition for an urgent audit of military equipment for 'Chinese traces'. — kommerant
- This is not the first such incident: Huawei equipment was previously banned for 5G networks, and SBS special forces were previously barred from using Chinese electric vehicles. — kommerant
- The manufacturer of electronic components for UK biometric passports is owned by a group of investors led by Chinese companies, which are on the US blacklist. — vesti
- Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy plans to open a large-scale drone production facility in the UK and intends to sign a 'very strong' deal with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham on drones. — m24
Coverage (5 sources)
- Cameras of British maritime drones secretly transmitted data to China - The Telegraph — DW Главное
- Telegraph: UK Navy's unmanned sea vehicles secretly transmitted data to China — Коммерсантъ
- Telegraph: Cameras of British maritime drones transmitted data to China — Вечерняя Москва
- Telegraph: British fleet drones sent data to China — Вести
- Telegraph: UK drone cameras transmitted data to China — Москва 24