China-linked cameras found in UK Navy drones, spark security alarm: Report
The cameras would not turn off even after the drones were shut, were privy to high-security meetings, and were transmitting information to a Chinese IP address.
The Royal Navy's K3 Scout surveillance drones have raised national security concerns after an investigation revealed cameras transmitted "heartbeat communications" to a Chinese IP address. The cameras, supplied by a third party to British defense contractor Kraken Technology Group, had been assured as secure. The Ministry of Defence subsequently disabled internet connectivity on the cameras.
The £12 million fleet had been in use by the Royal Marines since March and was often deployed near sensitive security meetings. This incident has reignited fears over Chinese espionage targeting Britain's military and defense supply chains. Kraken Technology Group sourced the compromised cameras from a third party after being assured they met security requirements.
Despite claims that no sensitive information was compromised, the incident has triggered concerns within Britain's defense establishment, especially as the K3 drones form part of a future package being considered to maintain freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
Written by urgent.news from Hindustan Times - World News's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
