UK Navy forced to strip out internet connectivity from drones after finding it sent 'heartbeat communications' to China
British Navy drones fitted with Chinese-made camera parts were found secretly sending signals back to China, prompting sovereignty concerns.
The Royal Navy has been compelled to remove internet connectivity from a fleet of K3 Scout surveillance drones after discovering the cameras were transmitting heartbeat signals to China. A routine cyber assessment revealed the unauthorized communications passing between the drones and a Chinese IP address. Despite assurances from the British defense contractor Kraken Technology Group, who provided the cameras, it was later revealed that some components originated from outside the UK.
Kraken admitted that checks on component origins had failed, leading to the loss of confidence in the platform. The Ministry of Defence stated that its own networks and systems remained unharmed. This incident has reignited concerns over supply chain security and the government's drone procurement strategy, which has received a £5 billion investment pledge.
The breach has also raised questions about the vulnerability of British-labelled military hardware with Chinese-made components.
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