SPY drones used by British special forces have been secretly sending data to China amid concerns over espionage from Beijing.
Cameras in the drones used by elite Navy forces contain components which were made in China and have reportedly been transmitting information back to Beijing.
camera on top of a K3 Scout uncrewed vessel, used by the Royal Navy in Portsmouth harbour. Credit: Unknown
This comes as the contentious Chinese “mega” embassy in central London is given the green light Credit: AFP
The K3 Scout surveillance drones have been part of the Royal Marines’ £12million fleet since March.
After finding the breach, the Ministry of Defence has reportedly been forced to remove all internet connectivity from the cameras, the Telegraph reports.
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The drones were from major British defence contractor Kraken Technology Group which sourced the cameras from a third party.
The third party is said to have given assurances about the equipment’s security.
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After the breach was discovered, an investigation revealed that cameras were sending “heartbeat communications” to an IP address in China.
This data confirms the devices were online and functioning as they should be.
The MoD said no systems were compromised or transmitted externally.
A source said the drones had been part of the UK’s future defence package offered to help secure movement in the Strait of Hormuz.
They added that preparations had already been conducted on the drones and the find was a “major failure to check origins of components and we have lost confidence in the platform.”
A spokesperson for the MoD said: “The first duty of government is national security, and we take the security of our equipment, networks and data extremely seriously.
“A routine cyber vulnerability assessment identified an issue affecting a Kraken Unmanned Surface Vessel sub-system used by the Royal Navy.
“A thorough investigation found no evidence of MOD data or systems being accessed, compromised or transmitted externally.
“Our assurance and testing processes are designed to identify and address potential vulnerabilities early, and we continue to undertake routine security activity across our systems and equipment.”
This comes as the Labour Party tries to maintain relations with the Chinese Communist Party despite the looming threat the country poses.
Last month, a huge Chinese embassy was given the green light after a High Court challenge against the planning permission was dismissed.
The vast complex at Royal Mint Court, near the Tower of London, was approved despite concerns it could lead to terror attacks and the suppression of protests.
The Jattvibe previously revealed that staff at British defence firms were told not to take phones to Wes Streeting’s first speech as Shadow Defence Secretary over fears of Chinese spying.
Streeting spoke at an arms fair packed with Chinese firms – including an electronic warfare specialist that lists signals “cracking” as a flagship service.
Workers at Britain’s List X defence firms – which hold secret government contracts – were advised to leave phones, tablets and other devices outside the exhibition hall where Streeting delivered his keynote address.
