The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said it found “no evidence” of security compromise following media reports that cameras fitted to Royal Navy K3 Scout surveillance vessels sent communication signals to an IP address in China.
The Telegraph, which first reported the breach, said cameras on Kraken’s K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessels were found transmitting “heartbeat” communications to a destination in China.
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In response, the MoD said: “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.”
The UK MoD ordered 20 K3 Scout uncrewed surface vessels for the Royal Navy in March this year, with media reports suggesting that the handover and official acceptance of the 20 K3 Scout vessels concluded between May and June 2026.
According to The Telegraph, these vessels are being operated by Britain’s elite special forces.
While the vessels were manufactured by Kraken Technology Group, a British defence contractor, some cameras supplied by third parties contained components sourced from outside the UK.
Kraken maintains that no “sensitive information” has ever been shared outside of intended channels.
When contacted by Naval Technology, Kraken said: “We are aware that some third-party, NDAA compliant cameras had a small number of components originating from outside the UK.
“After a full audit by both Kraken and the Royal Navy we are confident no sensitive information has ever been shared outside of intended channels and any potential vulnerabilities have been identified and closed.”
As reported by The Telegraph, after the issue was identified, the MoD removed internet connectivity from the affected cameras to mitigate any risk, though there is no evidence suggesting the internet connection for the entire vessel was disabled.
The MoD did not confirm or deny whether internet connectivity was removed, but stated: “The first duty of government is national security, and we take the security of our equipment, networks and data extremely seriously.”
Derived from a racing hull, the autonomous surface vessel measures approximately 8.4 metres (m) in length with a 1.93m beam and has a maximum displacement of 2,500kg.
Additional reporting by John Hill.
