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K3 Scout reconnaissance drone used by the UK Royal Navy. / Kraken Technology Group

A security controversy has emerged after it was found that data was being transmitted to China through a component inside a reconnaissance drone operated by the British Royal Navy, the UK Telegraph reported on the 9th (local time).

According to the report, a Chinese-made component was discovered inside the camera of a £12 million (about 23 billion won) K3 Scout reconnaissance drone introduced by the Royal Marines in March. The component was found to be sending "heartbeat communications" data — used to check the device's operational status — to a specific IP address in China.

The UK Ministry of Defence said it detected the issue during a cyber inspection and immediately cut off the camera's internet connection. It also stressed that a thorough investigation found no evidence that the ministry's key data or internal systems had been leaked or compromised externally.

Kraken Technology Group, the UK-based supplier of the K3 Scout drone, said it confirmed that some components sourced from a third-party vendor were manufactured overseas, but added that a follow-up audit fully resolved the security vulnerability and that no sensitive information was leaked.

The revelation has raised concerns that personnel with security clearance at the headquarters of the Special Boat Service (SBS), a special forces unit based in Poole, Dorset, may have been exposed.

A Defence Ministry official familiar with the matter told the Telegraph that the K3 drone was part of security preparations Britain had been making to help secure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, and that preparations for a Gulf mission had been carried out using the drone. The official also said the incident represents a clear failure in the vetting of component sourcing and has completely undermined trust in the platform.

Concern has also been raised over the fact that the drone had been deployed near locations used for confidential meetings by senior special forces officers, with the controversy deepening amid suggestions the camera may have remained active even while powered off.

The Ministry of Defence sought to contain the fallout, saying it takes equipment, network, and data security extremely seriously, but the Conservative Party has urged the government to immediately conduct a full review of British military equipment to check for any hidden Chinese-origin components.

                                                                                                        Lee Jeong-eun