The UK Ministry of Defence has tightened supply chain rules after discovering Chinese-made camera components in naval drones were sending 'heartbeat' signals to a server in China. The finding was uncovered during a routine cyber vulnerability assessment in mid-August 2026. No classified or operationally sensitive data was compromised, but the existence of an unauthorized communication channel between a Royal Marines vessel and a Chinese server prompted a broad review of foreign-sourced parts in British military hardware.
The components in question were embedded inside cameras fitted to the K3 Scout, an uncrewed surface vessel used for surveillance and coastal operations. The MoD moved quickly to disable internet connectivity on the affected cameras, and officials stressed that the heartbeat transmissions carried no mission data.
Procurement Review
The K3 Scout fleet consists of 20 high-speed modular USVs, acquired at a cost of roughly £12 million. The vessels were built by Kraken Technology Group, a UK defense contractor that sourced the cameras from a third-party supplier. The certification process did not catch the Chinese-made internals or their tendency to transmit signals.
The MoD has committed to enhancing scrutiny across its entire supply chain, with a focus on foreign-sourced components. The review will examine certifications, inspections, and testing protocols to catch low-level communication behaviors like heartbeat signals.