Britain has uncovered a security issue involving cameras installed on unmanned surface vessels used by the Royal Navy. The equipment was found to be transmitting data to China, The Telegraph reports.

According to the newspaper, the drones were supplied by British defence company Kraken Technology Group. The contractor purchased the cameras from a third-party supplier that had guaranteed the equipment was secure. It was later discovered that the devices contained Chinese-made components.

An examination of the unmanned vessels showed that the cameras were sending system health signals to an IP address in China. The data indicated that the devices were connected to the network and operating normally.

After the vulnerability was identified, the UK Ministry of Defence disconnected the drones from the internet. A ministry representative said a subsequent review found no evidence that important or sensitive information had been transmitted abroad.

The Telegraph noted that the Royal Navy had been using the equipment since March 2026.

The same unmanned surface vessels were also included in a future British defence package proposed by London to help ensure freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.