Is Russia jamming plane signals across Europe?

Thousands of flights in the UK have been affected by what is described as “extremely dangerous” jamming, suspected to be orchestrated by Russia. These electronic attacks have disrupted satellite navigation (satnav) systems, making aircraft routes challenging to navigate.

Pilots have reportedly encountered difficulties communicating their positions to colleagues in the air, leading to situations where planes have had to maneuver unexpectedly to avoid perceived obstacles that do not exist.

The Sun highlighted that up until the end of March, a significant number of Ryanair and Wizz Air flights in the Baltic region experienced satnav problems, totaling 2,309 and 1,368 flights respectively. British Airways, Jet2, and EasyJet flights were also among those affected.

What is the scope of the issue?

About 46,000 aircraft in total have logged problems with GPS over the Baltic Sea in the same time period, The Sun reported. But these disruptions, ranging from signal jamming to spoofing, have not only affected flights over the Baltic but also extended to regions like the Black Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Notably, the frequency of suspected attacks has risen alarmingly, with March alone recording a staggering 350 incidents. The source of these disruptions, traced through signal strength analysis, appears to emanate from Russia, particularly from its Topol electronic warfare complexes stationed in the Kaliningrad exclave, reported The Spectator.

The jamming interferes with satellite signals, including GPS, thereby misleading pilots about their actual locations. Luc Tytgat, head of the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), expressed concern about the escalating number of attacks on these systems, emphasizing the safety risks involved.

“We have seen a sharp rise in attacks on these systems, which poses a safety risk,” Luc Tytgat, boss of EASA, told The Sun.

A Ryanair spokesperson told The Guardian, “In recent years there has been a rise in intermittent GPS interference which has affected all airlines. Ryanair aircraft have multiple systems to identify aircraft location, including GPS. If any of the location systems, such as GPS, are not functioning then the crew, as part of standard operating procedures, switch to one of the alternate systems.”

An easyJet spokesperson said there were “multiple navigation systems onboard commercial aircraft as well as procedures in place which mitigate against issues with GPS that can occur for various reasons”.

Virgin Atlantic, which does not fly through the Baltic region, was the only major UK flight provider that was not affected.

What may be Russia’s role in this?

Russia’s proficiency in electronic warfare (EW) is well-documented, with recent developments showcasing its strategic deployment in conflicts such as Ukraine, reported The Spectator. In this arena, EW assets like the Krasukha battlefield signal jammer have emerged as high-priority targets, reflecting the evolving nature of modern warfare.

While selective jamming has been observed previously, the current trend towards widespread and indiscriminate disruption represents a concerning escalation.

According to The Spectator, While some speculate about the geopolitical implications of Finland and potentially Sweden’s alignment with NATO, the overarching motive appears to be a broader campaign aimed at exerting pressure on Europe.

The dependence on technology exposes Europe to multifaceted threats beyond Russian interference. The evolution of advanced systems like the Tirada-2 underscores the need for vigilance against emerging risks.

Concerns extend beyond Russian actions, with instances of Chinese technological infiltration raising alarm bells regarding potential vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure, reported The Spectator.

What do planes do in the event of a GPS malfunction?

Ryanair stated that in the event of location system malfunctions like GPS, their crews switch to alternative systems. EasyJet also assured that they have procedures in place to address GPS issues.

However, Glenn Bradley from the UK Civil Aviation Authority emphasised that despite the challenges posed by GPS jamming, flying remains one of the safest modes of travel.

“GPS jamming does not directly impact the navigation of an aircraft and while it’s a known issue, this does not mean an aircraft has been jammed deliberately,” he said in a statement.

“While operators have mitigations in place to assure continued safe operations, we work closely with other aviation regulators, airlines and aircraft manufacturers to curb and mitigate any risks posed by jamming and continuously monitor incidents worldwide,” the statement further said.

What have government officials said?

A NATO official told the New Scientist last month, “We have seen an increase in GPS jamming since the start of Russia’s war against Ukraine, and allies have publicly warned that Russia has been behind GPS jamming…affecting aviation and shipping."

“Russia has a track record of jamming GPS signals and has a range of capabilities for electronic warfare.”

Last month, there were reports that Russia jammed the satellite signal on an aircraft transporting British Defence Minister Grant Shapps from Poland to Britain. According to Reuters, the GPS signal was disrupted for approximately 30 minutes as the plane flew near Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad, citing government sources and journalists.

Mobile phones could no longer connect to the internet and the aircraft was forced to use alternative methods to determine its location, the report said.

A Downing Street spokesperson said, “It didn’t threaten the safety of the aircraft and it is not unusual for aircraft to experience GPS jamming near Kaliningrad, which is of course Russian territory.”

A UK defence source told The Times at the time, “While the RAF are well prepared to deal with this, it still puts an unnecessary risk on civilian aircraft and could potentially endanger people’s lives.

“There is no excuse for this and it’s wildly irresponsible on Russia’s part.”