The aviation industry in the UK is currently experiencing a significant challenge as numerous flights have been disrupted due to suspected Russian jamming of GPS systems.
This phenomenon has notably affected flights in and out of Britain, with over 2,300 Ryanair flights and nearly 1,400 Wizz Air flights reporting GPS interference since last August. Additionally, British Airways and easyJet have also encountered similar issues, though on a smaller scale.
Widespread GPS Disruptions in European Airspace
The issue is not confined to the UK alone; around 46,000 aircraft over the Baltic Sea have reported GPS malfunctions during the same period, according to data analyzed by GPSJAM.org. This problem predominantly arises in Eastern Europe, especially near the Russian border, underscoring a broader regional challenge.
Escalating Trend in Spoofing Incidents
GPS is an integral part of modern aviation navigation systems, and any interference with it can potentially compromise flight safety. The UK government acknowledged the severity of the issue in March when an RAF aircraft, transporting the Defence Secretary from Poland, experienced GPS signal jamming near Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave. Although Downing Street assured that the aircraft's safety was not compromised, defense sources have labeled the jamming "wildly irresponsible."
In response to the escalating number of GPS disruptions, the International Air Transport Association and the EU Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) convened a summit in January to address these concerns.
As per EASA's head Luc Tytgat, the agency detected a "sharp rise in attacks" on the systems and these pose safety risk.
According to The Sun, the agencies have noted a sharp increase in "spoofing" incidents-where false GPS signals are transmitted-and declared countermeasures against such threats a top priority.
Aviation is Still One of the Safest Transport Modes
Despite these challenges, the UK's Civil Aviation Authority has sought to reassure the public and industry stakeholders.
Glenn Bradley, head of flight operations at the CAA, emphasized that aviation remains one of the safest modes of transport. He clarified that while GPS jamming is acknowledged, it does not usually directly impact an aircraft's navigation capabilities, suggesting that such incidents might be linked to military activities and are not always targeted at commercial aviation.
Furthermore, airlines are equipped with multiple navigational systems to ensure redundancy. An easyJet spokesperson highlighted that commercial aircraft are designed with various backup navigation systems and protocols to mitigate GPS-related issues, which can arise from different causes.
"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 locations, 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," a Ryanair spokesperson told The Guardian.
As the situation develops, airlines and aviation authorities are remaining vigilant and are continuously updating their safety protocols to adapt to these new challenges.
