Jamming Disrupts Aviation Navigation
Jamming messes with the signals from satellites, like GPS, reaching the plane and confuses pilots about their location. The UK has experienced major disruptions to thousands of flights due to what is believed to be “extremely dangerous” jamming, suspected to have been executed by Russia.
Impact on Aircraft Routes
These electronic attacks have particularly impacted satellite navigation (satnav), making aircraft routes challenging to navigate. Pilots have also encountered difficulties in communicating their location to colleagues while in the air.
Challenges Faced by Pilots
In some instances, the situation has become so concerning that planes have had to take evasive action, including swerving and diving to avoid perceived “obstacles” that were not actually present. Ryanair, Wizz Air, British Airways, Jet2, and EasyJet flights have been affected.
Effects of Jamming on Satellite Signals
Jamming disrupts the satellite signals, including GPS, preventing them from reaching aircraft and misleading pilots about their actual location. Luc Tytgat, head of EASA, expressed concerns about the escalating attacks on these systems.
Increasing Frequency of Attacks
The suspected Russian attacks have surged from fewer than 50 incidents per week last year to over 350 per week last month. GPS jamming incidents have raised security concerns in aviation.
Incident involving British Defense Minister
Russia jammed the satellite signal on the aircraft British defense minister Grant Shapps was travelling on, disrupting the GPS signal for approximately 30 minutes near Russia’s Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad.
