Russian GPS jamming reaches unprecedented levels in Europe. Since December 2023, Moscow has been waging a sort of hybrid electronic warfare on the continent from its enclave of Kaliningrad, between Lithuania and Poland. In mid-January, Polish media reported “ unprecedented levels of GPS jamming in the north and east of the country », including in Warsaw. But the GPS disturbances also caused Sweden, Finland and Estonia to react.
Without confirming its involvement in this jamming, Russia communicated at the same time about an exercise carried out in Kaliningrad. “ Electronic warfare units of the Baltic Fleet conducted exercises aimed at protecting military facilities from enemy drone attacksindicated a Russian agency in mid-January. Crews of Borisoglebsk-2 electronic warfare complexes identified enemy drones and suppressed them. » The Borisoglebsk-2 is an electronic warfare vehicle in service with the Russian army since 2015 and capable of jamming mobile satellite telecommunications and radio navigation devices.
“It’s extremely dangerous”
The activation of this electronic warfare system in Kaliningrad therefore has consequences for all neighboring countries, and in particular air traffic. The newspaper The Sun evoked “ useless navigation systems, so planes are unsure of their routes and have difficulty telling others where they are “. Fake data also forces planes to swerve and dive to avoid obstacles that don’t actually exist. “ Industry sources warn it’s extremely dangerous », adds The Sun.
According to Financial Times“ dozens of thousands » of civilian flights have been affected in recent months by these disruptions. The Sun confirms and reveals that since September 2023, “ 2,309 Ryanair flights and 1,368 Wizz Air planes recorded satellite navigation problems in the Baltic region “, as well as “ 82 British Airways flights, seven Jet2 flights, four EasyJet flights and seven operated by TUI “.
Finnair diverts two planes
On Monday, the Finnish company Finnair announced that it had to divert two flights last week. after GPS interference prevented approach to Tartu airport », in Estonia. “ Finnair aircraft systems detect GPS interference, our pilots are well aware of the problem and the aircraft have other navigation systems that can be used when the GPS system is unusable », Explains Jari Paajanen, Managing Director of Finnair, in the press release.
Most airports around the world use alternative approach methods, but some airports, such as Tartu, only use approach methods that require a GPS signal. “GPS interference in Tartu forces us to suspend flights until alternative solutions are established,” concludes Jari Paajanen. To date, these Russian hostile acts have not caused any casualties.
