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(GPSjam.org map indicating areas of GPS interference in the region)
Date:
Since December 2023
Location:
Baltic Sea
Who’s involved:
Russia, Poland, Germany, Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia
What happened?
A severe increase in GPS jamming and spoofing was reported in the area of the Baltic sea. While GPS jamming and spoofing are not a new phenomenon, the intensity of it over and around the Baltic sea has spiked on several days in the past weeks. The source of the GPS interference has been geolocated to origin from Kaliningrad, Russia’s exclave between Lithuania, Poland and the Baltic sea.
Analysis:
The GPS interference in the Baltic sea region is likely to continue in the near future. As relations between Russia and the European nations are not improving, this is another way for Russia to interfere in day-to-day aviation (and shipping) operations in Europe.
The consequences of the GPS interference varies, as GPS jamming and spoofing are different methods of disruption. Whereas GPS jamming will produce a clearly faulty GPS signal in the aircraft, GPS spoofing is able to fake an aircraft’s systems into believing it is somewhere it is not, without recognising the issue. Comparable GPS spoofing attacks have recently been observed over Iraq, which consequently prompted aircraft manufacturers, as well as operators, to find mitigating methods for these attacks.
GPS spoofing especially calls for air crew to be informed and aware of spoofing areas, and how to recognize and deal with it in a safe manner. Spoofing can certainly pose a significant threat to an unprepared and unaware aircrew in low visibility conditions.
Conclusion:
The new trend of intensity spikes in GPS interference over and around the Baltic sea is likely to continue. Air crews operating in the area should be made aware of the activity and be prepared to deal with the effects of these attacks.