Russia’s military has disrupted commercial aircraft satellite navigation systems since it invaded Ukraine. That is what a French safety regulator says, which emphasizes a need for reliable alternatives.
In addition, airline pilots have reported disruptions in regions around the Black Sea, eastern Finland, and the enclave of Kaliningrad, said Benoit Roturier, head of satellite navigation at French civil aviation authority DGAC.
The outages appear to be caused by Russian trucks with jammers commonly used to protect troops and installations from GPS-guided missiles, he said. “I don’t think the goal is to disrupt civil aviation at this stage,” Roturier said in an interview. “That’s collateral damage.”
As far as is known, no dangerous situations have occurred during flights. This is mainly due to backup measures. Likewise, pilots confronted with an incident receive warnings in the cockpit that can distract them.
“All of Europe needs to prepare contingency plans in case these satellite systems fail,” Roturier said. This applies especially to countries that are closer to the front and perhaps less advanced in drawing up emergency plans.
Earlier this month, the European Aviation Safety Agency warned of an “increased likelihood of problems” with navigation satellite systems used by commercial aircraft. The aviation industry generally uses one GPS frequency for satellite navigation. However, there are backup technologies for when the signals are lost.
The recent incidents related to the war in Ukraine have raised regulators’ awareness of potentially massive disruptions to airspace, especially as the European Union pushes for increasing reliance on satellite navigation. “In France, one truck with a powerful jammer could shut down a quarter of French airspace,” Roturier said. “This is what concerns civil aviation. In addition, large areas outside the conflict zones could be affected.”