GPS services have been disrupted in the Baltic region, affecting planes and ships on Christmas Day. Countries such as southern Sweden and Poland experienced connectivity loss due to radio signal interference. The attacks, believed to be orchestrated by Russia, have caused problems for tens of thousands of planes in the area, with reports of navigation system issues and inoperable GPS.
The disruptions, first identified in early 2022, are part of a larger trend of attacks against GPS and satellite navigation systems globally. These attacks can either jam signals or spoof them, leading to false location readings on maps. The Baltic region is not the only area affected, as war zones around Ukraine and the Middle East have also seen an increase in GPS disruptions aimed at disrupting military operations.
Government officials and safety experts are sounding the alarm about the potential for major disasters as a result of these disruptions. Foreign ministers in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have attributed the GPS issues in the Baltic region to Russia and are calling for serious action to address the threat. Concerns have been raised about the impact on global trade and the potential for accidents leading to environmental disasters.
Experts are exploring technical solutions to mitigate the impact of GPS jamming, as the number of incidents continues to rise globally. It is emphasized that interfering with radio signals is prohibited under the rules of the International Telecommunication Union. Attacks against GPS systems are on the rise, with both jamming and spoofing attacks becoming more frequent, particularly affecting high-altitude planes and ships.
