GNSS jamming

GNSS jamming, including GPS jamming, is an act of overwhelming global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) receivers with powerful radio signals that drown out the signals from the GPS, GLONASS, BeiDou, or Galileo satellite constellations. It renders the receiver unable to calculate its position or time accurately.^[1] Such jamming can disrupt various GPS-dependent devices, from vehicle and aircraft navigation systems to precision agriculture and mobile phone networks.^[1] In civil aviation, GPS jamming can disrupt ADS-B transmission. GPS jamming is a particular type of GNSS interference.

Under ITU rules, countries are obliged to eliminate harmful interference through GPS jamming and GPS spoofing, but the ITU lacks effective enforcement measures.^[2] The ICAO legal framework requires that countries should implement appropriate prevention and mitigation of GPS jamming and spoofing.^[2] Under the ICAO's Montreal Convention, countries shall make GPS jamming and spoofing punishable.^[2] In the United States, the operation, marketing, or sale of any GPS jamming equipment is prohibited under federal law.^[3]

Occurrences

GPS jamming may be used by countries when conducting military exercises and drills, but under IATA recommendations they should recognize the harmful impact of such jamming to civil aviation and exercise utmost caution. In civil aviation, Eurocontrol outlined two major hotspots of GPS jamming: Eastern Turkish airspace to Iraq, Iran, Armenia (extending to Armenia–Azerbaijan border) and Southern Cypriot airspace towards Egypt, Lebanon and Israel.^[4]

Following Russian invasion of Ukraine, Russia used GPS jamming to support its military activity and in an effort to harass NATO nations. In December 2022 and January 2023, GPS jamming was noted in northern Poland, southern Sweden, southeastern Finland, Estonia and Latvia.^{[5][better source needed]} In April 2023, Russia, to counter Ukrainian drone attacks, deployed GPS jamming in 15 of its regions, including Ivanovo, Vladimir, Yaroslavl, Ryazan, Kaluga and Tver Oblast that surround Moscow.

Countering

GPS jamming is seen as not as insidious as GPS spoofing. It has been encountered on long-haul flights (particularly to Russia) and airline pilots are able to counter such jamming.^[6] Flickering readings instantly reveal GPS jamming and there are multiple checklists to handle it.^[6]

See also

• Electronic warfare
• Radio jamming