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Spanish Military Plane Carrying Defense Minister Targeted by GPS Jamming Near Russia
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A Spanish military aircraft carrying Defense Minister Margarita Robles was subjected to a GPS jamming attempt while flying over Russia’s Kaliningrad region, military sources reported, according to El Confidentail on September 24.
The incident occurred on Wednesday as an A330 of the Spanish Air and Space Force was en route to the Šiauliai Air Base in Lithuania. At an altitude of 40,000 feet and around 60 kilometers from Russian territory, attempts were made to disrupt the aircraft’s satellite navigation system.
According to the sources, military aircraft are equipped with more advanced and secure navigation systems than those used in civilian aviation, so the GPS jamming attempt had no impact. The plane continued its flight as planned after switching to signals from a military satellite.
The aircraft’s commander downplayed the event, noting that such incidents are common when flying over Kaliningrad and affect both civilian and military aircraft.
Concerns over GPS interference in the region were further underscored by a separate incident involving European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. According to the Financial Times, a plane carrying von der Leyen was forced to land in Bulgaria using paper navigation charts after reportedly losing GPS functionality.
The disruption occurred on August 31 during the jet’s approach to the city of Plovdiv, when GPS signals in the airport area ceased to function. Anonymous officials familiar with the matter confirmed the loss of access, stressing the growing risks posed by electronic interference near EU airspace.
Earlier, the Institute for the Study of War reported that Russia has stepped up GPS jamming and signal spoofing operations across NATO airspace, with increased activity over the Baltic states and Poland.
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