2025 for January 1970

GPS Interference FAQs

Q1: What do you mean by GPS?

Ans: The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a U.S.-owned utility that provides users with positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services.

Q2: What is a GPS system used for?

Ans: Global Positioning Systems (GPS) is the foundation behind digital mapping. GPS are used to find the exact location of things.

Recent incidents—including a Delhi-Jammu flight turning back, a tanker collision at the Strait of Hormuz, and a container ship grounding near Jeddah—were all caused by GPS interference, which has now become a major threat to global aviation and maritime navigation.

GPS interference refers to deliberate cyber-attacks that disrupt or deceive Global Positioning System (GPS) signals, affecting navigation for aircraft, ships, and other vehicles.

GPS Jamming
- Involves the use of a jammer device that emits strong radio signals on GPS frequencies.
- These signals overpower the weaker satellite signals, causing GPS receivers to lose location and time data.
- This is a form of signal disruption.
GPS Spoofing
- Uses a device to transmit false signals that mimic those from GPS satellites.
- It deceives receivers into accepting incorrect location or time data.
- Unlike jamming, spoofing doesn’t block signals—it manipulates them.
While often used interchangeably, jamming disrupts GPS functionality, whereas spoofing misleads the receiver.
Both pose serious threats to navigation and safety in air and sea operations.

GPS interference poses a serious threat to both civilian and military operations, enabling remote disruption without physical confrontation.
In 2024, there were reports of up to 700 GPS spoofing incidents daily worldwide, underlining the scale and urgency of the threat.

Spoofing can mislead pilots, causing incorrect position judgments and increasing the risk of collisions with terrain or other aircraft.
For ships, loss of GPS accuracy can lead to groundings, collisions, and disruption of maritime operations, including port functions.
GPS spoofing isn’t limited to air and sea—it can also disrupt road navigation, leading to traffic jams and paralyzing transport systems, particularly during emergencies.

Air traffic control, port operations, and vessel traffic systems (VTS) are highly dependent on GPS.
Interference can cause systemic failures in these sectors, with wide-ranging safety and operational consequences.

GPS interference can arise from both natural and intentional sources, including:
- Electromagnetic radiation from nearby devices
- Ionospheric disturbances and solar flares
- Deliberate jamming and spoofing in conflict zones
Countries with advanced electronic warfare capabilities—especially those involved in active conflicts—are often responsible for intentional interference.
While military in intent, civilian vessels and aircraft nearby can also be affected.

Persian Gulf and Red Sea
- Maritime GPS interference has surged due to regional tensions.
- Windward’s Q1 2025 data shows a 350% increase in spoofing in the Red Sea compared to 2024.
- Vessels reported sudden jumps of hundreds of nautical miles.
Eastern Europe
- Ongoing Russia–Ukraine war has led to frequent GPS spoofing incidents, especially affecting airspace safety.

Use of Backup Navigation Systems
- Inertial Navigation Systems (INS): Uses gyroscopes and accelerometers to calculate position from the last known location.
- VHF Omnidirectional Range (VOR) and Distance Measuring Equipment (DME): Ground-based radio navigation aids that help pilots cross-check their position.

Other Navigation Techniques
- Dead reckoning and celestial navigation are rare but can be used in extreme cases.
  - Dead reckoning - the process of calculating one’s position by estimating the direction and distance travelled.
- Instrument Landing Systems (ILS) remain unaffected by spoofing and ensure safe landings.
Crew Training and Communication
- DGCA mandates enhanced crew training to identify and respond to spoofing threats.
- Pilots are encouraged to monitor control room chatter for early warning signs.

Manual Navigation During Spoofing
- Ships typically operate on autopilot using GPS, but spoofing forces a switch to manual helm control.
- Terrestrial navigation using lighthouses, radars, and paper charts ensures continued situational awareness.
Adoption of Multi-GNSS Systems
- Ships increasingly rely on multi-constellation Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), which includes:
  - U.S. GPS
  - Russia’s GLONASS
  - EU’s Galileo
  - China’s Bei Dou
- This diversification reduces dependency on a single system and enhances resilience.

Mitigating GPS interference involves a multi-layered approach:
- Redundant systems in aircraft
- Manual navigation and GNSS diversification in ships
- National autonomy through indigenous systems like NavIC
This strategy ensures continuity, safety, and sovereignty in navigation and critical operations.

Source: IE | BBC

GPS Interference FAQs

Q1: What is GPS interference?

Ans: It’s the disruption or deception of GPS signals through jamming or spoofing, affecting navigation systems of planes and ships.

Q2: Why is GPS interference dangerous?

Ans: It misleads pilots and ship crews, increasing collision risks and compromising safety in critical infrastructure like ports and airports.

Q3: Where is GPS interference common?

Ans: Conflict zones like the Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and Eastern Europe often report high GPS spoofing and jamming activity.

Q4: How do aircraft handle GPS interference?

Ans: Aircraft switch to INS, VOR, and DME systems, while pilots rely on training and air traffic control communication for safety.

Q5: How do ships manage GPS spoofing?

Ans: Ships switch to manual control using radars and lighthouses, and adopt multi-GNSS systems like GLONASS and NavIC for accuracy.