GPS System in Swedish Airspace Suffers Extensive Disruption

Coordinated GPS disruptions infiltrate Sweden's airspace.

In recent months, incidents of GPS interference in the airspace of Sweden and Denmark have been on the rise, causing concern among authorities and increasing suspicions of intentional disruptions.

The Swedish Transport Authority has accused Russia of being behind a series of these intentional disruptions, targeting their airspace. Andreas Holmgren, a representative of the authority, stated that these disruptions pose a safety risk to civil aviation. In 2023 alone, there were 55 incidents of GPS interference reported in Swedish airspace, compared to 495 for the entire previous year.

The Danish Transport Authority shares similar concerns, reporting a significant increase in GPS jamming incidents this year. Compared to one to two cases per month in 2023, there have been about two cases per week in 2022. This surge in interference has led to more incidents being reported in Danish airspace, suggesting a broader problem.

One of the most notable incidents occurred with the chartered plane carrying EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Despite the GPS interference, which is referred to as GPS jamming, the plane landed safely in the city of Plovdiv, Bulgaria. However, the attack added to the ongoing suspicion of Russia being behind these intentional disruptions.

Brussels also suspects Russia after the attack on von der Leyen's plane, with Bulgarian authorities attributing the incident to Russia as well. Kremlin spokesman Dmitri Peskov has denied these accusations, speaking of misinformation in the "Financial Times".

Despite the concerns, it's important to note that pilots have other navigation options in case of a system failure. This redundancy helps ensure the safety of flights, even in the face of GPS interference.

As the incidents continue to rise, authorities are working to identify the source of these disruptions and address the issue to ensure the safety of civil aviation. The ongoing investigations aim to provide evidence to support the suspicions and bring clarity to the situation.