An RAF airplane on a short‑range flight from Estonia back to the United Kingdom was later reported to have its GPS signal jammed while operating in close proximity to the Russian boundary, according to a newsletter from The Times. Defence Secretary John Heal‑y was aboard the aircraft when the interference took place, just a day after reports of Russian warplanes repeatedly hovering over an RAF spy plane on the Black Sea.
The jamming effect rendered the aircraft’s normal navigation system ineffective for roughly three hours. Pilots had to sidestep to an alternate system – likely an inertial guidance system – to keep the aircraft on track. The event seems to fit a pattern of escalating tensions between Russian military forces and NATO‑aligned aircraft that have played out in recent months.
The incident does not clarify whether the interference was directed at the flight because of its passenger, but a trending mapping service did display the jet’s path, indicating that the interference operation was recorded and visible to the public. The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment.
When the Defence Secretary visited Estonia last week, he spoke to British service personnel participating in a large NATO exercise on an outpost close to the Russian border. The exercise was designed to familiarise participants with camp activities, battlefield scenarios and multinational interoperability.
This interference episode follows two separate incidents involving Russian jets' aggressive behaviour near RAF aircraft. In August, a Su‑35 fighter approached a RAF Rivet Joint surveillance plane closely enough to activate its emergency systems, temporarily disabling the aircraft’s autopilot. A Su‑27 on a separate flight conducted six passes closer than six metres (about 19 feet) to the RAF jet.
In 2024, a similar incident was reported involving an RAF flight carrying former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. The micro‑guidance system originally provided by the GPS was jammed when passing near Russian airspace.
The defence community has repeatedly described the recent intercepts as “unacceptable” and the most dangerous Russian action since 2022, when a rogue pilot allegedly fired a missile at a Rivet Joint over the Black Sea.
The incident demonstrates the necessity for robust counter‑measure systems in modern aircraft operating within contested regions such as the proximity of Russian-held territories and showcases the ongoing flashpoint at Commonwealth lines of defence, amid continuing concerns about stealth, non‑cooperative equipment, and mutual trust in the NATO‑Russian sphere of influence.}
The jamming effect rendered the aircraft’s normal navigation system ineffective for roughly three hours. Pilots had to sidestep to an alternate system – likely an inertial guidance system – to keep the aircraft on track. The event seems to fit a pattern of escalating tensions between Russian military forces and NATO‑aligned aircraft that have played out in recent months.
The incident does not clarify whether the interference was directed at the flight because of its passenger, but a trending mapping service did display the jet’s path, indicating that the interference operation was recorded and visible to the public. The Ministry of Defence has been approached for comment.
When the Defence Secretary visited Estonia last week, he spoke to British service personnel participating in a large NATO exercise on an outpost close to the Russian border. The exercise was designed to familiarise participants with camp activities, battlefield scenarios and multinational interoperability.
This interference episode follows two separate incidents involving Russian jets' aggressive behaviour near RAF aircraft. In August, a Su‑35 fighter approached a RAF Rivet Joint surveillance plane closely enough to activate its emergency systems, temporarily disabling the aircraft’s autopilot. A Su‑27 on a separate flight conducted six passes closer than six metres (about 19 feet) to the RAF jet.
In 2024, a similar incident was reported involving an RAF flight carrying former Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. The micro‑guidance system originally provided by the GPS was jammed when passing near Russian airspace.
The defence community has repeatedly described the recent intercepts as “unacceptable” and the most dangerous Russian action since 2022, when a rogue pilot allegedly fired a missile at a Rivet Joint over the Black Sea.
The incident demonstrates the necessity for robust counter‑measure systems in modern aircraft operating within contested regions such as the proximity of Russian-held territories and showcases the ongoing flashpoint at Commonwealth lines of defence, amid continuing concerns about stealth, non‑cooperative equipment, and mutual trust in the NATO‑Russian sphere of influence.}
