‘Russian reckless interference’: RAF jet carrying UK defense minister encounters GPS jamming near Russian border

The GPS signal of an RAF jet carrying British Defense Secretary John Healey was reportedly jammed for nearly three hours as it flew close to the Russian border, raising new concerns about Moscow’s increasingly aggressive electronic warfare tactics.Healy was returning to the UK on Thursday after visiting British troops in Estonia when the incident occurred, The Times reported.The Dassault Falcon 900LX aircraft is believed to have been subject to deliberate electronic interference suspected to have come from Russia.

Pilots forced to switch navigation systems

The jamming attack reportedly knocked out the aircraft’s GPS system during flight, forcing RAF pilots to rely on alternative navigation methods.Passengers on board, including journalists and photographers, were told the plane was operating safely despite the disruption.The interference also affected in-flight connectivity, preventing smartphones and laptops from accessing internet services during the flight.“This was reckless Russian interference but the RAF is fully prepared to respond to this activity,” the Ministry of Defense told AFP.

Was Healy targeted on purpose?

Officials have not confirmed whether Healy himself was the intended target. However, the report noted that the plane’s route was publicly visible on flight tracking platforms, which may have made it easier to identify.The incident comes amid tensions between NATO allies and Russia over military activities near Eastern Europe and the Black Sea region.

Russia in danger in the Black Sea

The GPS jamming incident came to light a day after Britain revealed that two Russian fighter jets carried out what the Ministry of Defense called a “dangerous” interception of an RAF reconnaissance aircraft in the Black Sea last month.A Russian Sukhoi Su-35 flew close enough to trigger the spy plane’s emergency system and disable its autopilot, according to the Defense Ministry.Another Sukhoi Su-27 reportedly made six aggressive flybys, including one just six meters from the nose of the RAF aircraft.The British aircraft involved was a Boeing RC-135 Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft as part of a NATO patrol mission monitoring Russian military activities.

‘Won’t stop Britain’s commitment’: Healey

Responding to recent aerial encounters with Russia, Healey praised the professionalism of RAF personnel and insisted the UK would continue to support NATO operations despite escalating provocations.The BBC quoted Healey as saying: “Let me be very clear: this incident will not deter the UK’s commitment to defend NATO, our allies and our interests against Russian aggression.”

A repeat of events in 2024

This is not the first such case involving senior British officials. In March 2024, an RAF aircraft carrying former British Defense Secretary Grant Shapps also encountered GPS interference while flying near Russian territory after visiting Poland.The outage lasted about 30 minutes and was closely related to Russia’s electronic warfare capabilities.