by Elsie Clark | Dec 3, 2025 | Connectivity
India’s Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, has confirmed that ‘regular’ jamming and spoofing incidents have been taking place at the country’s airports since 2023.
In a written answer presented to parliament, the minister reported that his department was aware of GPS disruption at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi Airport, as well as at Kolkata, Amritsar, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bangalore and Chennai.
The source of the jamming and spoofing is yet to be confirmed, though as of yet it has not led to any harm. With critical flight control software relying on GPS, any interference can have disastrous safety consequences. The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has asked the Wireless Monitoring Organization to trace the source.
The minister’s statement adds:
[AAI] is implementing advanced cyber security solutions for IT Networks and Infrastructure. […] Cyber security is ensured by continuous upgradation. As the nature and type of the threat changes, new protective measures are being taken.
The number of GPS spoofing and jamming incidents has risen substantially in recent years, especially in the Middle East and Eastern Europe. In September 2025, a plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was even forced to land in Bulgaria using paper maps due to GPS interference.
States in Scandinavia and the Baltics have also complained of repeated GPS spoofing, blaming Russian activity for the disruption. At the same time, the European Space Agency (ESA) is investing in quantum positioning technology to try and overcome the security weaknesses of GPS.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where expert panels will be discussing the future of cybersecurity in aviation, including combatting GPS spoofing and jamming.
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by Elsie Clark | Nov 17, 2025 | Avionics, Connectivity, Innovation
Fokker Services Group has launched a new anti-spoofing solution for the protection of critical avionics systems.
Rather than just detecting GPS spoofing and jamming, the Dutch company says the solution actively defends aircraft systems from attempted attacks. Providing a ‘full-spectrum’ defence, the countermeasures can be integrated with any avionics system and do not require additional pilot training.
Fokker Services CEO Menzo van der Beek said:
Safety is at the heart of everything we do. We assembled a team of experts to develop a solution that directly addresses the hazards posed by GPS disruptions. With very positive test results and expected entry into service scheduled for January 2026 with undisclosed launching operators, we’re confident this solution will bring peace of mind to pilots, crews, and airlines.
The introduction of such a solution comes at a critical time in aerospace. GPS spoofing and jamming incidents have increased significantly in Eastern Europe and the Middle East over the past few years. In one of 2025’s most high-profile incidents, a suspected Russian GPS attack forced pilots carrying the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to land her plane with paper maps.
Traffic Collision Avoidance Systems (TCAS), Flight Management Systems (FMS), and the Terrain Avoidance Warning Systems (TAWS) are among the avionics systems that can be targeted during such attacks. Developing robust security and defence systems is critical to maintain the safe positioning and landing of air crew and passengers.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026 to discuss the future of secure avionics.
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by Elsie Clark | Sep 3, 2025 | Connectivity
A plane carrying Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, was subject to a GPS interference attack on Sunday 31st August.
GPS navigation services on the plane were unexpectedly disabled as the aircraft approached Plovdiv Airport in Bulgaria, forcing the pilots to land using paper maps rather than electronic navigational aids. Officials confirmed that they were treating the incident as intentional Russian interference.
A spokesperson for the commission noted that thirteen member states had raised the issue of Russian interference in Eastern European airspace earlier this year. They added:
Generally we have been seeing quite a lot of such jamming and spoofing activities, especially on the eastern flank. Europe is the most affected region globally on this.
Aircraft have become increasingly dependent on satellite data to inform positioning and navigation. GPS interference represents a significant risk to the safety of air travel, as well as global financial, electrical, and communication systems. The Bulgarian Air Traffic Services Authority told the Financial Times:
Since February 2022, there has been a notable increase in [GPS] jamming and recently spoofing occurrences. These interferences disrupt the accurate reception of [GPS] signals, leading to various operational challenges for aircraft and ground systems.
Von der Leyen was in Plovdiv to meet the Bulgarian prime minister, Rosen Zhelyazkov. Together, they discussed the European bloc’s defence readiness as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continues.
Against this backdrop of uncertainty, alternative navigation methods remain essential for aircraft. Researchers around the world continue to explore potential replacements for GPS, including quantum navigation and the British ‘atomic clocks’ project.
Join us at Aerospace Tech Week 2026, where we’ll be discussing building zero-trust architecture to improve aircraft cybersecurity and prevent GPS interference.
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