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The number of Dutch flights affected by GPS sabotage, in which planes are sent the wrong GPS information from the ground, is increasing alarmingly. In the first ten months of this year, Dutch pilots reported being misled by GPS signals 983 times, up from 163 reports in all of last year, Trouw based on figures from the Aviation Incident Analysis Bureau. In 2022, this type of report was virtually non-existent.
Deliberately misleading aircraft navigation is a complex process and not everyone is capable of it. Most countries can do it, and so can some organized rebel groups, according to the newspaper. They send out a GPS signal that drowns out the correct signal from satellites, causing pilots to receive the wrong information.
The aim is often to disrupt drones and military aircraft, but GPS spoofing can also throw passenger and cargo flights off course. The Aviation Incident Analysis Bureau, part of the ILT Aviation Authority, does not record location data on where the sabotage takes place. The Dutch Airline Pilots Association (VNV) told Trouw that Dutch pilots experience the most problems north of Turkey, around the Balkans, and in the Middle East.
Reports are also increasing around Myanmar, Pakistan, the United States, North Korea, and South Korea. According to VNV vice president Coen George, reports started increasing after Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022 and GPS spoofing is now a daily problem for Dutch pilots. He warned of the consequences.
“Multiple systems on board give the pilots incorrect information about the position of an aircraft,” George said. “It can lead to false warnings or the absence of warnings to pilots.” The real risk is if pilots get so used to false warnings that they misinterpret a real one, he added.
A false GPS signal can also affect an entire flight. “It feels like sailing in the fog,” George said. “You can no longer automatically fully trust your systems on board.
It remains crucial that two pilots are in the cockpit who monitor the systems and can intervene,” he added, referring to a suggestion by the European Aviation Authority (EASA) to abolish the co-pilot. In September, an international working group suggested better training of crews in recognizing manipulation and improving navigation systems against GPS spoofing. A temporary solution for pilots is to turn off GPS while flying over risky areas.
“For example, in certain areas, we use navigation beacons on the ground to navigate,” George from the pilots’ association said. “Unfortunately, these beacons are disappearing worldwide because positioning is mainly done via GPS.”.
