Russians jamming NATO GPS systems

Latest reports suggest that Russian TOBOL Electronic Warfare system is responsible for jamming GPS signal in the Nord Stream pipelines area and in Suwałki Gap on NATO Eastern Flank.

The GPS jamming broke the newsfeed in late December. Since then at least couple of interesting reports surfaced. Some of them published in the closed industry outlets suggesting that some new toys from the Russian toolbox could be used. Here is what we know by now. As usually - My thoughts at the end of the text.

GPS Jamming in the Baltic Region

GPS World's Assessment

A GPS World report published on January 10, 2024, by Dana Goward, brought to light significant GPS signal disruptions in the Baltic region during December, particularly affecting countries like Poland, Lithuania, and southern Sweden. These interferences, spanning the northern two-thirds of Poland, posed challenges for users on the ground and in aviation. The GPSJam.org website reported low navigation integrity from ADS-B systems, and Finland also encountered significant GPS jamming on New Year’s Eve.

Experts from the United States and Poland attributed these disruptions to Russia, likely in response to geopolitical tensions involving NATO. In 2022, President Putin had threatened Finland and Sweden over their NATO aspirations. Following a meeting between Finnish President Niinistö and President Biden, GPS jamming over Kaliningrad and nearby Baltic areas was reported.

Analyses by Zach Clements of the University of Texas Radionavigation Laboratory and Zixi Liu from Stanford University identified multiple transmitters, some jamming and at least one spoofing aircraft positions. Clements traced the spoofing source to near Russia's decommissioned Smolensk military airbase. Liu's analysis indicated two separate jamming events. These developments have raised concerns over GPS signal interference, particularly in aviation, necessitating global cooperation for solutions.

Ukrainian Countermeasures Against Russian Electronic Warfare

Business Insider's Report

On January 8, 2024, Business Insider reported a critical development in the Russia-Ukraine conflict: the destruction of Russia's Tirada-2 electronic warfare system (picture above) by Ukrainian forces. This system, operational in the Donetsk region of Ukraine, had been blocking satellite communications. The Tirada-2, a portable radio-electronic suppression system developed in 2018, was part of Russia's strategy to limit Ukraine's access to essential satellite communications, including the Starlink network.

Satellite connectivity has been a vital part of Ukraine's defense, supporting communication and the operation of weapons systems and drones. Russia's efforts to develop electronic-warfare systems targeting communication satellites, including the R-330Zh Zhitel and Bylina-MM systems, have been extensively reported. The Washington Post in April 2023 also highlighted Russia's testing of the Tobol electronic-warfare systems, aimed at disrupting Starlink transmissions in Ukraine.