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Attacks on navigation systems create a real air maze for pilots.
In March, American Airlines pilot Dan Carey faced an unexpected "get up!" alarm when his Boeing 777 was over Pakistan at an altitude of more than 9,700 kilometers. The reason was GPS spoofing, which created false signals for navigation systems. Although the signal did not pose a real threat in this case, the problem of GPS spoofing is increasingly affecting commercial flights, including international flights of American airlines.
GPS systems in modern aircraft are critical for navigation and safety management. However, artificially created signals can cause serious malfunctions in the operation of onboard equipment. According to SkAI Data Services and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, the number of flights subjected to spoofing increased from a few dozen in February to more than 1100 in August 2024.
GPS spoofing incidents have been reported not only in conflict zones in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, but also in other regions, causing navigation disruptions and a strain on pilots who must respond quickly to false alerts. According to anonymous reports, pilots faced various consequences: time reset on the onboard clock, false alarms and incorrect route directions.
The aviation industry acknowledges that GPS spoofing has not yet posed a critical security risk, but the impact of attacks is growing. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notes that if the country loses an aircraft due to such attacks, especially in the event of an emergency, "the consequences will be terrifying".
Aircraft manufacturers, suppliers and regulators are working on temporary solutions to reduce the impact of spoofing, but standards for improved protection of navigation systems will not emerge until next year. So far, pilots receive detailed instructions on how to identify false signals and respond to them, including sometimes ignoring false commands from the approach warning system.
Most attacks occur due to powerful electronic warfare transmitters. In some cases, the pilots even performed unnecessary maneuvers, such as lifting the plane. Other onboard systems, including the messaging network, are also disrupted by false time and location data.
A report by OpsGroup, which includes pilots and controllers, indicates that spoofing can lead to serious deviations. In September 2023, an Embraer private jet almost ended up in Iranian airspace, and an Airbus A320 lost navigation data when taking off from Cyprus. The Boeing 787 aborted the landing twice due to the loss of the GPS signal and subsequent instrument failures.
The FAA has not yet identified any cases of spoofing in the United States, but in October 2022, there were GPS problems at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport that led to aircraft deviating from their course. The European Aviation Agency also reported disruptions in navigation, but without threats to flight safety.
Source
In March, American Airlines pilot Dan Carey faced an unexpected "get up!" alarm when his Boeing 777 was over Pakistan at an altitude of more than 9,700 kilometers. The reason was GPS spoofing, which created false signals for navigation systems. Although the signal did not pose a real threat in this case, the problem of GPS spoofing is increasingly affecting commercial flights, including international flights of American airlines.
GPS systems in modern aircraft are critical for navigation and safety management. However, artificially created signals can cause serious malfunctions in the operation of onboard equipment. According to SkAI Data Services and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences, the number of flights subjected to spoofing increased from a few dozen in February to more than 1100 in August 2024.
GPS spoofing incidents have been reported not only in conflict zones in Eastern Europe and the Middle East, but also in other regions, causing navigation disruptions and a strain on pilots who must respond quickly to false alerts. According to anonymous reports, pilots faced various consequences: time reset on the onboard clock, false alarms and incorrect route directions.
The aviation industry acknowledges that GPS spoofing has not yet posed a critical security risk, but the impact of attacks is growing. The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) notes that if the country loses an aircraft due to such attacks, especially in the event of an emergency, "the consequences will be terrifying".
Aircraft manufacturers, suppliers and regulators are working on temporary solutions to reduce the impact of spoofing, but standards for improved protection of navigation systems will not emerge until next year. So far, pilots receive detailed instructions on how to identify false signals and respond to them, including sometimes ignoring false commands from the approach warning system.
Most attacks occur due to powerful electronic warfare transmitters. In some cases, the pilots even performed unnecessary maneuvers, such as lifting the plane. Other onboard systems, including the messaging network, are also disrupted by false time and location data.
A report by OpsGroup, which includes pilots and controllers, indicates that spoofing can lead to serious deviations. In September 2023, an Embraer private jet almost ended up in Iranian airspace, and an Airbus A320 lost navigation data when taking off from Cyprus. The Boeing 787 aborted the landing twice due to the loss of the GPS signal and subsequent instrument failures.
The FAA has not yet identified any cases of spoofing in the United States, but in October 2022, there were GPS problems at Dallas/Fort Worth Airport that led to aircraft deviating from their course. The European Aviation Agency also reported disruptions in navigation, but without threats to flight safety.
Source
