The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has updated its warning to aircraft operators about the risks posed by interference with navigation systems due to spoofing and jamming of signals. On Friday, EASA released the third edition of its safety information bulletin (SIB) on global navigation satellite system (GNSS) disruptions and alterations, highlighting increased threats in airspace near conflict zones that impact communication, navigation, and surveillance capabilities.
To provide more timely updates on these threats, EASA has launched a new dedicated platform to inform operators about GNSS system disruptions in affected flight information regions (FIRs). Currently, the most concerning FIRs are located in the southern and eastern Mediterranean Sea, the Middle East, around the Black Sea, parts of Eastern Europe, the Baltic Sea, and the Arctic region.
Jamming obstructs signals used by navigation systems, while spoofing transmits false information to the aircraft’s receiver. The latest EASA guidance updates a previous SIB issued in November and includes specific recommendations for regulators, air traffic management, air navigation service providers, and aircraft operators.
To counter jamming, operators are advised to verify their aircraft’s position using methods other than GNSS, report any anomalies, train crew members, and have non-GNSS procedures available. For spoofing, EASA suggests using alternative navigation aids, closely monitoring air traffic control frequencies, and reporting any irregularities.