On May 21, 2024, a British Royal Air Force aircraft carrying Defence Minister John Healey experienced a disruption in its GPS signal while flying near the Russian border. The incident occurred during Healey’s return to the UK after visiting British troops participating in NATO exercises in Estonia.
During the three-hour flight, the aircraft’s GPS navigation system was rendered inoperative, prompting the pilots to rely on an alternative navigation method. It remains unclear whether the aircraft was intentionally targeted by Russian military forces.
Journalists have pointed out that the flight path of the government aircraft could be easily tracked on public flight monitoring websites, raising questions about the potential for such incidents.
This incident is not unprecedented. In 2024, a similar GPS disruption occurred involving a Royal Air Force plane carrying then-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps. Additionally, in April, Russian Su-35 and Su-27 fighters conducted a dangerous interception of a British reconnaissance aircraft, Rivet Joint, over the Black Sea. One Russian fighter approached so closely that it triggered emergency systems on the British aircraft, while another flew just six meters from its nose.
The UK Ministry of Defence has reiterated that the Rivet Joint was conducting routine flights to ensure the security of NATO’s eastern flank.
A Royal Air Force aircraft carrying UK Defence Minister John Healey experienced GPS signal disruption during a flight near Russia. This incident follows previous similar occurrences and raises concerns about air safety in the region.
Source: BBC