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The Guardian World1 min read
GPS jammed on RAF jet carrying UK defence secretary close to Russian border
TL;DR
An RAF jet carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey had its GPS jammed for three hours near the Russian border, likely due to a Russian electronic attack. The incident occurred during Healey's return from visiting British soldiers in Estonia.
Key points
- RAF jet carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey had GPS jammed
- Incident occurred near the Russian border during return from Estonia
- Russia is thought to be behind the electronic attack
- Smartphones and laptops on board lost internet connectivity
- Pilots used an alternative navigation system
Mentioned in this story
John HealeyEstoniaRAFRussia
An RAF jet carrying the defence secretary, John Healey, had its signal jammed for the entire three-hour flight after it flew near the Russian border.
Healey had been visiting British soldiers in Estonia and was travelling back to the UK when the electronic attack happened, the Times reported.
It is thought Russia was behind the incident on Thursday.
Smartphones and laptops were unable to connect to the internet and pilots had to use a different navigation system as the plane’s GPS was disabled.
It is unclear if Healey was deliberately targeted but the flight path was visible on aircraft tracking websites.
Passengers, who included photographers and a reporter, were told the Dassault Falcon 900LX aircraft could still operate safely.
Healey had met the Estonian minister of defence, Hanno Pevkur, in Tallinn to discuss long-term bilateral defence cooperation and its strategic expansion.
On Wednesday the Ministry of Defence (MoD) revealed two Russian jets had “repeatedly and dangerously” intercepted an RAF spy plane above the Black Sea last month.
A Russian Su-35 jet flew so close to the British reconnaissance aircraft that it triggered its emergency systems, including disabling the autopilot.
A Russian Su-27 also flew six metres from the unarmed Rivet Joint’s nose and carried out six passes in front.
The MoD said it was the most dangerous Russian action against a British Rivet Joint aircraft since a plane fired a missile over the Black Sea in 2022.
A Rivet Joint is a spy plane, with a crew of up to 30, capable of a wide range of electronic surveillance at a ranges of about 150 miles, and would have been monitoring Russian activity as part of a Nato patrol.
In March 2024, an RAF plane carrying the then-defence secretary Grant Shapps had its GPS signal jammed while flying near Russian territory.
Q&A
What happened to the RAF jet carrying John Healey?
The RAF jet experienced GPS jamming for the entire flight after flying close to the Russian border.
Was the GPS jamming incident near Russia intentional?
It is thought that Russia was behind the GPS jamming, but it is unclear if Healey was deliberately targeted.
What navigation system did the pilots use during the GPS jamming?
The pilots had to rely on a different navigation system since the plane's GPS was disabled.
