Putin's Electronic Warfare: Top UK Defense Minister's Aircraft Targeted By Russia

Recent incidents of aircraft GPS systems being jammed or spoofed have raised alarm bells worldwide, and it seems no one is immune - not even high-ranking state officials.

In a disturbing development, it has been revealed that Russia allegedly jammed the satellite signal on an aircraft carrying British Defense Minister Grant Shapps. The incident occurred as Shapps was returning from Poland, where he had been engaged in diplomatic efforts related to the ongoing tensions with Russia.

According to Reuters, a government source and journalists reported that the GPS signal was disrupted for approximately half an hour as the plane flew near Russia's Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad. The interference rendered mobile phones unable to connect to the internet, forcing the aircraft to resort to alternative methods to ascertain its location.

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The incident was confirmed by a spokesperson for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who downplayed its significance by stating it was 'not unusual'. "While travelling back from Poland yesterday, the plane carrying the Defense Secretary and his delegation temporarily experienced GPS jamming when they flew close to Kaliningrad," the spokesperson said. "It didn't threaten the safety of the aircraft and it is not unusual for aircraft to experience GPS jamming near Kaliningrad, which is of course Russian territory."

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March 16, 2024

Despite the reassurances, defense sources have condemned the act as a 'wildly irresponsible' instance of electronic warfare, insisting that while Shapps was not in danger, the act itself was reckless.

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The Guardian reported that aircraft departing from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus are regularly jammed by Russian equipment, believed to be located in Syria. However, it is considered rare for an aircraft carrying a high-profile figure to be affected.

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The Times quoted a defense source as saying, "While the RAF are well prepared to deal with this, it still puts an unnecessary risk on civilian aircraft and could potentially endanger people's lives. There is no excuse for this and it's wildly irresponsible on Russia's part."