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RAF Plane Carrying UK Defence Secretary Suffers GPS Disruption Near Russian Border

The navigation failure forced crews to use backup systems, heightening safety and escalation concerns in NATO–Russia air operations.

Overview

  • British media report that an RAF aircraft carrying Defence Secretary John Healey experienced GPS signal interference on a return flight from Estonia, disabling onboard GPS for the duration of the trip.
  • Pilots switched to an alternative navigation system after the primary GPS was disrupted, according to coverage of the incident.
  • The UK government has not issued an official comment and no formal attribution to Russia has been announced in public statements.
  • News outlets and commentators have pointed to Moscow as a possible source of the jamming but reporters note it is unclear whether Healey or the flight was intentionally targeted.
  • The episode follows a string of risky encounters, including a close April intercept by a Russian Su-35 and a 2024 GPS interference report, raising operational safety questions and likely prompting military reviews of navigation resilience and flight procedures.