The Global Positioning System (GPS) is one of the most relied-upon yet least noticed technologies of our time, quietly powering the systems that keep society running. It guides airplanes safely across continents, steers cargo ships through crowded ports, enables ride-hailing apps, coordinates delivery fleets, synchronizes global financial transactions, and even supports autonomous vehicles.
But this silent reliability comes with a hidden risk. Our dependence on GPS means that any disruption, whether caused by natural factors, technical failures, or deliberate interference, can have cascading effects across industries and communities. In recent years, deliberate interference in the form of GPS jamming and spoofing has increased, posing a threat to both civilian and military navigation systems. These tactics can block or manipulate GPS signals, creating anything from minor navigation errors to serious safety hazards.
Key Takeaways
What is the main risk associated with GPS today?
Jamming and spoofing are becoming more frequent and widespread. GPS signals are weak at ground level, allowing small transmitters to block or spoof location data. This poses a recurring threat to aviation, shipping, logistics, and critical infrastructure.
How common are disruptions in the Baltic and surrounding regions?
Since late 2023, authorities have recorded tens of thousands of interference events that are affecting Sweden, Poland, Germany, Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. As a result, they frequently adjust routes, schedules, and procedures.
Have there been any specific airline incidents?
In January 2025, a Ryanair flight en route to Vilnius aborted its landing approach at approximately 850 feet and diverted to Warsaw due to GPS interference, as reported by Lithuania’s air navigation authority. There have been prior incidents reported in the region as well.
What about maritime risk and monitoring?
Studies in the Baltic and North Sea focus on real-time interference monitoring and provide live displays to evaluate the operational impact on mariners. Safety risks include navigation errors, unintended entry into danger zones, and delays.
How quickly is the trend in aviation growing?
According to IATA data, there has been a 220 percent increase in GPS signal loss events from 2021 to 2024. In response to this issue, EASA and IATA have developed a joint plan to mitigate risks through improved information sharing, prevention strategies, and updated procedures.
How can you maintain tracking and alerts functionality when GPS is unavailable?
Use a hybrid approach. Rely on Cell ID for low-power fixes outdoors, and utilize WiFi and Bluetooth for more precise location tracking indoors, such as within buildings, on floors, and in specific rooms.
By combining these methods, you can ensure service continuity in the event of jamming or spoofing attempts. This strategy helps reduce support calls and minimizes risks related to service level agreements (SLAs).
What resilience steps do authorities and industry promote?
Standardized reporting, real-time interference monitoring, backup navigation and timing, along with operational mitigations, are being implemented.
Europe is also making progress on authenticated signals and resilient timing infrastructures. Policymakers and industry discuss eLoran to harden timing and PNT against GNSS outages, with recent UK–France steps highlighting interest for Europe.
What is the business impact for operators and enterprises?
Operators and enterprises face significant business impacts, including flight diversions, port delays, missed service level agreements (SLAs), and an increased support load.
Ensuring location continuity minimizes revenue loss and safety risks while providing essential audit trails for investigations.
Which operational controls help right now?
Use live interference maps and aviation advisories. Train front-line staff to recognize symptoms. Adjust routes and procedures when alerts spike—layer positioning so operations continue during GNSS outages.
What Is GNSS/GPS?
To understand the significance of these threats, it is essential to know what GPS is and its role within the broader context of global satellite navigation. The term “Global Navigation Satellite System” (GNSS) refers to satellite constellations that provide global positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services. GPS, or the Global Positioning System, is the United States’ GNSS and is owned and operated by the U.S. government through the U.S. Space Force. Other major GNSS systems include Russia’s GLONASS, Europe’s Galileo, China’s BeiDou, as well as regional systems such as Japan’s QZSS and India’s NavIC/IRNSS. (NASA Earthdata)
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a space-based radio navigation system consisting of a constellation of satellites that broadcast navigation signals, in conjunction with a global network of ground stations that monitor and control the system. (faa.gov)
By 2025, a total of 31 operational GPS satellites will provide accurate position, velocity, and time information globally, regardless of weather conditions. These GPS satellites orbit at an altitude of approximately 20,200 km (about 10,900 nautical miles or 12,550 miles). (faa.gov)
GPS has become indispensable for navigation, mapping, emergency response, transportation, and critical infrastructure due to its reliability, global coverage, and compatibility with small, inexpensive receivers. This makes addressing the growing threat of GPS interference increasingly urgent. (NASA)
Threats to GPS: Jamming & Spoofing Explained
GPS Jamming refers to the deliberate interference with GPS signals, usually through high-power radio frequency transmitters that block the reception of signals from satellites. GPS Spoofing, on the other hand, involves transmitting false GPS signals to trick receivers into calculating incorrect locations.
1. GPS Jamming
GPS jamming, a type of GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System) interference, involves transmitting high-powered radio signals on the same frequencies used by satellites, thereby overpowering legitimate signals and rendering GPS receivers unable to calculate accurate locations or times (Wikipedia, 2025).
- Intentional vs. unintentional: While satellite signals can be jammed unintentionally, most cases are deliberate, often to prevent a device, vehicle, ship, or aircraft from being tracked.
- Vulnerability: GNSS and GPS devices rely on weak RF signals, making them highly susceptible to disruption. Even modest interference can degrade or alter velocity, timing, and position data, undermining navigation accuracy.
- Risks: Can cause significant harm or economic loss across critical infrastructure sectors (e.g., finance, energy, communications) (GNSS Jamming, 2025)
- Notable warning: A 2017 UK government report warned that systematic jamming could cause total disruption to the country’s financial, electricity, and communications systems.
- Targets: Aircraft, drones, ships, precision agriculture, financial networks, and time-stamping systems in digital infrastructure (Wired, 2025).
- Ease of execution: Only a weak interfering signal is needed to disable a GPS receiver, and jamming devices have been found for sale on mainstream marketplaces (NBC News, 2024).
2. GPS Spoofing
In GNSS systems such as GPS, spoofing is an attack in which a receiver is deceived by fake signals that mimic legitimate transmissions, or by genuine signals that have been recorded elsewhere or at a different time and then rebroadcast (GIM International, 2021).
- Why it works: Satellite signals are already weak at the Earth’s surface, making them easier to manipulate.
- Consequences: Navigation accidents, environmental damage, loss of life, and substantial financial costs.
- Detection difficulty: Spoofed signals closely mimic authentic ones, and most receivers lack built-in defenses.
- Notable incidents: Rerouting ships in the Black Sea (2017), collision risks during NATO exercises, and suspected spoofing in the Baltic region.
- Reliance risk: With ~80% of global trade moved by sea, GNSS remains unavoidable for maritime navigation and many other sectors (Wikipedia, 2025).
Real-World Example: The “Bermuda Triangle” of the Baltic
One of the most striking examples of large-scale GPS disruption is in the Baltic Sea, dubbed the “Bermuda Triangle” of the Baltic for its frequent and widespread loss or distortion of navigation signals. Persistent GNSS interference in the area has disrupted both civilian and military operations, forcing aircraft to divert and, in some cases, causing complete positional loss. These events are widely linked to suspected Russian electronic warfare, demonstrating how geopolitical tensions can directly translate into navigation safety risks in strategic regions (GPS World, 2025).
The Baltic Sea: A hotspot for GPS interference, disrupting navigation and safety in the region.
The Growing Threat of GPS Jamming and Spoofing
GPS jamming and spoofing incidents are becoming increasingly common as malicious systems become cheaper and easier to build. The deliberate transmission of false signals to mislead satellite navigation receivers has expanded in recent years, affecting a wider range of users, including civil aviation. According to the Department of Defense and Space within the European Commission (2025), position errors can extend for hundreds of kilometers, often going undetected, particularly in regions such as the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, and parts of the Middle East.
Between August 2023 and April 2024, approximately 46,000 GPS interference incidents were reported over the Baltic Sea, with most of them linked to suspected Russian jamming (The Guardian, 2024). The NGO C4ADS has also documented Russia’s frequent use of spoofing to divert aerial drones away from sensitive airspace, including around government figures, airports, and ports (GIM International, 2021).
Civilian & Military Implications
- Military – Armed forces utilize layered navigation systems to resist jamming; however, powerful emitters like Russia’s Zhitel can still disrupt targeting, UAV control, and force less precise backups (IFATCA, 2025).
- Civilian – Aviation, shipping, and critical infrastructure often lack backups, leaving them more exposed. Disruptions have caused diverted flights, false alerts, and in one case, a Ryanair jet aborted landing near Vilnius due to suspected jamming from Kaliningrad (Reuters, 2025).
In response, the European GPS alternative Galileo has begun rolling out Open Service Navigation Message Authentication (OSNMA) to verify the authenticity of satellite signals (European Commission, 2025). While this is a promising step, it is not a complete solution. True resilience will require operational-level measures such as improved detection systems, user training, and the integration of alternative positioning technologies to reduce the risk of future jamming and spoofing attacks.
How We Can Monitor the Threat
GPSJam.org – An open-source platform that tracks and maps suspected GPS interference worldwide by analyzing aircraft ADS-B data. It highlights regions experiencing signal loss or anomalies, providing a real-time snapshot of disruptions as they happen.
GPSWise.aero – A professional-grade tool designed for aviation, offering real-time GNSS interference reports, heatmaps, and alerts. This enables airlines and regulators to assess risks and adjust flight routes accordingly.
Why it matters: Live situational awareness enables operators to detect interference zones early, adjust routes, and implement preventive measures, reducing safety risks and operational delays. When the threat is identified, alternative positioning technologies can be deployed to ensure resilience.
Layered Resilience: Why GPS Backup Solutions Matter
According to the business-to-business magazine Inside GNSS, the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), and a coalition of 17 EU nations have warned that deliberate GNSS jamming and spoofing, much of which is linked to Russia and Belarus, is now a persistent threat. Both groups are pushing for coordinated action, including:
- Standardized interference reporting and real-time monitoring.
- Stricter controls on jamming devices and better mitigation tools.
- Maintaining backup navigation aids like eLoran and fiber-based timing.
- Regular training for aviation staff on interference detection and response.
The message is clear: no single system is immune to this threat. Multiple, independent navigation and timing solutions are essential for ensuring the safety of transportation and critical infrastructure. Companies that incorporate alternative systems alongside GPS or adopt more reliable solutions will be better equipped to navigate future challenges.
Combain’s Role in GPS Resilience
In a world where GPS jamming and spoofing are growing threats, Combain offers innovative positioning technologies that ensure assets, people, and operations remain visible and connected, even when traditional satellite navigation systems fail to function. By leveraging a mix of Cell-ID, WiFi, and AI-driven solutions, Combain provides resilient alternatives that protect against disruptions, ensuring continuity in safety and critical infrastructure.
1. Cell-ID Positioning
- Works indoors and is resistant to GPS jamming.
- Low power, ideal for IoT and logistics applications.
- Determines location from the ID and signal strength of nearby cellular towers, with 50–500 m accuracy (best in dense urban areas).
- Core to Traxmate’s IoT SIM Tracking Platform, which integrates with Cisco’s IoT Control Center for seamless, GPS-free tracking, even indoors and during outages.
- Read more about Cell-ID positioning here.
2. Wifi & BLE Positioning
- Effective in indoor and urban canyon environments.
- Uses known WiFi access points or Bluetooth beacons for 5–30 m accuracy in malls, airports, hospitals, and other high-density areas.
- Read more about crowd indoor positioning here.
3. Hybrid Positioning (Cell + WiFi)
- AI-enhanced accuracy is often below 30 m in urban environments.
- Works continuously, even during GPS outages or jamming events, by fusing cellular and WiFi data with AI algorithms.
AI-Powered Global Positioning
- Backed by one of the world’s largest databases of cell towers and WiFi hotspots.
- Continuously improved through machine learning and crowdsourced data for unmatched reliability.
Global Reach
- Operates in over 200 countries, enabling worldwide coverage for asset tracking, safety applications, and critical operations without relying on GPS.
Why This Matters for the Future of Positioning
With GPS interference becoming increasingly common, layered navigation strategies are no longer optional; they are a necessity. This applies to any sector where accuracy and reliability are mission-critical: transportation, logistics, public safety, critical infrastructure, manufacturing, and IoT ecosystems. Relying on GPS alone leaves systems vulnerable to disruption.
Combain’s hybrid positioning technology is more than a GPS backup; it’s a strategic safeguard that ensures continuous, reliable location tracking indoors, outdoors, and even in the face of jamming or spoofing attacks.
As global incidents of GNSS interference increase, solutions like those offered by Combain and Traxmate are becoming increasingly essential for maintaining safe, compliant, and uninterrupted operations.
Want To Learn More?
If your business relies on accurate positioning — for safety, tracking, asset management, or operational efficiency — contact us to discover how Combain’s advanced positioning services can keep you connected and in control when GPS is unavailable.