GPS Jamming in the News: Why Planes Still Know Where They Are
2 min read
The short answer
In some parts of the world, satellite signals are being jammed, mostly near conflict zones. It's been in the news, but planes don't depend on GPS alone. They have motion sensors that need no outside signal, radio beacons on the ground, and air traffic control watching. Pilots are trained for it too.
Why It's in the News
Since 2022, more flights have noticed interference with satellite navigation — the GPS signals planes, phones and cars use. It mostly happens near conflict zones, including areas around the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Middle East and the eastern Mediterranean.
Headlines can make this sound frightening. The reality is far calmer.
Planes Have Other Ways to Navigate
GPS is only one of several ways an airliner knows where it is:
- Inertial reference systems measure every movement of the plane. They need no outside signal, so they can't be jammed.
- Radio beacons on the ground give direction and distance.
- Air traffic control watches each flight on its own radar and screens.
When the satellite signal is unreliable, the plane's computers lean on these instead. Read how a plane knows where it is.
Regulators Are on It
Europe's aviation regulator, EASA, has published guidance on this since 2022 and updated it several times, most recently in July 2026. It covers:
- how pilots and controllers should talk about interference
- extra training for crews
- making sure air traffic control has enough capacity to help
EASA and Eurocontrol, Europe's air traffic organisation, have also set up a joint task force to keep monitoring it.
What Pilots Do
Pilots know which areas are affected before they fly. If they notice interference, they follow set procedures: they tell air traffic control, rely on the other systems, and carry on. For passengers, there's usually nothing to notice at all.
The Takeaway
GPS interference is a nuisance that aviation has planned for. Your plane has several independent ways to know where it is — and none of them can all be switched off at once.
Sources
- EASA (July 2026), EASA updates Safety Information Bulletin on GNSS interference — first published 2022; affected regions; training and air traffic control measures; the EASA–Eurocontrol task force: https://www.easa.europa.eu/en/newsroom-and-events/news/easa-updates-safety-information-bulletin-gnss-interference
- SKYbrary, Inertial Navigation System (INS) — navigation without outside signals: https://skybrary.aero/articles/inertial-navigation-system-ins
Keep reading
How a Plane Knows Where It Is
The different ways an airliner keeps track of its position — satellites, motion sensors and ground beacons — and why it never relies on just one.
How Air Traffic Control Works
How air traffic controllers keep thousands of planes a safe distance apart every day — with backups on board too.
Headlines vs Reality: Why Plane Accidents Feel Common
Why news and social media make plane accidents seem frequent, what the numbers really show, and how every lesson makes flying safer still.