Russian noise attacks against Norway:- Dangerous
Passenger planes in Northern Norway are constantly losing the GPS signals that the planes use to navigate. The reason is noise attacks from Russia – and activity is increasing sharply.
– This noise has its source east of the border in Eastern Finnmark, and there is no question of a legitimate activity, says senior engineer Nicolai Gerrard in the section for supervision and guidance in the National Communications Authority (Nkom) to Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport.
The Norwegian authorities believe that Russian actors are behind the blocking of the GPS signals. Although the aviation has alternative navigation to insert, loss of GPS signals and serious safety deviation – as possible systems can cause serious accidents.
– Unfortunately, there is a well-known problem in Russia with intentional GPS jamming, also aimed at Norway. This activity is downright dangerous, and in the worst case I can cause serious accidents, for example in civil air traffic, says Conservative leader Erna Solberg to Dagbladet.
Attacking air traffic in the north
Solberg’s claim
Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport have requested access to all registrations of GPS failures for Norwegian civil aviation since 2017 both at the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority and the National Communications Authority. The numbers vary somewhat in recent years.
The figures from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority show that in 2020 there were 37 loss of GPS signals for civil aircraft in Norwegian territory, compared to 30 corresponding deviations the year before. The number of disruptions to air traffic increased from 2020 to 2021 by just over 23 per cent.
At the end of 2020, then Prime Minister Erna Solberg stated to VG that thanks to “quiet diplomacy” the Russian blocking of GPS signals had been reduced.
– Instead of talking loudly, we chose to proceed completely matter-of-factly and say to Russia that “you must stop this”. They said that “We don’t”. But then we have documented it above Russia. And then there has been less of it, Solberg told VG on 17 December 2020.
The Norwegian Aviation Authority’s documentation thus does not harmonize with Solberg’s statement in December 2020 that the jamming problem had been reduced. Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport have confronted Erna Solberg with the fact that her previous statements to VG are contrary to the documentation from the Norwegian Aviation Authority.
– The Solberg government repeatedly confirmed clearly externally and to the Russian authorities that the GPS jamming had to stop. At the time, before Russia’s attack on Ukraine, the dialogue with the Russian authorities was already demanding. Dialogue was just as much the most viable path for the Russian authorities, even if it did not always lead as we hoped, writes Erna Solberg in an e-mail to Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport.
The Russian Embassy refers to a comment they gave on the topic in 2021:
“Accusations in connection with allegedly registered disturbances in the GPS signals in Northern Norway that the Norwegian side makes a declarative type. Despite our repeated requests, we have still not received materials of objective control from technical monitoring equipment. Several times we have shown that it is possible to use existing contacts between aviation authorities and the communication channel between the Northern Fleet’s operational strategic command and the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters if there are such complaints. It appears that partners solve other tasks by preferring to issue statements to the media instead of having a Norwegian professional dialogue.”
The development is worrying
Last year, the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority registered 19 GPS failures, which shows a decrease from the previous year. But just six months into 2022, until July this year, a total of 18 corresponding deviations have been reported.
In an overview from the National Communications Authority (Nkom), the deviations for the last few years are higher than the Norwegian Aviation Authority’s high. Nkom registered 21 GPS failures last year and 31 up to 8 August this year. A total of 27 of this year’s “noise attacks” have occurred in the last four months, i.e. after the outbreak of the Ukraine war.
The statistics show that the Norwegian authorities’ “quiet diplomacy” has not put an end to Russian GPS jamming. In contrast, the attacks have never before been more frequent than in recent months.
State Secretary Johan Vasara (Ap) in the Ministry of Transport stated in July to Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport that the ministry is concerned about the development of GPS blocking from Russian territory.
Solberg believes that Russian GPS attacks will increase in the future.
– After the outbreak of war, with the ongoing brutal Russian warfare in Ukraine that violates international law, it is unfortunately reasonable to assume that Russia will increase its use of GPS jamming against both Norway and several other countries, writes Solberg to Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport.
The flyers are worried
The figures from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority show that on 178 flights the planes have lost their GPS signals due to jamming in the last five years, and 106 of the cases have been registered in Eastern Finnmark. This means that over 75 per cent of the security breaches have occurred in the airspace near the Russian border.
The Norwegian Airmen’s Association has been worried about the GPS disturbances in Eastern Finnmark for several years.
– We have intensified the GPS interference in the border areas with Russia in recent months. This is a point of irritation which, in the extreme, can weaken the safety margins for air traffic, says section leader Sindre Hilstad at the Air Traffic Services section of the Norwegian Aviation Association.
– This is an important issue that will require follow-up from the aviation authorities and all affected actors in aviation for years, says Hilstad.
Depending on ground systems
He points out that GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) is a central navigation system for aviation, and he points out that the EU has set a goal that most things will be navigated by satellite in 2030. This means that the GPS signals will be even more important in the coming years.
– In order to have something to fall back on when the GPS signals disappear, you must have a well-developed ground system, and Avinor has taken responsibility for this. The ground systems in Eastern Finnmark are relatively good, and there are plans for further development of systems for area navigation, says Hilstad.
In 2017, digital noise from Russian territory was recorded for the first time, resulting in the loss of GPS signals for aircraft in Eastern Finnmark. During the NATO exercise Trident Juncture the following year, “GPS jamming” increased in scope.
The Russian embassy has further indicated that they have not received any official inquiries from the Norwegian authorities regarding GPS interference in Eastern Finnmark.
This article was created in collaboration between Dagbladet and Kommunal Rapport.