Image: UK MOD
What’s New: More work to mitigate the impact of GPS/GNSS jamming and spoofing.
Why It’s Important: At present most aircraft, including western military aircraft, over-rely on GNSS, usually GPS. As we have seen, this is a huge vulnerability.
What Else to Know: As with any complex systems problem like this:
- It is important to do what you can immediately to reduce vulnerability and risk.
- Longer term, more effective (and expensive) measures must be taken as well. The UK seems to be doing this as well with their10 point PNT policy framework includes alternative PNT signals and sources like eLoran and quantum.
Wouldn’t it be nice if every nation followed the UK’s lead and ensured they had sovereign PNT? There would be little reason to interfere with GPS and other GNSS because users would have easily accessed alternatives. This would make satellites and signals much safer and more reliable. And users would be much better served.
UK to build huge new £20m anti-jamming test facility
The Ministry of Defence has announced the construction of a cutting-edge anti-jamming test facility at Boscombe Down in Wiltshire, designed to protect military equipment from GPS jamming threats.
The £20 million contract has been awarded to QinetiQ, which will build one of Europe’s largest anechoic chambers, set to open in 2026.
The facility, known as the “silent hangar,” will be capable of housing large military assets such as Protector drones, Chinook helicopters, and F-35 fighter jets for testing against electronic warfare threats.
According to Minister for Defence Procurement and Industry, Maria Eagle, the new facility will “help us eliminate vulnerabilities from our platforms, protect our national security and keep our Armed Forces better protected on global deployments.”
The design of the hangar will ensure that radio-frequency waves do not escape, preventing interference with other essential services like emergency response and air traffic control.
