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What’s new: A fairly comprehensive report from the New York Times about jamming and spoofing in and around Venezuela.
Why it’s important:
- The article reinforces the idea that “everyone jams.” PNT is a tool of tactical and strategic great power competition.
- It also hazards every mode of transportation and increases the risk of accident and death.
- Electronic warfare is warfare.
What else to know:
- Without widespread, easily adoptable alternatives to GPS/ GNSS, there will continue to be:
- Lots of incentives to interfere
- Few disincentives to interfere
- It is going to get more frequent and worse before it gets better
- RNTF members Gen William Shelton and Logan Scott were quoted in the article. Well done, gents!
Military brinkmanship between President Trump and Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela has led to an increase in electronic warfare in the region.
An escalating standoff between the United States and Venezuela has led both countries’ militaries to jam satellite navigation signals in the Caribbean to guard against a potential attack, data show, putting air and sea traffic in the region at greater risk of a collision or accident.
At least some of the U.S. warships that have deployed to the Caribbean in recent months have been jamming GPS signals in their vicinity, according to an analysis of data provided by Stanford University and a U.S. official who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss operational matters.
The Trump administration says the warships, which include the Navy’s most modern aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Gerald R. Ford, are targeting drug trafficking to the United States orchestrated by the Venezuelan government.
In response to U.S. military pressure, the armed forces of President Nicolás Maduro of Venezuela have jammed the GPS signals around the country’s critical infrastructure, including military bases, oil refineries and power plants, according to an analysis by Spire Global, a satellite data firm.
