Blog Editor’s Note: Kudo’s to MARAD for posting this. Getting info out about GPS problems is not their job. We have had a hard time getting this kind of info to be made public.
The statement they were allowed to publish, in typical governmentese, says “possible interference” and that the incidents have not been confirmed. Five vessels and one aircraft reported the problem. How much more confirmation does the government need? And if they need even more, what would that confirmation look like, and why haven’t they sought it?
None of these are MARAD’s problems, but reflect the larger issue of no one in the US government being responsible for protecting GPS users or caring about what happens to the signals once they leave the satellites.
2018-004A-POSSIBLE GPS INTERFERENCE-EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN SEA
Multiple maritime incidents have been reported in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea in the vicinity of position 32-24.0N, 029-29.9E between March 18-22, 2018. These incidents have not been confirmed. The nature of the incident is reported to be GPS interference. Five vessels and one aircraft operating between Cyprus and Port Said, Egypt have reported GPS disruptions/interference occurring over extended periods and resulting in either inaccurate positions or no position. Exercise caution when transiting this area. Further updates may follow. This alert will automatically expire on March 30, 2018. Reports of GPS degradations, disruptions, and other incidents or anomalies can be made via the U.S. Coast Guard Navigation Center website at: https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=gpsUserInput.
