On Thursday, a Royal Air Force aircraft transporting UK Defence Secretary John Healey had its GPS signal disrupted near the Russian border. The incident occurred as Healey was returning from Estonia after attending NATO military exercises.
The Times reported that the disruption lasted approximately three hours, forcing pilots to rely on an alternative navigation system. Russia is suspected of being behind the interference, though it’s unclear if Healey’s plane was targeted.
This event follows another recent confrontation involving Russian aircraft and an RAF surveillance plane over the Black Sea last month. A Russian Su-35 fighter jet reportedly approached a Rivet Joint spy plane closely enough to trigger its emergency systems and disable its autopilot. Additionally, a Russian Su-27 aircraft allegedly performed six passes near the plane.
Healey commended the “outstanding professionalism” of the RAF crew during what he described as “unacceptable” interference from Russia. This is not the first time an RAF aircraft carrying a UK defence secretary has experienced GPS jamming while flying close to Russian territory, with a similar incident occurring in 2024 when Grant Shapps was aboard.