Deliberate interference of the Global Positioning System (GPS) in the airspace over Cyprus is taking place, according to international sources.
Indicative information suggests that the German airline Lufthansa, one of the world’s largest carriers, has taken measures to address the phenomenon in the Middle East region, providing specific instructions to its fleet pilots for “on-purpose critical situations.”
The problems arising from intentional signal interference (Jammers) result in pilots being unable to determine their aircraft’s position precisely.
Either there are interruptions, or the aircraft’s position appears at the wrong location (spoofing).
The German website Aero, in its report last week, mentioned an issue observed during a Lufthansa flight, with the captain receiving “false data” about the aircraft’s precise position.
The phenomenon is linked to the crisis in the Middle East.
The report highlights that the phenomenon was recently observed as an aeroplane from the German firm was heading from Adana in southern Turkey to Larnaca.
Electronic warfare is implied, which led the aircraft’s captain to have no real image of its position, forcing them to shut down GPS receivers.
It is noted that “thanks to the fact that the crew members deactivated the GPS sensors, the aircraft’s position was accurately located through Larnaca airport authorities.”
According to researchers analyzing the phenomenon, the areas of Beirut, Cairo, Baghdad, and Tel Aviv are considered hotspots for “spoofing” attacks.
A Lufthansa spokesperson asked to comment on Aero’s information, stated that “GPS attacks are a serious intervention in the safety of civil aviation and a threat to the safe conduct of civil flights.”
They added that “all Lufthansa pilots are well-trained for significant deliberate crisis situations.”
From the perspective of the Civil Aviation of the Republic of Cyprus, particularly the Air Traffic Management sector, there is awareness of the issue, and air traffic controllers can handle such matters.
Phileleftheros reports that attacks affecting the Global Navigation Satellite Systems have been observed since 2012, a time when military conflicts were intense during the Syrian Civil War.
The same sources of the newspaper report that after the recent developments in the Middle East, following the Hamas attack on October 7 in Israel and subsequent Israeli military operations in Gaza, such phenomena occur with varying frequency.
“In one day, there may be two reports of navigation problems; on another day, there may be ten reports, while the next day there may be none,” a source from Phileleftheros commented.
