Lyce · Hybrid Watch

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Polish Navy minehunter ORP Albatros experiences GPS jamming during Baltic Sea operations.

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On 21 August, the Polish Navy minehunter ORP Albatros experienced GPS interference while conducting operations in the Baltic Sea. The incident was confirmed publicly by NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum. The loss of reliable satellite navigation occurred against a backdrop of extensive GNSS interference affecting northern Poland and the Baltic region. Polish monitoring data showed that full-scale GNSS disruption had occurred on 63% of the first 19 days of August. Polish telecommunications authorities assessed that the interference was externally generated and connected to electronic-warfare activity in the Baltic region. Independent specialists have repeatedly identified the Kaliningrad region as a major source of the jamming and spoofing affecting Poland. The incident is particularly relevant because the affected platform was a Polish military vessel rather than civilian infrastructure. GPS interference against a NATO naval unit can degrade navigation, positioning and operational coordination. It therefore fits your Jamming and spoofing category rather than a conventional cyberattack.

Occurrence
Publication
First observed
Review status
Not assessed
Countries
Poland
Updated

Attribution

Official

Facts

No facts

Sources

  1. Role
    Discovery lead
    Publication

    On 21 August, the Polish Navy minehunter ORP Albatros experienced GPS interference while conducting operations in the Baltic Sea. The incident was confirmed publicly by NATO’s Allied Joint Force Command Brunssum. The loss of reliable satellite navigation occurred against a backdrop of extensive GNSS interference affecting northern Poland and the Baltic region. Polish monitoring data showed that full-scale GNSS disruption had occurred on 63% of the first 19 days of August. Polish telecommunications authorities assessed that the interference was externally generated and connected to electronic-warfare activity in the Baltic region. Independent specialists have repeatedly identified the Kaliningrad region as a major source of the jamming and spoofing affecting Poland. The incident is particularly relevant because the affected platform was a Polish military vessel rather than civilian infrastructure. GPS interference against a NATO naval unit can degrade navigation, positioning and operational coordination. It therefore fits your Jamming and spoofing category rather than a conventional cyberattack.