GPS disruptions in the Baltic Sea may be influenced by Russian ships

Polish researchers have found a link between Russian ships and GPS jamming in the Baltic Sea.

This is stated in the materials of Polish GNSS (satellite navigation system) researchers, writes Maritime Executive.

The study showed that the GPS jamming, which has recently been observed in the Baltic Sea, goes beyond commercial levels.

“The jamming is likely to come from transiting ships, and not from a stationary ground source in Kaliningrad, as some analysts have assumed. This is also consistent with previous reports of powerful radio equipment installed on board the vessels of the Russian “shadow fleet,” the material says.

It is known that since June 2024, 84 hours of GNSS jamming were recorded in six months, which caused errors and could affect navigation in narrow waterways.

“The jamming showed noticeable fluctuations in power levels, indicating that the source of the jamming was moving. “Given the system’s radio horizon, which mainly covers part of the Baltic Sea, and assuming that the source of the interference was not within the borders of Poland, the most likely explanation is that the interference originated from a vessel in international waters,” the researchers concluded. As previously reported by USM, earlier this year, Polish fishermen experienced GPS navigation disruptions in northern Poland in the Baltic Sea.