VOA科学技术2024--GPS 'Spoofing' in Conflict Areas Puts Other Aircraft at Risk

Studies show that military officials are increasingly deploying¹ systems to interfere² with aircraft navigation systems in conflict areas. But such tools can put other aircraft at risk.

Airplanes depend on complex navigation systems to guide pilots and to warn of possible danger during a flight. Such systems are known as global navigation satellite systems (GNSS).

The most commonly used GNSS system is called GPS, which stands for global positioning system. The GPS system is owned by the American government and operated by the U.S. Space Force. The GPS system uses a series of satellites to send signals to receivers, which identify the exact positions of objects.

The U.S. Space Force says it develops and operates all space and Earth-based activities related to the GPS system. A civilian³ version is available for people to use freely around the world. A military GPS service is also available to U.S. and allied⁴ armed forces, as well as approved federal agencies.

Other GNSS systems operate internationally. These include BeiDou, which is run by the Chinese government. The European Union leads the Galileo GNSS, while Russia operates a service called GLONASS.

Systems have been developed to disrupt these GPS services, especially in areas of conflict. Military leaders and groups have deployed⁵ such tools to harm enemy aircraft operations. Industry experts say such efforts affect electronic systems and can lead to dangerous flight errors.

There are two main methods used to disrupt GPS operations. One is called "jamming." Jamming involves sending out radio signals within an area to overpower all other signals so that GPS receiver devices cannot effectively operate.

The other method is called "spoofing." This is when technology is used to trick a GPS receiver into estimating a false position.

Incidents of jamming and spoofing have been identified in several conflict areas. These include around Ukraine, which is fighting Russia and around Gaza, where Israel is fighting Hamas.

The French news agency AFP reports that Hamas fighters in Gaza have been using jamming methods to block GPS signals used to guide Israeli drones operating there. In an effort to keep its drones flying in Gaza, Israel has been using a technology designed to resist jamming.

The technology, called GPSdome2, was created by Israeli developer InfiniDome. The company's products are designed to protect against jamming tools. They were deployed soon after Hamas' October 7 attacks in Israel that started the Gaza conflict.

In addition to using anti-jamming tools to keep its own aircraft operating, Israel has also taken measures to disrupt the GPS of Hamas and other opponents, the news agency reported.

Israel's army has admitted that days after the Hamas attacks, it moved to "proactively" disrupt GPS in order to carry out "operational needs." Disruptions by Israel included both jamming and spoofing methods, AFP reported.

In one example, an AFP reporter standing⁶ on a street in Jerusalem was shown on GPS to be near Cairo, Egypt. In another case, a reporter in the West Bank city of Jenin was listed on GPS as being at Beirut's airport in Lebanon.

Since the start of the war in Ukraine, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has been warning that GNSS signal disruptions have intensified⁷. In some cases, such disruptions can change a plane's path or even cause it to land at the wrong place, EASA said.

The agency's acting⁸ chief, Luc Tytgat, told AFP that GNSS systems are necessary to improve safety in increasingly crowded airspaces. "But we have seen a sharp rise in attacks on these systems, which (presents) a safety risk," he said.

Tytgat suggested that aviation agencies should consider changing the current certification requirements for "navigation and landing systems."

Todd Humphreys and a team of researchers at the University of Texas at Austin examine GPS signals around the world. After October 7, the team discovered spoofing activity that led some planes headed for Israel to disappear from GPS for a short period.

Humphreys told AFP the examinations showed "Israel appears to be engaging in GPS spoofing as a defensive⁹ measure." He noted¹⁰ the "false GPS signals" had tricked receivers around northern Israel into thinking they were at Beirut's airport.

Words in This Story

navigate¹¹ - v. to find the right direction to travel in by using maps of other equipment

disrupt - v. to interfere with a normal activity

drone - n. an unmanned aircraft

proactive - adj. taking action on something beforehand instead of just reacting to change when it happens

certify¹² - v. to say in a formal or official way that something is true or correct

engage - v. to carry something out

1 deploying   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的现在分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Provides support for developing and deploying distributed, component-based applications. 为开发和部署基于组件的分布式应用程序提供支持。
• Advertisement, publishing, repair, and install-on-demand are all available when deploying your application. 在部署应用程序时提供公布、发布、修复和即需即装功能。

2 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

3 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

4 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

7 intensified   

v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Violence intensified during the night. 在夜间暴力活动加剧了。
• The drought has intensified. 旱情加剧了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

9 defensive   

adj.防御的；防卫的；防守的

参考例句：

• Their questions about the money put her on the defensive.他们问到钱的问题，使她警觉起来。
• The Government hastily organized defensive measures against the raids.政府急忙布置了防卫措施抵御空袭。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 navigate   

v.航行，飞行；导航，领航

参考例句：

• He was the first man to navigate the Atlantic by air.他是第一个飞越大西洋的人。
• Such boats can navigate on the Nile.这种船可以在尼罗河上航行。

12 certify   

vt.证明，证实；发证书(或执照)给

参考例句：

• I can certify to his good character.我可以证明他品德好。
• This swimming certificate is to certify that I can swim one hundred meters.这张游泳证是用以证明我可以游100米远。