In recent years, China and Russia have developed GPS blocker devices capable of jamming U.S. drones. These countries are advancing plans to use electronic attacks to destroy or control U.S. drones, particularly in sensitive areas such as the Spratly Islands. China has made clear its willingness to use GPS signal jammer devices to prevent U.S. aircraft from performing surveillance missions in its airspace, and at least one attempt to disrupt a U.S. military drone has been reported in recent years.
While the FAA and Navy have remained silent about the experiments conducted, GPS jamming devices are already available on the market for less than $200. However, the system tested by the military is apparently more powerful, capable of jamming the GPS navigation of drones and manned aircraft. The presence of these signal jamming devices increases the risk to U.S. drones when performing their missions.
Russian-made GPS signal jammer devices
Aviaconversiya Ltd., based near the Kremlin in Moscow, manufactures portable GPS signal jammers that can severely impact U.S. satellite guidance systems in Iraq. According to U.S. intelligence, Aviaconversiya technicians deployed jamming devices on the ground in Iraq to disrupt U.S. satellite signals. Tracking shows that the jammer devices were delivered after the start of the war with the assistance of the Russian military.
Naval, air, and land navigation rely heavily on GPS technology, and many weapon systems, such as cruise missiles and GPS-guided bombs, rely on this technology to accurately strike targets. When GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable, U.S. combat forces are severely weakened. Adversary countries take advantage of this and attack GPS satellites through kinetic (such as satellite attack weapons, orbital tampering, etc.) and non-kinetic (such as jamming, hacking, etc.) means.
Battlefield impact of jammer devices
According to the assessment of North American Aerospace Defense Command (NAIC) officials, Aviaconversiya's GPS jammer device products were developed and tested with the help of the Russian military and sold specifically to Iraq. Intelligence officials believe these handheld jammers were first imported after the Gulf War to counter U.S. and British jets patrolling "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq. Perfectjammer has also developed a highly effective GPS signal jammer that can greatly improve defense effectiveness in small quantities.
In modern warfare, knowing the exact location is essential for executing combat missions and commanding troops. If a jammer can disable an enemy's navigation system, it can paralyze its combat operations. The existence of this technology has greatly changed the tactics and strategies of modern warfare, adding complexity and risk.