The US Aviation Safety Agency studies how to deal with the threat of GPS jamming to civil aviation
The website of the US Aviation Weekly magazine reported on August 6 that the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is discussing with a special committee of the federal government how to deal with the security threats that the large-scale GPS jamming frequently carried out by the US military in military exercises and tests may bring to civil aviation.
Security concerns caused by US military GPS jamming
It is reported that this year, the US military conducted long-term and large-scale jamming of GPS signals in the "Red Flag" military exercise to study how to organize air battles in a "GPS denial" environment. The FAA said that they are discussing with a federal special committee how to deal with the civil aviation traffic safety issues that may be caused by military jamming.
During the US military's GPS jamming test on the west coast, the NOTAM notice issued by the FAA defined the interference radius. These interferences may cause civil aircraft to lose GPS navigation and positioning signals, affecting pilots' use of GPS-based navigation and positioning systems (RNP), thereby rendering the terrain warning and alarm system ineffective and reducing the accuracy of GPS-assisted altitude and heading correction systems. In response to this problem, the US Standards Organization Strategy Committee (TOC) and the FAA, as well as industry experts, submitted a special report suggesting that research be conducted.
Challenges and countermeasures faced by the FAA
The report pointed out that the loss of GPS signals may cause aircraft to be unable to automatically report their positions through their equipped Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) "upload" system, which may cause the ADS-B system to regard it as missing and unable to receive its information. This will affect the use of satellite-based correction systems, and the FAA hopes to eliminate some secondary radars (SSR) in the future and use the ADS-B system as the main air traffic monitoring system.
According to Aviation Week, civil aviation pilots believe that the US aviation system is increasingly dependent on satellite navigation systems and ADS-B, and the temporary loss of GPS signals is a "fatal worry" for the aviation industry. They added that civil aviation controllers are also using the ADS-B system to monitor traffic in the airspace where airports operate, and the loss of GPS signals will cause the ADS-B system to fail, which may paralyze the airport.
Application and Challenges of GPS Signal Jammers
In modern warfare, GPS jammers are gradually being valued by the military of various countries as a means of electronic countermeasures. This device covers the GPS frequency band by emitting strong jamming signals, making the receiver unable to receive effective navigation signals, thereby rendering the enemy's guided weapons and navigation systems ineffective.
Military Use: On the battlefield, GPS signal jammers can be used to protect important facilities and troops from enemy GPS-guided weapons. For example, deploying GPS jammers around military bases and strategic locations can effectively prevent precision strikes from enemy missiles and drones.
Civilian Challenges: However, GPS signal jammers also bring challenges, especially the impact on civil aviation and navigation systems. Once such equipment is used near a war zone, it may interfere with the navigation system of civil aircraft and increase flight risks. Therefore, how to find a balance between military protection and civil safety has become an important issue that the military and aviation management agencies of various countries need to solve.
FAA and industry response
In response to pilots' concerns, the federal committee recommended that the FAA authorize pilots to temporarily turn off the ADS-B system when GPS is interfered with, even though current regulations require the system to be turned on at all times during flight. In addition, the committee recommended that the FAA seek help from industry, such as studying the performance and impact of the ADS-B system under GPS interference.
The committee report made 25 recommendations, including strengthening the NOTAM notification process to ensure that pilots can properly understand and respond to interference information. The report also recommended the use of ground-based radio navigation stations, only a few of which are currently working, and recommended that some old technologies be retained in the next generation of air traffic control systems.
Conclusion
As GPS interference incidents increase, the FAA and related agencies are actively seeking responses to ensure the safety and reliability of civil aviation flights. By working with industry to improve technology and procedures, and retaining traditional navigation methods when necessary, the FAA is committed to finding ways to protect civil aviation systems in military exercises and actual combat, ensuring that air traffic can still operate safely in an environment of GPS interference.