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RAF aircraft targeted during defence secretary's return flight
An RAF jet carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey experienced GPS signal jamming while flying near Russian airspace earlier this week, forcing pilots to switch navigation systems mid-flight.
Incident details emerge
The disruption occurred on Thursday as Healey returned from Estonia, where he had visited British troops participating in a NATO exercise close to the Russian border. The three-hour flight was affected when the aircraft's GPS became unusable, according to The Times, which first reported the incident.
While it remains unclear whether Healey was specifically targeted, the flight path was publicly visible on aircraft tracking platforms prior to the jamming.
Russia suspected in electronic interference
Sources indicate Russia is the likely source of the jamming, though no official confirmation has been provided. The UK Ministry of Defence has not yet responded to requests for comment.
Recent pattern of Russian aerial provocations
The incident follows reports of two Russian fighter jets engaging in "repeated and dangerous" intercepts of an RAF surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month. During one encounter, a Russian Su-35 flew close enough to trigger the British plane's emergency systems, disabling its autopilot.
A second Russian jet, a Su-27, made six aggressive passes in front of the RAF aircraft, approaching within six metres of its nose at one point.
UK condemns Russian actions as reckless
Healey described the Black Sea intercepts as "unacceptable" and commended the RAF crew for their "outstanding professionalism" in handling the situation. The UK Ministry of Defence labelled the incident the most hazardous Russian provocation since 2022, when a Russian pilot fired a missile at an RAF Rivet Joint aircraft in the same region.
History of GPS disruption near Russian territory
This is not the first time a UK defence secretary's aircraft has faced electronic interference. In 2024, an RAF plane carrying then-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps experienced GPS jamming while flying near Russian-controlled airspace.
