Russia’s Arctic GPS Jamming Disrupts Norwegian Air Ambulance Flights

Norway has accused Russia of systematically disrupting the GPS signals of Norwegian air ambulance helicopters operating in the Arctic.

The Gaze reports this, referring to The Telegraph.

According to Oslo, Russian forces have been “almost continuously” jamming navigation systems across northern Norway, creating severe operational risks for civilian and emergency aircraft flying near the Russian border.

“We are indeed seeing hybrid measures, hybrid attacks, hybrid campaigns coming from Russia,” State Secretary Eivind Vad Petersson said at the Berlin Security Conference. 

“One example is the near-constant GPS jamming or false signals in our border region. This complicates the work of civilian transport, including air ambulance helicopters. In the Norwegian winter, in the Arctic, this can be extremely dangerous.”

Electronic jamming works by sending distorted signals that mislead onboard navigation systems, causing aircraft to register false coordinates. 

In July, such interference overwhelmed the Svalbard archipelago, confusing rescue and medical helicopters so severely that Norway’s Civil Aviation Authority issued an official NOTAM warning for all pilots in the region.

The escalation in the Arctic follows a pattern of suspected Russian sabotage and hybrid operations across mainland Europe and the Baltic Sea since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Officials believe the pressure campaign is Moscow’s response to NATO’s continued support for Kyiv.

Norway’s Defence Minister Tore O. Sandvik recently told The Telegraph that Russia is also expanding its nuclear arsenal and military footprint in the Arctic, seeking greater control over emerging sea routes as melting ice opens new passages. 

“Russia is building up military forces on the Kola Peninsula, home to one of the world’s largest stores of nuclear warheads. These weapons are aimed not only at Norway, but also at the UK, Canada, and the United States,” he said.

As The Gaze previously reported, according to British media and experts, Russian reconnaissance ships and drones are gathering information about European submarine cables and pipelines.

Read more on The Gaze: The Baltics are Preparing for Defense Against Russia