"GPS satellites are about 12,400 miles away and beam down approximately 50 watts of transmit power, so by the time the signal reaches Earth, it is relatively weak. This makes GPS surprisingly easy to disrupt. A small, inexpensive jammer bought online and powered by a battery can knock out navigation and timing across a local area."
"GPS jamming happens when someone deliberately drowns out the weak signals from GPS satellites with a much stronger noise signal. It's like saturating out your eyeball: you're trying to see something really far away, and someone comes by you with a flashlight, and now you can't make sense of it."
"In today's conflicts, disrupting satellite navigation is a common tactic. By interfering with GPS, militaries make it harder for opponents to guide drones, missiles, or surveillance tools accurately. But the same satellite signals used by the military also power civilian aircraft, shipping, infrastructure, and everyday navigation apps."
GPS disruptions reported across GCC countries stem from electronic warfare tactics used in ongoing regional conflicts. Military forces employ GPS jamming and spoofing to disrupt opponent navigation systems for drones, missiles, and surveillance. However, these same satellite signals power civilian infrastructure including aircraft, shipping, logistics, and navigation applications. GPS jamming overwhelms weak satellite signals with stronger noise, rendering navigation inoperable. GPS spoofing provides false location data while appearing functional. The vulnerability exists because GPS satellites transmit only approximately 50 watts from 12,400 miles away, making signals weak and easily disrupted by inexpensive, battery-powered equipment.
#gps-disruption #electronic-warfare #satellite-navigation #gps-jamming-and-spoofing #civilian-infrastructure-vulnerability
Read at WIRED
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