RAF jet carrying UK defence secretary hit by suspected Russian GPS jamming

An aircraft carrying UK Defence Secretary John Healey was targeted by a suspected Russian electronic warfare attack after flying close to the Russian border during a visit to British troops in Estonia, according to The Times.

The incident occurred on May 21 as Healey and his delegation were returning from southeastern Estonia aboard a Royal Air Force-operated Dassault Falcon 900LX jet. The aircraft reportedly lost its satellite navigation signal shortly after departing the region near Russian territory.

The GPS disruption lasted for the entire three-hour flight back, preventing laptops and mobile devices on board from connecting to the internet. The aircraft’s pilots were forced to rely on backup inertial navigation systems to determine the jet’s position.

The electronic interference also reportedly affected elements of the cockpit dashboard. Despite the disruption, RAF personnel assured passengers that the aircraft remained safe to operate.

Healey was travelling with political and military advisers, senior British military officials, photographers and journalists after visiting UK troops stationed in Estonia as part of NATO’s eastern flank deployment.

A British defence source described the incident as “reckless” interference believed to have originated from Russia, warning that such actions could also endanger civilian aviation. The source added that the RAF was trained and equipped to manage this type of electronic warfare activity.

One RAF pilot aboard the aircraft reportedly described the level of disruption as highly unusual and said he had not experienced a similar situation “in a long time”.

By Sabina Mammadli