Russian 'attack' knocks out GPS on UK Defense Minister’s plane for 3 hours
British Defence Secretary John Healey (Photo: Getty Images)
A British Air Force aircraft carrying Defence Secretary John Healey was subjected to an electronic attack on Thursday, May 24, while returning from Estonia to the UK, reports The Telegraph.
What happened
The Dassault Falcon 900LX was flying near the Russian border when GPS was completely jammed for the entire three‑hour flight. Passengers' smartphones and laptops also lost internet connectivity. The pilots switched to a backup navigation system, and the aircraft continued its flight normally.
Passengers, including photographers and a journalist, were informed that the plane could continue the flight safely. The flight route was visible on public flight tracking websites — it is unknown whether Healey was an intentional target.
"This is reckless Russian interference, but the RAF is well prepared to deal with this activity," a defence source said.
Not the first incident
A few days earlier, the UK Ministry of Defence reported a dangerous interception of a British reconnaissance aircraft over the Black Sea. A Russian Su‑35 flew so close that emergency systems were triggered and the autopilot disengaged.
Another Su‑27 passed six metres from the nose of a British Rivet Joint aircraft six times. The MoD called it the most dangerous action by Russia against a British aircraft since 2022, when Russia fired a missile over the Black Sea.
At the end of last year, Putin sent nuclear bombers to Britain's northern borders; a prolonged flight over the Norwegian Sea forced NATO to scramble fighters. Earlier this year, Sweden intercepted two Russian Su‑35S aircraft escorting a Tu‑22M bomber over the Baltic Sea.
Recently, Polish fighters intercepted a Russian Il‑20 reconnaissance aircraft flying over international waters without an agreed-upon flight plan.
