GNSS Disruptions Over the Southern Baltic - A Growing Concern for Maritime Operations

In recent weeks, an increasing number of GPS and GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems) disruptions have been reported along Poland’s Baltic coast, particularly in the Bay of Gdańsk and Puck Bay. These anomalies are causing loss of control over unmanned aerial systems (UAS), including industrial-grade drones used in maritime inspection, surveillance, and logistics. The situation raises serious concerns about the safety of both autonomous and crewed maritime operations.

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16 june 2025   |   10:51   |   Source: Gazeta Morska   |   Prepared by: Kamil Kusier   |   Print

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Disruptions Amidst Heightened Military Activity

The GNSS disturbances coincide with major ongoing military exercises in the Baltic region. NATO’s BALTOPS 2025 drills are currently underway, involving naval, aerial, and special forces from several member states. At the same time, Russia’s Baltic Fleet has launched parallel manoeuvres in and around the Kaliningrad exclave and the eastern Baltic.

Military analysts suggest that both exercises likely involve the use of electronic warfare (EW) systems. Although not necessarily offensive in nature, these operations can cause widespread interference with civilian satellite-based navigation—either as an unintended side effect or as part of signal denial testing.

A Familiar Pattern: Russian GNSS Jamming Capabilities

The Baltic is not the first region to experience such issues. Similar GNSS jamming and spoofing incidents have been reported in the Arctic and Scandinavian airspace, particularly in Norway, Finland, and Sweden, often traced back to Russian EW platforms like Krasukha-4 or Murmansk-BN, operating from fixed and mobile installations in Kaliningrad or Murmansk Oblast.

While proving difficult to attribute definitively, the scale and geographic concentration of recent signal loss events suggest deliberate electromagnetic interference originating near Russian territory.

Operational Impact: Dozens of UAS Incidents

Local drone operators—including industrial inspection firms, port authorities, and research institutions—have reported dozens of anomalies since early June. These include:

• sudden loss of GPS signal during pre-programmed missions,
• erratic flight paths or uncontrolled drifts toward international waters,
• emergency landings or loss of unmanned units in marine zones,
• incidents of airborne systems crossing into airspace near Kaliningrad.

Even drones equipped with inertial navigation redundancy and interference shielding have been affected. In some cases, air traffic management systems temporarily restricted operations near coastal zones due to increased interference risk.

Rising Signals of Concern from the Maritime Sector

The maritime community is voicing alarm over three key trends:

• Increased disruptions near critical infrastructure, such as ports, offshore installations, and anchor zones;
• Potential risk to autonomous maritime systems, including surface and subsea drones used for maintenance, surveying, and environmental monitoring;
• Lack of a real-time alert system for GNSS disruptions affecting civil and commercial maritime users.

Although no maritime accidents have been directly linked to the recent wave of GNSS anomalies, industry stakeholders warn that continued instability could undermine operational safety—especially for vessel traffic services (VTS), remote inspections, and coastal surveillance.

Strategic Implications Beyond Aviation

GNSS integrity is foundational to modern maritime operations. With both NATO and Russian forces increasingly active in the Baltic theater, the electromagnetic environment is becoming an operational risk factor in itself. The current situation highlights the need for:

• regional monitoring of GNSS interference zones,
• better communication between civilian and military stakeholders,
• robust contingency protocols for drone and vessel operators.

While the cause of recent disruptions may be multi-layered—ranging from EW testing to inadvertent interference—their impact on maritime logistics, infrastructure protection, and aerial autonomy is very real. For a region so dependent on precision navigation, this is a challenge the Baltic cannot afford to overlook.

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