New Delhi: Triggering a full-borne security protocol, multiple Indian Air Force aircraft flying on different days into Myanmar, as a part of Operation Brahma, which India initiated to provide relief to the earthquake-affected nation, faced continuous GPS (Global Positioning System) spoofing.
The cyberattack, suspected to have been carried out by Chinese-enabled systems, interfered with the mid-flight navigation of the aircraft by warping their real-time coordinates. To stay on course and guarantee flight safety, the pilots had to count on backup systems.
Sources in the defence and security establishment informed ThePrint that this year, on 29 March when India sent the first shipment of aid supplies to Myanmar, multiple aircraft ran into GPS interference and spoofing in the Myanmar airspace.
Although it is unclear, at this time, whether the cyberattack affected all the six IAF aircraft sent to Myanmar, the sources said a majority of the six reported the issue. They added that similar incidents occurred on four or five different sorties.
According to the sources, pilots of other planes became aware of the issue after the first aircraft suffered GPS spoofing, with the pilot preparing for possible difficulties while flying into Myanmar.
When asked if the IAF would inquire into the matter, the sources said it was nearly impossible to look into mishaps in foreign airspace.
Given the status of Myanmar—a conflict zone—aircraft operating in the region are particularly prone to cyberattacks.
One source added without an explanation: “Our adversary in the region must have carried out the GPS spoofing.”
GPS spoofing vs GPS jamming
The deliberate transmission of false GPS signals to a navigation device to alter its location is called spoofing.
Whereas simple jamming incapacitates navigation by masking genuine satellite signals, spoofing is a far more sophisticated process, involving deliberate signal transmissions to mimic the GPS data the navigation device is supposed to follow.
While jamming poses a problem by nullifying signals, spoofing presents a greater danger by deceiving pilots into believing they are in a different location altogether.
When the Myanmar-headed aircraft faced “GPS interference and spoofing”, the pilots immediately switched on backup systems, called inertial navigation systems, the sources said.
Due to excessive reliance on satellite navigation systems in areas susceptible to electronic warfare, the cyberattack has sparked security concerns.
Even though modern aircraft have backup systems, such incidents underscore the need for increased vigilance and more robust defence in military and humanitarian operations.
(Edited by Madhurita Goswami)
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