Widespread GPS jamming across the Middle East Gulf has been reported since the last weekend of February, coinciding with heightened regional tensions and military activity. These developments have reinforced a critical reality for modern shipping: GNSS is no longer a guaranteed utility in contested environments.
Satellite navigation systems – once considered highly reliable – are now increasingly vulnerable to interference. Jamming and spoofing incidents have surged significantly in recent years, transforming GNSS from a cornerstone of maritime safety into a potential point of failure. Even low-cost jamming devices can disrupt sophisticated onboard systems, highlighting the asymmetry of this threat.
Globally, GNSS disruption is no longer isolated. From Eastern Europe to the South China Sea, interference has become persistent and, in many cases, strategically deployed.