RAF jet carrying defence secretary has signal jammed near Russian border

The signal of an RAF jet carrying the UK defense minister was disrupted while flying near the Russian border earlier this week.

According to the Times’ initial report, John Healey was returning to England on Thursday after visiting British soldiers in Estonia when the incident occurred.

Russia is believed to be behind the attack, which meant the pilots had to use a different navigation system because the plane’s GPS was disabled during the three-hour flight.

The incident happened a day after it was revealed Two Russian fighter jets intercepted an RAF spy plane “repeatedly and dangerously” Last month on the Black Sea.

It is not known whether Healey was deliberately targeted, but the newspaper reported that the path of the flight was visible on tracking sites for the plane.

The Ministry of Defense has been contacted for comment.

During his visit to Estonia, Healey spoke to British soldiers taking part in a NATO military exercise near the Russian border.

In a separate incident last month, a Russian Su-35 fighter jet approached a Rivet Joint surveillance plane, getting close enough to trigger its emergency systems and disabling its autopilot.

Additionally, a Su-27 jet made six passes in front of the RAF aircraft, coming within six meters (19 ft) of the aircraft’s nose.

Healey had praised the “exceptional professionalism” of RAF crews during the “unacceptable” Russian overflights, which the Ministry of Defense said was the most dangerous Russian action since 2022. A “rogue” pilot fired a missile at Rivet Port over the Black Sea.

one in 2024 RAF aircraft carrying then Defense Secretary Grant Shapps While flying close to Russian territory, the GPS signal was jammed.