Russian spy ship lurking in UK waters tried to jam Royal Navy frigate’s GPS systems
A Russian spy ship hiding in British waters attempted to jam the GPS of a Royal Navy frigate.
Defense Secretary John Healey last week revealed the research vessel Yantar was hiding in the north of Scotland and trying to blind RAF pilots using military-grade lasers.
The lasers were directed at the pilots of RAF P-8 Poseidons, long-range reconnaissance aircraft sent on HMS Somerset to track Yantar.
Healey said this constituted an ‘extremely dangerous’ provocation and was the first time a Russian crew had used a laser against UK forces.
It has now been revealed that they also tried to disrupt HMS Somerset’s GPS.
A Russian spy ship used jamming technology to interfere with the Royal Navy ship’s global positioning systems, a defense source has told the Telegraph.
Warships operate using a mix of civilian and military-grade GPS systems that aid in accurate navigation as well as the deployment of precision guided weapons.
It appears that only civilian-level systems are affected, as military systems are encrypted and nearly impossible to intercept.
The source said this was a ‘lower level outage and was causing distress’.
Infrared photograph of the Russian spy ship Yantar taken after its recent arrival at the edge of British waters. It is thought that it could map underwater cables
Defense Secretary John Healey said a Russian spy ship was detected off British waters
However, it is believed that the systems of commercial ships, including fishermen near Yantar, were also disrupted.
Mr Healey said the boat, operated by Russia’s elusive deep-sea research unit GUGI, had been off the coast of British waters for ‘the last few weeks’.
The West is suspicious of mapping vital undersea infrastructures such as internet cables.
A Royal Navy frigate and RAF P-8 reconnaissance aircraft were deployed to monitor and track Yantar’s movements and capture infrared photographs.
The Russians responded by pointing lasers at the pilots; this was an unprecedented incident that the Minister of Defense “took extremely seriously”.
“This action by Russia is extremely dangerous and the Yantar ship is being deployed to UK waters for the second time this year,” Mr Healey said.
He changed the Navy’s rules of engagement so they could keep a closer eye on Yantar.
Although he did not go into detail, citing security reasons, he added, “We have military options ready in case Yantar changes course.”
However, he confirmed that the last time it was seen in British waters was a Royal Navy submarine surfaced near the ship.
Mr Healey concluded: ‘My message to Russia and Putin is: we see you, we know what you are doing and if Yantar goes south this week we are ready.’
This is the second time Yantar has been spotted in waters close to the UK this year.
Last November the ship was sent for recovery after being chased from the Irish Sea and ‘circumventing the UK’s critical submarine infrastructure’ off the coast of Cornwall, and was spotted again in January.
Mr Healey said the actions to stop and monitor the boat once again were ‘an indication of the UK’s readiness to take action and the British capacity to take action’.
He said of the boat: ‘This is not just a naval operation, it is part of a Russian program designed to have capabilities for surveillance in peacetime and sabotage in conflict.
‘Make no mistake: we will not tolerate a threat to the British people’s essential underwater connections.’
Yantar (pictured, front of image, followed by Royal Navy ship) is a Russian spy ship operated by the elusive GUGI unit.
Downing Street did not say what representations the Government had made to Russia after the Yantar surfaced in British waters.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: ‘Our position on Russia’s intervention is clear… (but) I will not engage in conversations at a diplomatic level.’
Yantar is thought to be capable of launching submarines capable of severing undersea cables that could cripple the UK’s telecommunications infrastructure. Moscow claims it is an ‘oceanographic research ship’.
In 2018, it also passed through the English Channel and was seen near Brazil and in areas with underwater infrastructure in the Mediterranean.
About 99 percent of all internet traffic passes through undersea cables, making them particularly vulnerable in the event of attack and a powerful target for Putin if he wants to cripple Western nations.
