Global satellite navigation systems are at risk from increasingly frequent jamming and spoofing of signals, threatening the safety and security of ships and aircraft worldwide.
The United Nations agencies for telecommunications, aviation and maritime shipping have called for urgent protection of the radio navigation satellite service (RNSS) that supports accurate global navigation and timekeeping.
ITU, together with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and International Maritime Organization (IMO), issued a joint statement expressing “grave concern” about the rising cases of harmful interference.
Reported RNSS jamming and spoofing incidents indicate a growing threat to positioning, navigation and time services on land, at sea and in the air.
Jamming refers to unauthorized transmissions of radio signals at the same frequency as authorized services, often to evade tracking or for security or defence purposes or.
Spoofing involves fake signals mimicking authorized services, potentially misleading and endangering ships or aircraft.
The ITU Radio Regulations Board, on 21 March, urged specific administrations to abide by the ITU Constitution, the Radio Regulations, and take necessary actions to investigate and stop harmful interference affecting neighbouring territories.
Vital navigation services
Satellites transmit precise navigation, positioning, and timing information, making them vital for civil and humanitarian purposes worldwide. Global navigation satellite systems – namely the US-owned Global Positioning System (GPS), the European Union’s Galileo, Russia’s GLONASS, and China’s BeiDou – all hinge on reliable RNSS.
Key radio navigation functions include:
Navigation and positioning – used to determine precise locations in aviation, maritime, and land-based transportation.
Timing and synchronization – providing accurate time signals for financial transactions, communication networks, and power grids.
Civil and humanitarian applications – supporting disaster response, search-and-rescue operations, and various scientific applications.
However, growing dependence on satellite-based navigation heightens the risk of interference – whether accidental or intentional.
Reinforcement needed
In response to increasing incidents, the specialized agencies have laid out a multi-pronged approach for countries to keep the radio navigation satellite service operating reliably.
Together, they are calling for:
Protection against harmful interference:
ITU, ICAO, and IMO urge their member states worldwide to take necessary measures to prevent satellite systems from suffering harmful interference. Such interference can degrade, interrupt, or mislead signals, with potentially catastrophic consequences for aviation, maritime operations, and other civilian uses.
Enhancing system resilience:
Nations are encouraged to reinforce the resilience of systems that depend on satellite systems for navigation, positioning, and timing. This includes implementing strategies to withstand and mitigate the effects of interference on these critical services.
Maintaining conventional navigation infrastructure:
Recognizing the risks of service disruptions, the organizations call for the retention of sufficient conventional navigation infrastructure as a contingency support system in the event of radio navigation satellite service outages or misleading signals. Additionally, they recommend developing mitigation techniques to counteract service loss.
Fostering interagency collaboration:
Effective coordination is needed between radio regulatory bodies, civil aviation authorities, maritime organizations, defence agencies, and law enforcement to enhance monitoring, strengthen response efforts, and tackle interference threats more efficiently.
Reporting and monitoring interference incidents:
To better understand and combat harmful interference to RNSS satellite systems, national administrations are advised to report cases of harmful disruptions to relevant international telecommunication, aeronautical, and maritime authorities. All such reports should also go to the ITU Radiocommunications Bureau, which continuously monitors and assesses interference trends globally.
Global implications
Satellite-based navigation supports security and economic activities globally.
The collective call to action from ITU, ICAO, and IMO underscores the urgency of preserving RNSS integrity to safeguard critical navigation services from disruption.
Continued safety and efficiency in aviation, maritime, and other essential sectors depends on enhanced protective measures, infrastructure resilience, and global cooperation.
As technology continues to evolve, countries worldwide must take proactive measures to maintain the reliability of satellite systems and mitigate the risks associated with interference.
The future of global navigation, transportation, and communication depends on it, according to the three UN specialized agencies issuing the call to action.
Role of ITU
The ITU Constitution imposes binding obligations on Member States to manage their radio services under international regulations.
Specifically, Article 45 of the Constitution states: “All stations, whatever their purpose, must be established and operated in such a manner as not to cause harmful interference to the radio services or communications of other Member States or of recognized operating agencies, or of other duly authorized operating agencies which carry on a radio service, and which operate in accordance with the provisions of the Radio Regulations.”
Additionally, Article 47 emphasizes the collaboration among Member States to prevent the transmission of false or deceptive signals: “Member States agree to take the steps required to prevent the transmission or circulation of false or deceptive distress, urgency, safety, or identification signals, and to collaborate in locating and identifying stations under their jurisdiction transmitting such signals.”
The three organizations span the globe, with memberships encompassing almost every national government. Currently, ICAO has 193 member states and IMO has 176 (plus 3 associate members), while ITU includes 194 member states plus over 1000 companies and organizations involved in key sectors such as radiocommunications.
The ITU Radiocommunication Bureau has noted rising interference since 2019 and previously warned about risks to global navigation services in 2022, as well as at the last World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC-23).
Source: https://www.itu.int/hub/2025/03/un-agencies-warn-of-satellite-navigation-jamming-and-spoofing/