{"id":31500,"date":"2026-09-16T05:52:39","date_gmt":"2026-09-16T09:52:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/?p=31500"},"modified":"2026-09-16T05:52:39","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T09:52:39","slug":"gps-trouble-on-the-north-pacific-routes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/gps-trouble-on-the-north-pacific-routes\/","title":{"rendered":"GPS trouble on the North Pacific routes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong data-start=\"532\" data-end=\"650\">GPS interference is becoming more of a regular problem on the North Pacific routes between Asia and North America.<\/strong> We\u2019ve had several member reports over the past few months, and last week I flew through the affected areas myself.<\/p>\n<p>Here&#8217;s a map of what&#8217;s going on:<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_31545\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep2026_compressed.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31545\" class=\"wp-image-31545 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep-2026-1024x724.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"724\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep-2026-1024x724.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep-2026-300x212.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep-2026-768x543.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep-2026-1536x1086.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/North-Pacific-GPS-Interference-Sep-2026-2048x1448.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-31545\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click for PDF.<\/p><\/div>\n<h4>The first area &#8211; Kamchatka<\/h4>\n<p class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-start=\"804\" data-end=\"1040\">The first reports started around Kamchatka in June. The FAA reckons an unknown jammer has affected more than 100 civil aircraft around NUZAN since then. <strong data-start=\"957\" data-end=\"1040\">The affected area stretches across the Anchorage Oceanic and Magadan West FIRs.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1042\" data-end=\"1405\">Most crews reported <strong data-start=\"1062\" data-end=\"1077\">GPS jamming<\/strong> &#8211; at least four reported <strong data-start=\"1103\" data-end=\"1124\">possible spoofing<\/strong>. One of our members was westbound on R220 in a G650 when they lost GPS completely between NUZAN and NIPPI. ADS-B and synthetic vision disappeared with it. When the GPS returned, it appeared to be spoofed, with incorrect altitude and time. The whole event lasted almost 50 minutes.<\/p>\n<h4>The second area &#8211; Kuril Islands<\/h4>\n<p class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-start=\"1429\" data-end=\"1562\">In late July, reports started appearing further south around the Kuril Islands, in the <strong data-start=\"1516\" data-end=\"1562\">northeastern part of the RJJJ\/Fukuoka FIR.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1564\" data-end=\"1814\">Between July 22 and Aug 3, the FAA received six reports here &#8211; four jamming and two spoofing. Four aircraft were eastbound towards Anchorage, while two were westbound towards Tokyo and Seoul. The FAA called it an \u201cemergent area\u201d for GPS interference.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_31509\" style=\"width: 610px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Fukuoka-FIR-GPS-Interference-Report_Final_10082026124924400.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31509\" class=\"wp-image-31509\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Fukuoka-FIR-GPS-Interference-1002x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"613\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Fukuoka-FIR-GPS-Interference-1002x1024.jpg 1002w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Fukuoka-FIR-GPS-Interference-294x300.jpg 294w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Fukuoka-FIR-GPS-Interference-768x785.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Fukuoka-FIR-GPS-Interference.jpg 1046w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-31509\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Click for PDF.<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\" data-start=\"1841\" data-end=\"1996\"><strong data-start=\"1841\" data-end=\"1879\">We\u2019ve had more reports since then.<\/strong> R580 has been affected from around 100nm north of ONEMU through OPULO, with aircraft on R220 reporting problems too.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"1998\" data-end=\"2156\">On Sep 10, one of our members was flying to Japan on R220 when they got intermittent GPS interference between NUZAN and NIPPI. They were at FL400 at the time.<\/p>\n<p data-start=\"2158\" data-end=\"2211\">So whatever is going on up here, it hasn\u2019t gone away.<\/p>\n<h4>We flew through it last week<\/h4>\n<p>I flew R580 through the area last week in a G700. Knowing about the previous reports, <strong>we briefed the expected interference area<\/strong> on the ground and marked it on our flight plan package.<\/p>\n<p>I also put fix rings around the expected entry and exit points in the FMS.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-31496 alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"642\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829.jpg 2375w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829-280x300.jpg 280w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829-957x1024.jpg 957w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829-768x822.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829-1435x1536.jpg 1435w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/IMG_7829-1913x2048.jpg 1913w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/p>\n<p>As we passed through, we monitored the GPS status page closely for any degradation or loss of satellites &#8211; but we saw&#8230; nothing! <strong>We had no problems in either direction.<\/strong> I&#8217;ll be back through there again next week, and we&#8217;ll do exactly the same thing.<\/p>\n<h4>Not much warning<\/h4>\n<p>Up til the other day, Anchorage Oceanic had this single Notam about GPS interference &#8211; <strong>not actually saying it was happening<\/strong>, but asking crews to report it if they were affected by it:<\/p>\n<pre>A1136\/25 NOTAMN\r\nQ) PAZA\/QXXXX\/\/\/\/000\/999\/\r\nA) PAZA\r\nB) 2509121800\r\nC) 2609112359\r\nE) ATTENTION ALL FLIGHT OPERATORS. FLIGHTS THAT EXPERIENCE OR SUSPECT \r\nGNSS INTERFERENCE ENROUTE TO THE ANCHORAGE OCEANIC ENTRY POINT MUST \r\nNOTIFY ANCHORAGE ATC. NOTIFICATION SHOULD BE VIA CPDLC, SFO RADIO, \r\nOR SATCOM, CONFIRMING DEGRADATION OF NAVIGATION STATUS AND DETAILS \r\nOF ONGOING LOSS\/IMPACTS TO THE AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS AND CAPABILITIES.\r\n\r\nEXAMPLES OF NOTIFICATION:\r\nGNSS INTERFERENCE RNP10 ONLY\r\nNO DATA LINK\r\nDEGRADED NAVIGATION NO GNSS\r\n\r\nIN ADDITION, AIRLINE DISPATCHERS CAN DIRECTLY INFORM THE ANCHORAGE \r\nOCEANIC SUPERVISOR TO MAKE THEM AWARE WHEN ONE OF THEIR FLIGHTS HAS \r\nBEEN IMPACTED BY GNSS INTERFERENCE BY CONTACTING 907-269-1930.\r\nF) SFC\r\nG) UNL<\/pre>\n<p>That Notam has now expired, and there\u2019s currently no replacement yet in the Anchorage Notams.<\/p>\n<p>And when the FAA published its report in August, there were no GPS interference Notams for RJJJ\/Fukuoka or any nearby Russian airspace either.<\/p>\n<p>We also spoke to the team at <a href=\"https:\/\/gpswise.aero\/map\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">GPSwise<\/a>. They don&#8217;t have any reliable data from this area either, so for now it&#8217;s a bit of a <strong>black spot.<\/strong><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_31514\" style=\"width: 1034px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><a href=\"https:\/\/gpswise.aero\/map\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-31514\" class=\"wp-image-31514 size-large\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gpswise-nopac-1024x536.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gpswise-nopac-1024x536.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gpswise-nopac-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gpswise-nopac-768x402.jpg 768w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gpswise-nopac-1536x804.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gpswise-nopac.jpg 1898w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-31514\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Live interference map from GPSwise.<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>So if you&#8217;re flying the NOPAC routes, particularly R220 or R580 around Kamchatka and the Kurils, it&#8217;s worth briefing the known areas before departure.<\/strong> And if you get hit, please do send us a <a href=\"mailto:report@ops.group\">report!<\/a><\/p>\n<div class=\"pdfprnt-buttons pdfprnt-buttons-post pdfprnt-bottom-left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31500?print=pdf\" class=\"pdfprnt-button pdfprnt-button-pdf\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/pdf-print-buttons\/pdf_button.png?2060371495\" alt=\"image_pdf\" title=\"View PDF\" \/><\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>GPS interference is becoming more of a regular problem on the North Pacific routes between&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":53,"featured_media":31538,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[406,2198,546,1656],"class_list":{"0":"post-31500","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-briefings","8":"tag-jamming","9":"tag-nopac","10":"tag-pacific","11":"tag-spoofing"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31500","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/53"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=31500"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31500\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":31549,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/31500\/revisions\/31549"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/31538"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=31500"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=31500"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ops.group\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=31500"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}