Dozens of aircraft affected by suspected GPS jamming over The Netherlands

Dozens of aircraft operating over the Netherlands and surrounding airspace were affected by a significant GPS disruption on Monday 9 November, with seven aircraft experiencing navigation problems while approaching Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. Dutch air traffic control has indicated that deliberate GPS jamming is considered a plausible cause.

The disruption affected aircraft over a wide area of the Netherlands, the North Sea and neighbouring airspace. At Schiphol, seven aircraft reportedly experienced problems with their Required Navigation Performance (RNP) navigation systems during approach.

According to Dutch air traffic control, the incident did not compromise flight safety. The affected aircraft were able to complete their approaches and land safely with assistance from air traffic controllers.

Several flight crews reported GPS-related problems during the incident. The disruption included aircraft from airlines such as KLM, Lufthansa and Air France.

Possible source located over the North Sea

An analysis by aviation data analyst John Wiseman has identified a possible source of the interference in the North Sea, north of the Dutch island of Texel.

Based on an analysis of ADS-B data and the geographical distribution of the affected aircraft, Wiseman’s assessment indicates that the interference may have originated close to sea level, potentially from a vessel.

At the time of the incident, several Russian-flagged vessels were reportedly operating in the area. However, there is currently no official confirmation that any of these vessels were responsible for the GPS interference.

The possible location of the source therefore remains an analytical assessment rather than an established attribution.

The incident reportedly affected a much larger number of aircraft than those approaching Schiphol. According to analysis of aircraft tracking data, around 80 aircraft may have experienced GPS degradation during a period of approximately 20 minutes, with effects extending across parts of the Netherlands, the southern North Sea, eastern England and northwestern Germany.

Jamming versus spoofing

The incident is believed to involve GNSS jamming, in which radio-frequency interference prevents aircraft receivers from reliably receiving satellite navigation signals.

This differs from GNSS spoofing, where false satellite signals are transmitted to deceive navigation systems into calculating an incorrect position.

Both forms of interference have become an increasing concern for European aviation.

The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has warned that GNSS jamming and spoofing incidents are becoming more frequent and sophisticated. In July 2026, EASA updated its Safety Information Bulletin on GNSS interference and highlighted the growing operational impact of such events on aviation.

EASA and EUROCONTROL have also developed a European action plan aimed at maintaining safe flight operations during GNSS interference events, including improved procedures, pilot-controller communications and greater resilience of aircraft navigation systems.

No impact on flight safety

Although the incident caused operational difficulties, Dutch air traffic control said that the affected aircraft were able to land safely.

The event nevertheless illustrates the growing vulnerability of modern aviation to GNSS interference, particularly in densely trafficked airspace around major European airports.

Dutch authorities are investigating the incident. At this stage, there is no confirmed public attribution of the interference to a particular vessel, organisation or state.

The incident is reportedly the second case of suspected deliberate navigation-signal interference recorded in the Netherlands this year.