This is the fourth round of GPS jamming by North Korea since 2010. Previous attacks have affected approximately 1,000 civil aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles of the South Korean military. An attack in 2012 reportedly affected GPS-based car navigation systems in the capital city of Seoul.
North Korea developed its GPS jammer capability in response to GPS-guided weapons that could be used by South Korean and U.S. forces in the event of war. The country maintains a regiment-sized GPS jamming unit near the capital of Pyongyang and battalion-sized units near the demilitarized zone. Jamming in 2012 was traced to the town of Kaesong, just over the border.
South Korean government officials report that the jamming operation, which began in late March, has been targeting aircraft navigation equipment. North Korea has reportedly broadcast a jamming signal on 100 occasions. A total of 962 planes have been affected by the jamming, as well as nearly 700 fishing vessels. The jamming has also affected cell phone base stations.
North Korea developed its GPS jamming capability in response to GPS-guided weapons that could be used by South Korean and U.S. forces in the event of war. The country maintains a regiment-sized GPS jamming unit near the capital of Pyongyang and battalion-sized units near the demilitarized zone. Jamming in 2012 was traced to the town of Kaesong, just over the border.
GPS signal jammer is designed for area and assets protection against satellite navigated threats like GPS guided missiles. The SCL-APSNT can also be used against low flying UAVs to prevent reconnaissance of important place. GPS jammer can be effectively used in combat situations for eliminating satellite navigated guided weapon systems, missiles and ground/airborne threats It is designed to operate on all satellite navigation system available today or in the near future including GPS, GPS II, GALILEO and GLONASS at different power levels. It is upgradable to operate on COMPASS. (SCL-APSNT) provides protection ranges from 30 Km to 150 Km depending on the power output of the jammer and the envisaged region of coverage.
The potential for electronic warfare jamming that can knock out satellite navigation over wide areas is a very real threat. the potential effects of GPS jamming isn’t widely known, yet the threat gets bigger the more we rely on GPS.