RAF jet carrying Shapps involved in GPS jam by Russia in process of being upgraded
Russia was able to jam the GPS signal on an RAF aircraft carrying the Defence Secretary because it was not fitted with military-grade protective systems to cut costs, it has been revealed.
Military experts quoted in The Times newspaper said the plane was essentially "defenceless" when it flew close to Russian territory because it did not have military-standard aircraft electronics such as anti-missile jammers and jam-proof communications.
"It's not unusual for aircraft to experience GPS jamming near Kaliningrad and at no time was the safety of the aircraft threatened," a Ministry of Defence spokesperson said.
Grant Shapps' RAF Dassault 900LX Falcon jet Envoy suffered electronic interference caused by Moscow while flying close to the Russian exclave of Kaliningrad, sandwiched between Lithuania and Poland.
It was announced in 2022 that the Envoy aircraft that was carrying Mr Shapps would be upgraded to have full military and operational capability.
The two Dassault 900LX Falcon VIP aircraft, known as the Envoy IV, joined the RAF fleet in 2023 with the role of transporting high-priority military personnel.
In December last year, the MOD issued a tender notice to upgrade the two Envoy aircraft with military defensive mechanisms.
The MOD said it is in the process of completing the requirement to transition Envoy from civil to military operations, which will include military modifications in accordance with military regulatory approvals.
It is unclear how long it will take to get the jet up to the required military standard as all upgrades must go through regulatory approval, which takes time.
The Times reported that Ben Wallace, the defence secretary at the time of the aircraft's commissioning, made the decision to not upgrade the Envoys with military protective mechanisms so that money could be prioritised elsewhere in the RAF.
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