New £20m 'silent hangar' to help protect Armed Forces from increasing threat of GPS jamming
A new test facility is set to help protect UK military kit from the increasing threat of attempts, by foreign powers, to jam GPS devices.
Under a new £20m contract, the radio frequency, anti-jamming test facility will be built on the MOD's Boscombe Down site in Wiltshire.
As well as simulating hostile environments, it will put the UK's most advanced military equipment through its paces.
Inside the 'silent hangar', the MOD will be able to test different equipment, including Protector drones, Chinook helicopters, armoured vehicles and fast jets.
This is a capacity that far exceeds what is currently available in the UK, and the facility is set to open in 2026.
GPS jamming has made headlines both at home and abroad.
The GPS on an RAF aircraft carrying previous Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was jammed by Russia as it was not fitted with military-grade protective systems.
This was to cut costs, it has been revealed, with military experts quoted in the Times newspaper stating that the plane was essentially "defenceless" when it flew close to Russian territory because it did not have military-standard aircraft electronics.
The use of GPS jamming has also been seen in Ukraine, with one Ukrainian firm developing a portable signal-jamming device that can defeat Russian drones and is small enough to be carried in a backpack.
Drones have been the target of such jamming devices on both sides of the conflict, with AI also changing how present GPS is on the battlefield.
David Gambling, author and drone technology expert, told BFBS Forces News that AI would see drones capable of navigating on their own.
He said this would be a "game changer" because it means drones will not need GPS, which is capable of being jammed, to navigate the battlefield.
Defence Procurement Minister Maria Eagle said the "hostile threats jamming GPS to disorientate military equipment" are becoming "increasingly common".
"This cutting-edge test facility will help us eliminate vulnerabilities from our platforms, protect our national security and keep our Armed Forces better protected on global deployment," she said.
The new UK facility will also ensure that UK assets can perform in the harshest electromagnetic environments on operations and prevent testing affecting other users, such as the emergency services and air traffic control.
It will be roughly the size of an aircraft hangar and one of the largest facilities in Europe.
Richard Bloomfield, head of Electronic Warfare (CBRN) Space at Defence Equipment and Support, said the facility will not only be one of the largest of its kind in Europe, but "one of the most up-to-date and high-tech in the world".
"The subject of GPS jamming has been well documented in the press, making this new facility all the more vital to help us keep our Armed Forces safe while protecting the nation and our allies," he said.
Related topics
Join Our Newsletter
