Despite GPS spoofing in Myanmar, IAF completes quake aid missions under ‘Operation Brahma’

New Delhi: While carrying out the ‘Operation Brahma’ -- delivering humanitarian aid supplies to the quake-hit Myanmar, the Indian Air Force’s transport aircraft C-130J 'Super Hercules' and C-17 ‘Globemaster’ faced GPS (Global Positioning System) spoofing in the Myanmar airspace, the defence sources said.

However, the Indian Air Force stated that every mission was achieved as planned as the crew are well capable to handle such situations.

In a post on X, the Indian Air Force said: “The possibility of degraded GPS availability was published by the Mandalay International airport as NOTAM and all due precautions were put in place to cater for such conditions.”

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“IAF crew are well capable to handle such unavailability, while ensuring safety of flight and achievement of the designated task or mission. Accordingly, every mission was achieved as planned,” the force added.

What is the incident of GPS Spoofing?

The first incident of GPS Spoofing was reported by the pilots on March 29 when India despatched the first consignment of humanitarian aid relief supplies by C-130J to Myanmar.

In aviation parlance, the GPS Spoofing referred as the aircraft’s systems receive fake location data, which could lead pilots or autopilot systems to steer off course. In worst-case scenarios, it can result in airspace violations, near misses or grounding of flights.

It should be noted that the aircraft are heavily dependent on the United States’ GPS for navigation, route planning and landing approaches.

Is Indian Air Force’s crew dependent on GPS only?

As per an Indian Air Force’s pilot, GPS remains as a reference to navigation and not a primary aid. The classical use of navigation aids like VOR, DME, ground features and time versus distance remain primary for military aviation.

Another IAF official said that almost all transport and fighter aircraft have very modern Inertial Navigation Systems (INS) as the main navigation system. Military aircraft by design are meant to operate in GPS denied environments.

“In Indian airspace, all aircraft, including military aircraft are also monitored by ground radars. GPS is used as a reference aid.”

GPS Spoofing issue raised in Lok Sabha

On March 20, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol informed the Lok Sabha that several airlines have reported 465 incidents of GPS interference and spoofing -- which impact aircraft navigation systems -- in and around Amritsar and Jammu between November 2023 and February 2025.

Pilots of civilian airlines are notified through what is called Notice to Airman (NOTAM)

India’s HADR assistance to Myanmar

Since March 29, the IAF had sent six consignments while the Indian Navy despatched five ships carrying relief aid to Myanmar, a day after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake shook the Southeast Asian nation.

Out of six, five aircraft landed in Yangon and Nay-Pyi-Daw on March 29-30, while one was sent to Mandalay on April 1.