Three airports in Eastern Finland are reintroducing radio navigation systems to assist aircraft landings amid suspected Russian interference with GPS signals. Finland believes Russia is jamming navigation systems like GNSS and GPS in the region to protect strategic assets, including oil ports, from potential Ukrainian attacks.
Finavia, the operator of two airports in Joensuu and Savonlinna, close to the Russian border, reintroduced updated ground equipment in September, while Lappeenranta airport plans similar upgrades. The radio-based Distance Measuring Equipment (DME) offers an alternative approach method for flights during GPS disruptions.
The decision came after GPS interference forced two Finnair flights to Joensuu to be aborted earlier this year. Daily GPS disruptions are reported in southern Finland, though Ryanair’s flights to Lappeenranta have mostly remained unaffected. Similar issues have been reported in Estonia, where Finnair resumed flights to Tartu after the airport installed an alternative navigation system.
NEWS DESK
PRESS UPDATE