East Mediterranean GPS Spoofing — 2026
Live status & airspace monitoring
GNSS interference across the eastern Mediterranean has been persistent and well-documented since 2023, with both spoofing (false-position) and jamming (signal denial) effects reported across LCCC (Nicosia), LLLL (Tel Aviv), OLBB (Beirut), and the eastern portion of LTBB (Istanbul). Reports also extend into the northeastern portion of HECC (Cairo). The pattern is distinct from the Black Sea interference cluster, which is tracked separately. This briefing aggregates publicly available signal — EASA SIB 2022-02, EUROCONTROL EVAIR, OPSGROUP RGL — into a single weekly tracker.
Executive summary
Eastern Mediterranean airspace shows a persistent pattern of GNSS interference originating from the region, with both signal denial (jamming) and false-position effects (spoofing) reported across LCCC (Nicosia), LLLL (Tel Aviv), OLBB (Beirut), the eastern portion of LTBB (Istanbul), and the northeastern portion of HECC (Cairo). EUROCONTROL EVAIR and OPSGROUP RGL have logged thousands of operator occurrence reports across the affected airspace. Approach-phase degradation is reported at LCLK, LLBG, and OLBA. Commercial operations continue using inertial reference units and ground-based navigation aids when GNSS quality is insufficient. The pattern is distinct from the Black Sea cluster, which is tracked separately. The next review window should monitor EASA SIB amendments and any expansion of the affected geographic envelope.
FIR-by-FIR status
| ICAO | Status | Last change | Source | Retrieved |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCCC | ACTIVE (persistent GNSS interference) | Persistent since 2023 | EASA SIB 2022-02 / EUROCONTROL EVAIR | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| LLLL | ACTIVE (persistent GNSS interference) | Persistent since 2023 | EASA SIB 2022-02 / EUROCONTROL EVAIR | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| OLBB | ACTIVE (persistent GNSS interference) | Persistent since 2023 | EASA SIB 2022-02 / OPSGROUP RGL | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| LTBB | ADVISORY (intermittent GNSS interference — eastern portion) | Reports continue | EUROCONTROL EVAIR | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
| HECC | ADVISORY (intermittent GNSS interference — northeastern portion) | Reports continue | OPSGROUP RGL | 2026-05-20T07:00:00Z |
Regulatory context
EASA Safety Information Bulletin SIB 2022-02 (and successor revisions) sets the operational baseline for GNSS interference operations across European and adjacent airspace, including the eastern Mediterranean. Operators are advised to maintain proficiency in conventional navigation (DME/DME, VOR, ILS) and to assess GNSS-only approach procedures conservatively where signal degradation is reported. ICAO Annex 10 Volume I governs GNSS performance specifications and signal-in-space integrity. EU Regulation 965/2012 ORO.GEN.110 places airspace risk assessment responsibility on the operator. National AIP entries for LCCC, LLLL, OLBB, LTBB, and HECC reference contingency procedures during GNSS degradation. EUROCONTROL EVAIR captures voluntary operator occurrence reports; OPSGROUP RGL aggregates operator-side observations. Live NOTAM coverage of individual interference events is partial — operators monitor through CFMU bulletins and state-issued NOTAMs directly.
Industry implications
Persistent eastern Mediterranean GNSS interference creates structural operational overhead for carriers operating into LCLK, LLBG, and OLBA, and for transit traffic across the affected airspace. Operational consequences include required dispatch awareness, expanded crew briefing for non-precision approach procedures, contingency fuel allocations for diversion to ILS-equipped alternates, and reduced acceptability of GNSS-only approach minima at airfields lacking redundant ground-based aids. Cost projections require verified industry data and are not currently displayed. Insurers price war/political-risk and operational-risk premiums by region; operators with single-thread GNSS dependence face higher relative exposure. Lessors monitor airframe utilisation patterns for any sustained re-routing away from affected sectors. The interference pattern shows no public roadmap to resolution and is tracked alongside the Black Sea cluster as a separate geographic envelope.
Source lineage
- EASA GNSS Safety Information Bulletin SIB 2022-02 retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- EUROCONTROL EVAIR Voluntary Occurrence Reports retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- OPSGROUP RGL GNSS Interference Notes retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- FlySafe FIR Reference Database retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
- AIRAC Aeronautical Information Cycle retrieved 2026-05-20T07:00:00.000Z
Related references
Update Log
- 2026-05-20 Briefing published under FlySafe Sentinel continuous monitoring.
East Mediterranean GNSS Interference — Frequently Asked Questions
Common search queries answered with current status, FIR codes, and source citations.
- Which East Mediterranean FIRs report GNSS interference in 2026?
- GNSS interference reports concentrate in LCCC (Nicosia FIR), LLLL (Tel Aviv FIR), OLBB (Beirut FIR), the eastern portion of LTBB (Istanbul FIR), and the northeastern portion of HECC (Cairo FIR). Reports include both signal denial (jamming) and false-position effects (spoofing). The pattern is distinct from the Black Sea cluster covered separately and is monitored against EASA, EUROCONTROL EVAIR, and OPSGROUP publications.
- Which airports show approach-phase GNSS degradation in the eastern Mediterranean?
- Operator and EUROCONTROL EVAIR reports identify approach-phase degradation at LCLK (Larnaca, LCA), LLBG (Tel Aviv Ben Gurion, TLV), and OLBA (Beirut, BEY), with intermittent reports across the broader region. Aircraft fall back to inertial reference units and ground-based navigation aids (ILS, VOR/DME) when GNSS quality is insufficient for the procedure flown. Operator dispatch carries the responsibility for approach selection.
- What public sources track East Mediterranean GNSS interference?
- Public sources include EASA Safety Information Bulletin SIB 2022-02 and successor revisions on GNSS interference operations, EUROCONTROL EVAIR voluntary occurrence reports, OPSGROUP GNSS interference notes (RGL), national civil aviation authority NOTAMs, and ADS-B-derived NIC quality maps such as GPSJAM. This briefing aggregates the publicly available signal into a single tracker.
FlySafe provides automated computation of numerical indices from publicly available data. Indices are raw computational output and do not represent opinions, assessments, recommendations, or advice of any kind. They do not replace official NOTAMs, SIGMETs, AIPs, or communications from aviation authorities. Operators must independently verify current airspace status through official channels. See Terms of Service for full details.