US-Venezuela Standoff: GPS Jamming and Military Transponder Issues Disrupt

An escalating geopolitical standoff between the United States and Venezuela is causing significant operational challenges for commercial aviation across the Southern Caribbean. The military activity has created two key risks: widespread GPS signal jamming and the use of unannounced military aircraft flying without transponders.

Data from Stanford's GPS Lab and Spire Global indicates that at least one in five flights in the Caribbean has experienced Global Positioning System (GPS) issues since early September. This interference is a spillover effect of both US and Venezuelan forces reportedly jamming satellite navigation signals. The jamming is a defensive measure to guard against drones and precision munitions.

Operational Impact: GPS Jamming and Flight Delays

Pilots from carriers like Caribbean Airlines (CAL) and Copa Airlines have alerted air traffic control (ATC) about navigation systems being jammed near Trinidad's Piarco International Airport. One CAL pilot reportedly told ATC his system was jammed, requesting radar guidance for landing.

While Caribbean Airlines chairman Reyna Kowlessar denied any impact to operations, an anonymous CAL pilot confirmed the jamming is real. The pilot noted it does not affect safety but increases flight duration and fuel burn. Without GPS, pilots must revert to conventional navigation methods.

• Longer Flights: Pilots must use VOR (Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range) airways, which are less direct than GPS-guided routes.
• Increased Costs: The longer flight times burn more fuel, raising operational costs for airlines.
• Safety Backup: For landing, the ILS (Instrument Landing System) provides precision guidance, ensuring safety is maintained even without GPS.

Collision Risk and Military Transponders

A more critical safety concern for commercial aviation news is the operation of military aircraft without active transponders. A transponder broadcasts an aircraft's position, altitude, and identification to ATC and other aircraft's TCAS (Traffic Collision Avoidance System).

• Near-Miss Incidents: In mid-December, a JetBlue flight from Curaçao to New York reported a near-collision with a US Air Force tanker that was not broadcasting its position. The JetBlue pilot called the incident "outrageous."
• Lack of Visibility: The anonymous CAL pilot warned that military aircraft flying without transponders in civilian airspace is dangerous. Without a transponder signal, the TCAS system cannot provide the necessary guidance to avoid a collision.
• Regulatory Response: Following the near-misses, authorities in Curaçao and Aruba secured an agreement with the US to have military aircraft activate their transponders when operating near local airspace.

Regulatory Warnings and Airspace Advisories

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued advisories to civil operators. The FAA issued Security NOTAM KICZ A0012/25 for the Maiquetia (SVZM) Flight Information Region (FIR), which covers Venezuelan airspace. The advisory warns of a "worsening security situation and heightened military activity," noting that GPS interference effects can extend up to 250 nautical miles from the source.

Retired Director General of Civil Aviation Ramesh Lutchmedial stated that the US, as a global leader in aviation safety, would not intentionally jeopardize civil aviation. He suggested that Russian-supplied equipment may be responsible for some of the jamming. However, the defensive jamming by both sides is clearly impacting civilian air and sea traffic. Airlines are now exercising extreme caution and are routing around the SVZM FIR. For more information on global flight operation news, visit flying.flights.