Russian jamming hits RAF jet carrying UK defence secretary

An RAF jet carrying Defence Secretary John Healey lost its GPS signal while flying near the Russian border on Thursday.

Healey was returning to the UK after visiting British troops in Estonia when the jamming occurred, the Times reported. Russia is believed to be responsible. The crew switched to an alternative navigation system for the three-hour flight.

The incident came a day after reports that two Russian warplanes had intercepted an RAF surveillance aircraft over the Black Sea last month. In that encounter, a Russian Su-35 fighter flew close enough to trigger the plane's emergency systems and disable its autopilot. A Su-27 also made six passes, coming within six metres of the nose.

It is unclear whether Healey was deliberately targeted, though the flight path was visible on public tracking sites. During his Estonia visit, Healey met UK forces taking part in a Nato exercise near the Russian border.

Healey later praised the RAF crew's professionalism after the Black Sea intercepts, which the Ministry of Defence described as the most dangerous Russian action since a missile was fired at an RAF plane in 2022.