THE HAGUE, Netherlands — The European Union is upgrading a ground control center for its GPS satellite constellation due to heightened concerns over signal jamming by Russia.
Europe operates its own global positioning satellite system called Galileo, which consists of 27 operational satellites in medium-earth orbit. The Galileo system provides positioning accuracy down to 20 centimeters horizontally and is touted as “the world’s most precise GNSS program.” This system offers additional redundancy and independence from American GPS and Russian GLONASS satellites, being the only Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) under civilian control.
For the latest upgrade, the Spanish company GMV has been contracted to enhance the Galileo Reference Centre in Noordwijk, Netherlands. The contract is valued at up to €27.5 million, or approximately $30 million USD. This facility is essential as it monitors the quality of signals and functions as the European Monitoring and Analysis Centre under a joint UN project that includes systems like GPS, GLONASS, and BeiDou.
The upgrades will enable the monitoring of critical parameters in real-time, thereby improving the center’s ability to investigate service degradations. Currently, the monitoring function involves post-processing, which delays the detection of service issues. These upgrades aim to reduce the time required to inform Galileo users once problems are detected. Furthermore, the upgrade package includes a signal authentication service, emergency warning satellite services for public alerts, enhanced search and rescue capabilities, and improved cybersecurity.
All enhancements, collectively referred to as “V2,” are expected to be completed by 2026 without disrupting the ongoing operations of the Galileo Reference Centre.
GPS signal jamming has become a pressing issue, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Disruptions have been reported along the frontline and in the Baltic regions, leading to inaccurate position readings that pose risks for both civilian flights and military applications. Countries affected include Poland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Finland, and parts of Germany, with many disruptions traced back to Russian transmitters.
A notable incident of satellite navigation interference occurred in March 2024, when a 63-hour-long GPS jamming attack impacted over 1,600 passenger planes. Additionally, spoofing has risen, where legitimate data streams are mimicked to mislead receivers. The new signal authentication service in the Galileo upgrade will help users differentiate between legitimate and spoofed signals.
In addition to the work in the Netherlands, a global upgrade of Galileo’s ground segment is in progress, with key sites in Belgium, the Indian Ocean, and Norway already upgraded. Eleven more sites are set for upgrades by 2025. GMV has also been awarded a six-year framework contract worth €35 million ($38.2 million) to enhance the European GNSS Service Centre infrastructure.
The space component is also being upgraded, with two satellites expected to launch in September 2024, followed by six more in the coming years, bolstering the constellation’s robustness and performance. Furthermore, a new generation of Galileo satellites is in the pipeline, moving from design to validation phase.
Linus Höller is a correspondent for Defense News, specializing in international security and military developments in Europe. He holds a degree in journalism, political science, and international studies, and is currently pursuing a master’s in nonproliferation and terrorism studies.
